By Aimi Mohamad Farid
Photo by Mohammad Izrul Abdul Jabar
SERDANG, 22 July - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has joined forces with Japan-based S.T. Corporation and Leave a Nest to explore tropical plant resources for the development of sustainable, environmentally friendly bioproducts.
Led by UPM’s Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), the Malaysia-Japan research partnership brings together scientific expertise, advanced extraction technology and an international innovation network.
Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Zulkhairi Mohd Yusoff, project adviser and Head of INTROP’s Laboratory of Biopolymer and Derivatives (BIOPOLYMER), said the partnership supports the institute’s efforts to advance research excellence through international collaboration.
Speaking on behalf of the INTROP director, he said the collaboration would also expand the institute’s research into the sustainable utilisation of tropical forest resources.
“As a Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE) in Tropical Forestry, INTROP is working towards becoming a regional reference centre for research on tropical forest resources and their sustainable use.
“By bringing together INTROP’s scientific expertise, S.T. Corporation’s advanced extraction technology and Leave a Nest’s innovation ecosystem, we aim to develop science-based solutions with global relevance,” he said.
The one-year project, titled Extraction and Characterization of Compounds from Tropical Plants for Application as Eco-Friendly Bioproducts, aims to identify bioactive compounds from tropical plants that could be used to develop environmentally friendly products for commercial and industrial applications.
The research team will use a microwave-assisted extraction system provided by S.T. Corporation to improve extraction efficiency and screen plant compounds for antimicrobial, antioxidant and other properties relevant to future product development.
Associate Professor Dr. Mohd Zulkhairi serves as the project adviser, while INTROP research officer Mohd Ashadie Kusno leads the project and coordinates its implementation among the three organisations.
S.T. Corporation senior executive officer Yosuke Maeda said the partnership reflects the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable innovation by integrating its extraction technology with UPM’s research expertise.
“By combining our advanced extraction technology with UPM’s research expertise, we hope to develop sustainable innovations that benefit society and the environment while deepening research ties between Japan and Malaysia,” he said.
Leave a Nest Group chief executive officer and INTROP adjunct professor Dr Yukihiro Maru said cross-border collaboration was vital to translating research discoveries into practical innovations.
“This collaboration demonstrates how international partnerships can accelerate research translation, create opportunities for young researchers and transform scientific discoveries into innovations that benefit society,” he said.
The project’s kick-off ceremony included the presentation of a letter of intent by S.T. Corporation to UPM, a demonstration of the microwave-assisted extraction system and discussions on the research roadmap and potential future collaborations.
The initiative is also aligned with UPM’s Putra Global Prominence (PUTRAGlobe) agenda, which focuses on strengthening international research partnerships, expanding global knowledge exchange and advancing high-impact collaborative research.
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