Practising Researcher

Author: Zohrah Haji Sulaiman PhD
Associate Professor (Molecular Genetics)
Assistant Vice Chancellor (Research and Education)
Universiti Brunei Darussalam

Introduction

First of all, I would like to thank the Bruneian Postgraduate Society for inviting me to write an article on the “Practising Researcher.” The easiest way is to write of my own experience, starting from the first day I joined Universiti Brunei Darussalam after completing my Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) from the University of Southampton (United Kingdom) in 1994.

The Early Years

My PhD was on molecular genetics; I studied the effect of injected DNA in a tropical fish. We used expensive equipment to study DNA at my former university. I wanted to continue my research at Universiti Brunei Darussalam but this turned out not to be feasible as it would have meant setting up a DNA laboratory in order to conduct such research. The question at that time was how could I proceed with my research? Equipment was a constraint at the time. As I did not want to lose my interest in research, I wrote a paper on “Genetic Engineering in Brunei Darussalam: Future Implications” which was published in UBD’s Academy of Brunei Studies journal, “Janang”. I was at the same time trying to find a suitable research topic to conduct at the University.

After much thought, I applied for a University Research Grant in marine aquaculture. I realized that conducting research in this area would generate papers and would provide a baseline study on the marine aquaculture of Brunei Darussalam. I later expanded my research to freshwater fish aquaculture in rural areas of the Tutong district. Indeed, I presented and published papers in the area but it was not good enough for me as I am first and foremost, a geneticist. I SHOULD BE DOING GENETICS. I had the opportunity to meet a colleague from University of Malaysia, Sabah and he invited me to contribute a paper on “Gene Transfer in Fishes.” I published my first book chapter in 1999. The book was published by Blackwell Science, Oxford. I also published my work in regional journals and was active in presenting my research work overseas. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1999, five years after my appointment as a lecturer.

I am a geneticist

I felt aquaculture was not the right area for me as my expertise was in molecular genetics. After five years at the University, I was still looking for my niche area of research. I worked with a student volunteer from Canada during the long vacation and with a final year project student on gene transfer in black tiger prawns. We showed successful DNA transfer in prawns and the resultant paper was accepted for publication in Aquaculture International (see Zohrah Haji Sulaiman, Raymond Ho Ming Chan and Putri Maharani Simanjuntak. 1999. Gene expression in black tiger prawns (Penaeus monodon) following intramuscular injection of b-Gal plasmid. Aquaculture International 7, 333-340). The research was aimed towards using DNA as a vaccine. I believe that the work was the first successful demonstration of gene transfer in invertebrates. The procedure could also produce genetically modified prawns. At the time, genetically modified foods were associated with negative connotations as their effect on health was unknown.

Niche area of Research

However, I was back to square one – I still had to find my niche area. We have been attracting overseas scientists to Brunei Darussalam to do work in our pristine rainforest. The position of Brunei Darussalam in Borneo is an advantage as Borneo is the world’s most important mega biodiversity hotspot with more kinds of habitats and species than can be found almost anywhere else in the world. The biodiversity of fishes using genetics as a tool would be my area of research. I used allozyme electrophoresis to study the population genetics of freshwater and marine fishes. I learned the technique from a research fellow who was attached to our laboratory in 1999. I presented and published papers in these areas.

Science is a dynamic field

Scientific techniques become obsolete after several years; scientists are having to learn new techniques all the time. Allozyme electrophoresis was no longer the technique used for studying population genetics of organisms. I had to learn new techniques in genetics. I was making new acquaintances all the time; either through conferences or academic linkages/collaboration. I learned the technique of using DNA markers for studying molecular phylogenetics from my colleagues at the University of Queensland. Universiti Brunei Darussalam and the University of Queensland were involved in teaching collaborations at that time. I still had difficulty in understanding molecular phylogenetics techniques and I had to go into a research laboratory in order to have hands-on experience. I learned from this experience and continued to enhance my knowledge in the area. I reinvented my niche area of research to Biodiversity of fishes, Biogeography and Molecular Phylogeny of fishes. I may continue to reassess and reinvent my research area as and when necessary. But, my research interest is still in molecular genetics.

Research Collaborations

A few years ago, I had no research group and worked on my own most of the time. I had a few project students. Therefore, I had to collaborate with other scientists in the same area. I have research relationships with University of Malaysia Sabah, the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research (National University of Singapore), the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and the University of St. Louis (USA). I became a member of Cypriniformes Tree of Life Initiative and Planet Biodiversity Initiative. Both projects are being or in the process of being funded by the United States National Science Fund. We published papers through these research collaborations. The following publications are examples of said research collaborations:

1. Tan H.H and Zohrah Haji Sulaiman. 2006. Three new species of Gastromyzon (Teleostei: Balitoridae) from the Temburong River Basin, Brunei Darussalam, Zootaxa 1117, 1-19 (collaboration with Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore, Singapore);

2. R.L.Mayden, K.L.Tang, K.W.Conway, J.Freyhof, S Chamberlain, M Haskins, L Schneider, M Sudkamp, R.M Wood, M Agnew, A Bufalino, Zohrah Sulaiman, M. Miya, K Saitoh and S He. 2007. Phylogenetic relationships of Danio within the order Cypriniformes: A framework for comparative and evolutionary studies of a model species. Journal of Experimental Zoology (Mol Dev Evol) 308B: 642-654 (Collaboration with University of St Louis, Missouri, USA under the Cypriniformes Tree of Life Initiative);

3. Zohrah Haji Sulaiman and Jennifer R Ovenden. 2009. Population genetic evidence for the east-west division of the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson, Perciformes:Teleostei) along Wallace’s Line. Biodiversity and Conservation. DOI 10.1007/s10531-009-9699y (Collaboration with Molecular Fisheries Laboratory, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Brisbane, Australia).

Now and The Future

Now, Biology at the Faculty of Science in UBD has a DNA laboratory and is also a proud owner of a DNA sequencer. I have a ‘research group’ consisting of myself, a junior colleague, project and postgraduate students. But, my journey does not end here. I still have an ambition to pursue and that will be my ultimate goal. There are three important lessons which I can draw from my experience: (1) when there is a will, there is a way; (2) find your niche area in research (continue to reassess and reinvent); (3) collaborate with other research scientists and (4) keep on publishing your research work.