KUALA LUMPUR, February 13 – Associate Professor Dr. Ho Weang Kee, from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, has secured a groundbreaking Wellcome Trust Career Development Award (WTCDA) amounting to GBP £1.92 million (RM11.3 million). This funding, a first for Malaysia, will propel an 8-year research program focusing on innovative breast cancer risk stratification and communication methods in diverse Asian populations. Co-hosted by the University of Nottingham Malaysia and Cancer Research Malaysia, the research aims to enhance the accuracy of breast cancer risk prediction models tailored to unique genetic and environmental factors prevalent in Asian populations.
The Wellcome Trust Career Development Award is a highly competitive initiative from the Wellcome Foundation, a UK-based charitable organization supporting research across various disciplines. Dr. Ho’s 8-year program seeks to address critical research gaps in risk assessment by refining breast cancer risk assessment in Asian populations. Leveraging advanced statistical techniques, the project aims to harness valuable insights from existing, less powerful datasets in underrepresented populations. The ultimate goal is to empower women with informed decisions about screening and prevention, reducing inefficiency, unnecessary costs, and potential harm caused by over-diagnosis.
In addition to its scientific significance, the award is a celebration of the contributions of women in science, aligning with the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on 11 February 2024. Dr. Ho expressed confidence that the award would strengthen collaborations and engage diverse stakeholders to determine effective strategies for disease control in the region. The University of Nottingham Malaysia, committed to advancing research and knowledge exchange, is actively seeking donors, sponsors, and partners for research collaboration and support.
