M’sian researcher Serena is darling of cancer research

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A MALAYSIAN researcher attached to Cambridge’s Medical Genetics Department and Medical Research Council Cancer Unit was awarded the Dr Josef Steiner Cancer Research Prize 2019.

Prof Dr Serena Nik-Zainal (pix), the daughter of late cardiologist Datuk Dr Nik Zainal Abidin Nik Abdul Rahman renowned for setting up the first cardiology surgical unit in the country – was awarded the coveted prize for her research on cancer genome interpretation.

Formerly known as the “Nobel Prize for Cancer Research”, the Dr Josef Steiner Cancer Research Prize 2019 recognises the work put by Dr Serena into new bioinformatic methods to analyse mutations in cancer cells, which then enables new approaches to targeted therapies.

Serena, the principal investigator of the research worked with Dr Paul Calleja and Dr Ignacio Medina to find ways to