Advancing post-transplant care
SURGERIES carry the risk of infections – including transplants.
In Malaysia, where cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevalence is high, hospitals face the challenge of CMV infections following haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Recognising this, Dr Sharifah Shahnaz Syed Abd Kadir, a consultant haematologist at Hospital Ampang, conducted research on the topic, which she recently presented at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Malaysian Society of Transplantation.
Her effort clinched first prize in the Best Paper Oral Presentation category, earning her a trophy, a certificate, and a cash prize of RM1,000.
Themed 'Compassion to Cure: The Transplant Journey', the conference, held from May 22 to 24 at a hotel in Selangor, convened experts and scholars committed to improving transplantation outcomes.
Dr Sharifah Shahnaz – a third-year Doctor of Philosophy (Medical Science) student at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – expressed gratitude for the honour.
'This award affirms the significance of our work in advancing transplant-related care, especially in resource-limited settings.
'It motivates me to pursue impactful research that bridges immunology and clinical practice, and opens doors to collaboration and further innovation,' she said in a press release.
Titled Cytomegalovirus (CMV) Infection/Disease and CMV-Specific Cell-Mediated Immunity (CMI) after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation (SCT) in a High CMV Seropositivity Rate Population, Dr Sharifah Shahnaz's research project involved a study at Hospital Ampang, where she followed 72 transplant patients and employed the QuantiFERON-CMV assay to evaluate immune responses post-transplant.
Her research found that early impaired immunity and the presence of gut graft-versus-host disease were key predictors of CMV infection – insights that could significantly inform post-transplant care.
These findings underscore the importance of immune monitoring and point towards the integration of immunological markers into clinical risk models for better patient outcomes.
Her success is also a reflection of the mentorship provided by her supervisors, Assoc Prof Dr Leong Pooi Pooi and Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng from UTAR, as well as Dr Tan Sen Mui from Hospital Ampang, the press release read.
It added that the achievement illustrates UTAR's ongoing commitment to fostering high-calibre medical research that addresses real-world healthcare challenges.
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