Sook Kwan (Leah) Leang

Research Assistant
Department of Pharmacology,
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,
National University of Singapore.

Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology)
Bachelor of Science (Honours)

“What I enjoy most about my current job is that it allows me to apply my knowledge and skills, and the same time provides me with new knowledge.”

Within few weeks after returning home to Malaysia from Australia, I was offered a research position at the National University of Singapore. After much consideration, I decided to take up this job and so far, I am fully content with this mind-stimulating and challenging position.

Currently I am working on a research project involving the testing of antiviral effects of a drug on various viruses that includes influenza A virus, measles virus, herpes simplex virus, murine hepatitis virus, etc. using in vitro and in vivo systems.

My job responsibilities require me to plan and perform relevant experiments, some of which include the development of relevant animal models for the respective viruses. Besides animal models, I am also involved in establishing cell-based assays for evaluating the antiviral effect of the drug.

What I enjoy most about my current job is that it allows me to apply my knowledge and skills, and the same time provides me with new knowledge.

Time has flown since I left Monash University, Gippsland Campus, Australia. It was an absolutely thrilling experience, and I will never forget the beautiful setting of the campus.The one reason I enjoyed studying at Monash University is the flexibility of the course the university offers. A wide range of subjects from different fields e.g. microbiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, chemistry, statistics, mathematics were available within the faculty, and therefore this allowed me to identify my area of interest. 

After completing my third year degree, I was keen in pursuing my fourth year mainly in virology. I took up a research project on influenza virus where the project was fully conducted at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Australia. The huge amount of laboratory work that we were taught while at university has equipped me well with diverse skills and knowledge, which I can now apply to my current research career.