Our People

Professor Qasim Ayub

Email: qasim.ayub@monash.edu

Dr. Qasim Ayub joined Monash University Malaysia as Associate Professor and Director, MUMGF in September 2017. He trained as a clinician and subsequently obtained his doctorate from the University of North Texas, Denton, USA. In Pakistan he assisted in setting up a state of the art molecular biology research facility, the Biomedical and Genetic Engineering Laboratories, in Islamabad, that became the focal point for the Human Genome Diversity Project. Several of the novel male specific markers that were identified during his studies of the Pakistani populations are now routinely used in forensic DNA identification. For this work he was awarded the President of Pakistan’s Medal of Excellence for contributions to science in 2006.

From 2008 until August 2017 he worked at the world renowned Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, near Cambridge, and was a member of the 1000 Genomes Project Consortiums and the gorilla sequencing team that published several high impact papers. His research focuses on human population and evolutionary genomics and over the past decade he has analyzed DNA variation in worldwide ethnic and linguistic groups in order to understand their origins and relatedness. He continues to maintain his interest in South Asian population genetics and human evolutionary adaptations. At Monash University Malaysia he leads the Malaysian BioGenome Project and conducts research on human evolutionary and disease genomics. The aim is to analyze DNA variations in humans and other species to ascertain their origins, migration patterns, and improve our understanding of genetic factors involved in host-pathogen interactions.

In May 2019, Dr. Qasim Ayub was appointed as the Deputy Head of School (Research) for the School of Science, Monash University Malaysia. In July 2021 he was promoted to Professor.

Email: tan.hocksiew@monash.edu

Dr. Patrick Tan Hock Siew is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University Malaysia, where he also serves as the Program Director for the Bachelor of Science program and Deputy Director of the Monash University Malaysia Genomics Platform (MUMGP) since 2025.  He obtained his PhD in Biology (Molecular Microbiology) from the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, in 2017, following a Master's in Biotechnology (2011) and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Hons) in Biotechnology (2008) from Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Dr. Tan's research is centered on combating the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). He integrates quantitative, multiomics approaches with innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.  His work has led to award-winning innovations protected by intellectual property, such as the CampySalDeTECT rapid detection kit and APBiotics, an aptamer-based antimicrobial agent.

His research delves into how integrated multiomics can reveal the regulatory networks and evolutionary dynamics that drive AMR. Furthermore, he focuses on designing modular, nucleic-acid-based aptamers for the rapid detection and counteraction of emerging bacterial pathogens.  Dr. Tan is expanding his research into phage biology and engineering, aiming to develop phage-based therapies as a complementary approach to current aptamer strategies, thereby opening new therapeutic avenues.

Dr. Cheah Hong Leong

Email: hongleong.cheah@monash.edu

Dr. Cheah Hong Leong is an interdisciplinary researcher with over a decade of expertise in microbiology, molecular biology, and bioinformatics, complemented by seven years of experience in scientific translation and communication. His professional background also includes industry experience as a quality control microbiologist in the pharmaceutical sector, providing him with a rigorous foundation in applied microbiology and regulatory standards.

He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in 2011, followed by a Master’s degree in 2014 and a Ph.D. in 2022 from Universiti Sains Malaysia, where he specialized in molecular biology and bacteriology. His doctoral research utilized RNA-seq analysis to characterize transcription start sites and small RNA (sRNA) profiles in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, with parallel investigations into Leptospira biflexa that provided key insights into bacterial regulatory mechanisms and survival under hostile environmental conditions.

In January 2023, Dr. Cheah joined Monash University Malaysia as a Research Fellow, where he has since expanded into conservation genomics and biodiversity. As a lead contributor to the Malaysian BioGenome Project, he spearheads the generation of reference genomes and population genomic analyses of native biodiversity. His work has already resulted in the completed genome sequencing of several threatened peat swamp fish species, including several within the Betta genus and the broader Osphronemidae family.

Further expanding his leadership in environmental surveillance, Dr. Cheah leads efforts in environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring of mangrove biodiversity in Klang Islands in collaboration with UNESCO IOC-WESTPAC. He is also involved in the ANEMONE Global Initiative, a UN Ocean Decade endorsed project establishing a standardized global eDNA monitoring network.

