EXPLORING ANTARCTICA		RESEARCH PROJECTS
		Studies on Psychrophiles from Antarctica and Artic with Special Reference to Their Anti-microbial and Enzyme Activities Researchers Dr. Clemente Michael Wong Vui Ling (Project Leader) - Universiti Malaysia Sabah Mr. Ruzaidi Azli Mohd. Mokhtar- Universiti Malaysia Sabah Ms. Chang Pheh Ping- Universiti Malaysia Sabah Prof. Dr. Son Radu - University Putra Malaysia Dr. Cheah Yoke Kqueen - University Putra Malaysia Postgraduate Students Tam Heng Keat (M.Sc.) - Universiti Malaysia Sabah Yong Hui Yee (B.Sc) - Universiti Malaysia Sabah Chee Jo Anne (B.Sc.) - Universiti Malaysia Sabah Lim Boon Cheng (B.Sc.) - Universiti Malaysia Sabah External Collaborators Dr. Marcello Leppe, Instituto Antartico Chileano (INACH), Chile Mr. Hernan Moreno, Instituto Antartico Ecuatorian (INAE), Ecuador Dr. Gerardo González-Rocha, Universidad De Concepcion , Chile Shir. T.V.P. Bhaskara Rao, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa , India International Collaboration Projects Dr. Gerardo González-Rocha, Universidad De Concepcion , Chile (Anti-microbial compounds of microbes from  Antarctica ) IPY Project No. 1018 - Screening for Anti-microbial Activities of Pychrophiles from Antarctica - Dr. Marcello Leppe, Instituto Antartico Chileano (INACH), Chile IPY Coordination Proposal #55- Microbiological and Ecological Responses to Global Environmental Changes in Polar Regions (MERGE). Collaborator: Logistic support by INACH and INAE  Grants RMK 8 2005 – RM 35,000.00 RMK 9 (2006) – RM 141,000.00 Publications Wong, C.M.V.L, Tam, H.K., Wong, F.Y. and Radu, S. 2006. Bacterial Diversity of the Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica . I In: Proc. of the Symposium entitled Poles Apart: Nurturing Global Environment Aspects PANGEA-2006. April 10-14. Punta Arenas , Chile . Pp. 21. Wong, C.M.V.L, Radu, S.  Tam, H.K., and Wong, F.Y. 2006. Origin and Phylogeny of Bacteria Living in Permanent Antarctic Lake Ice and Soils. In: Proc. of the 2 nd SCAR Open Science Conference on Antarctica in the Earth System” from 9-14 July in Hobart , Australia . Pp. 420. Wong, C.M.V.L, Tam, H.K., and Yong, H.Y. 2006. Useful Bacteria from Antarctica . In: Proc. of the II Simposio Latinoamericano Sobre Investigaciones Antarticas y VI Reunion Chilena de Investigacion Antartica, from 16 – 18 August 2006 in Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion , Chile . Pp. 191-192. Wong, C.M.V.L. and Son, R. 2005. Bacterial diversity of the Schimacher Oasis in Antarctica . In: Proc. of “Antarctica Research”, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 27-29 June 2005. 25. IPY Project Activity The following Expression of Intent (EOI) (#1018) was submitted: GROWING THE “UNCULTURABLE” PYCHROPHILES FROM ANTARCTICA AND ARTIC, AND SCREENING OF THESE BACTERIA FOR ANTI-MICROBIAL ACTIVITIES The EOI was under the MERGE consortium (IPY #55). The proposed project will expand our scope to cover the studies on Bacteria from Antarctica and Arctic . Collaborators : 1. Dr. Marcello Leppe, Instituto Antartico Chileano (INACH), Chile 2. Mr. Hernan Moreno, Instituto Antartico Ecuatorian (INAE), Ecuador 3. Dr. Gerardo González-Rocha, Universidad De Concepcion , Chile IPY – Logistic Support   Byers Peninsula , Livingstone Island and Fildes Peninsula , King George by Instituto Antartico Chileano(INACH), Chile Maldonado Base by Instituto Antartico Ecuatorian (INAE), Ecuador Maitri Station, Schirmacher Oasis, by National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Goa , India Expeditions under RMK8   Expedition to Maitri (Dec 2004 – Mac 2005) 1. Dr. Clemente Michael Wong Vui Ling 2. Dr. Baba Musta (UMS) 3. Ms. Leelatulasi Salwoom (UM)  Expeditions under RMK 9 & IPY Project Escudero Station (26 th Jan- 27 th Feb 2007) 1. Dr. Clemete Michael Wong Vui Ling (UMS) 2. Ms. Arbiramy Krisnan (UM)  Maldonado Station (31 st Dec 2006 – 22 nd Jan 2007) 1. Dr. Cheah Yoke Kqueen (UPM) 2. Dr. Azhar Hj. Hussin (UM) 3.Ms. Masdialily Dahlan (USM) 4. Ms. Suhaila Omar (UM)  Training of Students 1 MSc student (Ongoing) 1 B.Sc student (Completed) 2 B.Sc students (Ongoing) Postgraduates Name Candidature Title of research project 1. Tam Heng Keat Master of  Science (Biotechnology) (UMS) Screening for Mannanase Activities of Bacteria isolated from soil and water samples from Maitri, Antarctica and Poring Hot Spring 2. Yong Hui Yee   Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) (UMS Isolation and characterization of some psychrophiles and mesophiles with special reference to their mannanase activities –   3. Chee Jo Anne   Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) (UMS   Isolation and Characterization of Bacteria from soils collected from the Schirmacher Oasis, Antarctica 4. Lim Boon Cheng Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) (UMS   Determination of the microbial population around Maitri Station, Antarctica