EXPLORING ANTARCTICA		RESEARCH PROJECTS
		Biodiversity of Antarctic Fungi Researchers Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siti Aisah Hj Alias (Project Leader) - University of Malaya (SAA) Dr. Ng Ching Ching - University of Malaya (NCC) Dr. Mohammad Rizman Idid - University of Malaya (RI) Postgraduate Students Chin Yun Ming (MSc) - University of Malaya Suhaila Omar (MSc) – University of Malaya Abiramy A/P Krishnan – University of Malaya External Collaborators Jerzy Smykla Department of Biodiversity Institute of Nature Conservation Polish Academy of Sciences Mickiewicza Maria de Lordes Guerra Cabezas Blvd. 9 de Octubre 416 y Chile Edificio Citibank, cuarto piso. Oficina 402 P.O. Box 09-01-7658 Guayaquil, Ecuador Prof. Dr. Gerardo González-Rocha Microbiology Laboratory Faculty of Biology Universidad De Conception  Grants RMK 8 2002 – RM 30,000.00 2003 – RM 70,000.00 2004 – RM 125,000.00 2005 – RM 80,000.00 RMK 9 (2006) – RM 131,000.00 Publications 1 Refereed journal papers 4 Paper in conference proceedings 11 Conference presentations (Abstracts) 8 International conferences 3 Local conferences Refereed Journals 1. Suhaila Omar, Siti Aisyah Alias and Azlina Abdul Wahab. Diversity and ultrastructure studies of soil microfungi of Windmill Island , Antarctica . Malaysian Journal of Science (accepted for publication) Conference Proceedings 1. Siti Aisyah Alias and Azlina Abdul Wahab. 2005. Occurrence of Filamentous Microfungi from Windmill Islands , Wilk land, Continental Antarctica. (2005) Tan ASH, Yasin Z. & Mansor M (eds), Proceedings of the 2 nd Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica , 3 – 5 May, 2004. Academy of Sciences Malaysia , pp 131 – 135. 2. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Azlina Abdul Wahab, Leelatulasi Salwoom and Irine Tan K.P. 2006. Soil microfungi of Windmill Island and Maitri Station, Antarctic: Diversity based on molecular and physical characteristics; and preliminary study on the effect of temperature and salinity on selected Antarctic fungi. In Proceedings VI Reunión Chilena de Investigación Antártica y II Simposio Latinoamericano Sobre Investigaciones Antárticas. pp 301-306. 3. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Faizah Fuad and Vikineswary Sabaratnam, 2006. Effect of media, sea water, temperature and pH on the growth of selected Antarctic fungi. Proceeding ‘ Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ' , 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . pp 89 – 94. 4. Siti Aisyah Alias , Azlina Abdul Wahab and Suhaila Omar, 2006. Occurrence of filamentous microfungi from Windmill Island , Antarctica . Proceeding ‘ Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ' , 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . pp 95 – 102. Conference Presentations 1. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Azlina Abdul Wahab, Chin Yoon Ming and Ng Ching Ching, 2006. Fungal diversity of Windmill Island and Maitri Station, Antarctica : Ultrastructure, physiology, phylogeny and characterization studies. International Congress: Poles Apart: Nurturing Global Environmental Aspects. 10-14 April 2006, Punta Arenas , Chile . Oral . 2. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Azlina Abdul Wahab, Leelatulasi Salwoom and Irene Tan K.P. (2006). XXIX SCAR Meeting with open Science Conference, 8-19 July 2006, Hobart , Tasmania , Australia . Diversity of soil fungi from Windmill Island and Maitri Station, Antarctica and Effect of temperature and salinity on selected Antarctic fungi. Poster . 3. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Chin Yoon Ming, Ng Ching Ching, Leelatulasi S. and Irine Tan K.P. Soil microfungi of Windmill Island and Maitri Station, Antarctica : Diversity based on molecular and physical characteristics; and preliminary studies on the effect of temperature and salinity on the growth of selected Antarctic fungi.VI Reunión Chilena de Investigación Antártica y II Simposio Latinoamericano Sobre Investigaciones Antárticas, 16-18 August 2006, Concepción, Chile. Oral. 4. Yoon-Ming Chin, Ching-Ching Ng, Siti Aisah Alias and Suhaila Omar, 2006. 8 th International Mycological Congress (IMC 8), 20-25 August 2006, Cairns , Australia . Phylogenetic analysis and identification of Antarctic microfungi by PCR of the ITS1, ITS2, mitochondrial small subunit rDNA and beta-tubulin gene. Poster 5. Siti Aisah Alias, Suhaila Omar, Faizah Fuad and Vikineswary Sabaratnam, 2005. Effect of media, sea water, temperature and pH on the growth of selected Antarctic fungi. ‘Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ', 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . Oral 6. Siti Aisah Alias, Azlina Abdul Wahab and Suhaila Omar, 2005. Occurrence of filamentous microfungi from Windmill Island , Antarctica . ‘Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ', 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . Oral 7. Siti Aisah Alias and Azlina Abdul Wahab, 2004. 28 th Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research SCAR Open Science Conference –XI SCALOP Symposium. 2004. Bremen Germany , 25 – 31 July, 2004. . Biodiversity and Ultrastructure Studies of Antarctic Fungi. Poster 8. Siti Aisah Alias and Azlina Abdul Wahab, 2004. Occurrence of Filamentous Microfungi from Windmill Islands , Wilk land, Continental Antarctica. 2 nd . Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica : Global Laboratory for Scienctific and International Cooperation. 2004. Penang , Malaysia . Oral 9. Siti Aisah Alias and Azlina Abdul Wahab.2002. Preliminary Reports on Occurrence of Fungi at Antarctic. 1 st . Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctic. 2002. University Malaya Oral 10. Siti Aisyah Alias , Suhaila Omar, Faizah Fuad and Vikineswary Sabaratnam, 2006. Effect of media, sea water, temperature and pH on the growth of selected Antarctic fungi. Proceeding ‘ Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ' , 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . Poster . 11. Siti Aisyah Alias , Azlina Abdul Wahab and Suhaila Omar, 2006. Occurrence of filamentous microfungi from Windmill Island , Antarctica . Proceeding ‘ Seminar on Antarctic Research in University Of Malaya ' , 27-30 June 2005, University of Malaya , Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia . Poster . Expeditions under RMK8 Expedition to Casey (16 Dec 2001 – 28 Jan 2002) Dr. Chu Wan Loy & Dr Selvaraj Expedition to Casey (17 February – 12 March 2004) [AAD Project 2590] Dr. Siti Aisyah Alias & Wong Chiew Yen Expeditions under RMK 9 & IPY Project Dasan Station, Arctic (July 2006) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Irene Tan, Prof. Phang Siew Moi & Assoc. Prof. Dr. Siti Aisah Alias Expedition to Antarctic Peninsular (3 Jan – 28 February 2006) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Azhar Hussin, Dr. Cheah Qkueen, Suhaila Omar (INAE – Equador Antarctic Research Institute) Expedition to Antarctic Peninsular (23 Jan – 28 February 2006) Abiramy A/P Krishnan & Dr. Michael Wong [INACH – Chile Antarctic Institute] Training of students 3 MSc students (Ongoing) 1 BSc students (Completed) Postgraduates Name Candidature Title of research project 1. Chin Yun Ming Master of Science ( University of Malaya )   Molecular characterization and phylogenetic studies of selected filamentous microfungi from the Antarctic region 2. Suhaila Omar   Master of Science ( University of Malaya )     3. Abiramy A/P Krishnan   Master of Science ( University of Malaya )       B. Sc. Students Name Candidature Title of research project 1.