Beyond these primary initiatives, Dr. Cheah contributes his expertise to diverse multidisciplinary studies, including research on climate change impacts in the Kuala Langat Peat Swamp Forest. He is currently integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into genomic workflows to enhance species detection and data interpretation, further bridging the gap between advanced computational tools and environmental conservation.

Dr. Aswini Leela Loganathan

Email: Aswini.Leela@monash.edu

Dr. Aswini is a Research Fellow at the Monash University Malaysia Genomics Platform (MUMGP), specialising in bioinformatics, genome assembly, and multi-omics data analysis. She joined Monash University Malaysia in September 2020 and works under the guidance of Prof. Qasim Ayub. She obtained her Master’s and PhD in Biotechnology (Molecular Genetics) from the Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah. Her doctoral research focused on the genetic diversity of Green (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill (Erethmochelys imbricata) turtles, and the prevalence of Chelonid fibropapilloma-associated herpesvirus (ChHV5) in Mabul Island, Sabah.

Dr. Aswini has a strong interdisciplinary background spanning genomics and bioinformatics, with hands-on experience in sequencing technologies including Sanger sequencing, PacBio Sequel IIe, and Oxford Nanopore PromethION, as well as chromatin conformation methods such as Hi-C. Her current research focuses on generating high-quality reference genome assemblies for vertebrates using advanced long-read and genome scaffolding technologies. She has contributed to the assembly and analysis of genomes of conservation significance, including seahorses, the Malayan tiger, and the Malayan tapir, supporting  global biodiversity initiatives such as the Vertebrate Genome Project (VGP) and the Earth BioGenome Project.

In addition, she also has experience in human and clinical genomics, contributing to projects on recurrent pregnancy loss, congenital cardiomyopathy, and human Y chromosomal diversity in international collaborations. Her research also extends to microbiome and resistome studies across indigenous and urban Malaysian populations, integrating multi-omics data for translational and public health applications. Dr. Aswini specialises in designing scalable and reproducible bioinformatics pipelines for whole-genome sequencing, including mapping, de novo assembly, and variant analysis. More recently, she has expanded into AI-driven bioinformatics, developing agent-based workflows that automate genomic analyses and reporting through integration of large language models and interactive web-based platforms.

Ms Lim Shu Yong

Email: lim.shuyong@monash.edu

Ms Shu Yong obtained her B.Sc. in Microbiology from Pennsylvania State University in 2014 under the JPA Scholarship. She later completed her Master’s degree in Molecular Microbiology at University of Malaya. Her postgraduate research focused on the comparative genomics of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), where she investigated genetic variations among local strains and identified key antibiotic resistance and virulence genes. She also conducted transcriptomic analyses to characterise gene expression profiles associated with biofilm formation in selected VRE strains.

Shu Yong joined the team in July 2017 as a Research Associate, where she played a key role in managing end-to-end wet lab workflows, including sample collection, nucleic acid extraction, library preparation, and next-generation sequencing. She has extensive hands-on experience working with a range of sequencing platforms, including Illumina MiSeq, PacBio Sequel IIe, and Oxford Nanopore PromethION, ensuring high-quality sample processing and data generation for diverse research and service projects.

In 2021, she was promoted to Assistant Manager, where she now oversees day-to-day laboratory operations, with a strong focus on research support and technical service delivery. Her responsibilities include coordinating laboratory activities, maintaining quality control standards, troubleshooting experimental workflows, managing consumables and equipment, and ensuring compliance with laboratory best practices, biosafety guidelines, and institutional regulatory requirements. She is also actively involved in maintaining and improving the laboratory’s quality management system, including supporting PQMS implementation, documentation, and audit processes.

In addition, she plays a key role in connecting stakeholders across projects, serving as a liaison between researchers, students, institutional units, and external collaborators to ensure smooth communication and efficient project execution. Shu Yong is also actively involved in training and mentoring undergraduate and postgraduate students through internship and apprenticeship programmes, providing hands-on guidance in molecular and genomic techniques while supporting capacity building within the laboratory.