Dr. Tan Choo Hock from the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya (UM) has been awarded the JALAS International Award in a ceremony at Sapporo, Japan recently.
This award is an international award for scientists below 35 years old from selected countries in recognition of their achievement and contribution in areas involving laboratory animal science and medicine. JALAS is the Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Science.
The award is in conjunction with the Japanese Conference for Laboratory Animal Science and Technology 2014, 61st Annual Meeting of Japanese Association for Laboratory Animal Science and 48th Annual Meeting of Japanese Association for Experimental Animal Technologists.
Dr. Tan Choo Hock, an alumnus of this prestigious University, obtained his MBBS and PhD (Pharmacology and Toxinology) from the Faculty of Medicine, UM. He currently serves as a senior lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology. He is actively engaged with the Venom and Toxin Research Group (VTRG) from the University and has research focuses mainly on the characterisations of snake venoms and antivenoms using multifaceted approaches. His other ‘non-venomous’ interests include medical education and adverse drug reactions.
Dr Tan is honoured to represent UM at the past JALAS annual meeting held in Sapporo, Japan to receive the award mentioned. He has also shared with the international audience his research findings in a condensed oral presentation entitled “Laboratory Animal Use in the Toxinological Characterisations of Snake Venoms”.
In the paper, he has highlighted how various models of laboratory animals and snakes have been useful in his work to propel deeper understanding of the pathophysiology of snake envenomation and insights into the optimisation of snakebite treatment. Along this, ethical and judicious use of laboratory animals was emphasised.
