Malaysia-MIT Biotechnology Partnership Programme (MMBPP)

The Malaysia MIT Biotechnology Partnership Programme (MMBPP) is a research and development partnership. The main objective of the MMBPP is to develop advanced technologies that command the future of biotechnology. The MMBPP pulls together the expertise and resources of Malaysia with the ability of MIT to advance the science and technology. Thus, the MMBPP synergistically drives technical progress and scientific discovery to create a unique resource based biotechnology. The programme aims at biotechnology to explore, capitalize, and further develop Malaysian natural resources. Furthermore, the MMBPP creates and adds value to the natural and human resources of Malaysia.

The MMBPP was launched with a five-year plan with two research sub-programmes: 1) Natural Product Discovery from the Malaysian indigenous medicinal plants - first with Eurycoma longifolia (Tongkat Ali) and Centella asiatica (Pegaga) and 2) Oil Palm Biotechnology - production of high value substances using oil palm as a new generation "manufacturing plant."

Tongkat Ali, the most well-known traditional Southeast Asian herbal medicine, is believed to cure thousands of diseases. Although Tongkat Ali is still widely available in the market, its supply is rapidly diminishing. The research on Eurycoma longifolia focuses on: (1) in vitro propagation via somatic embryogenesis, (2) quantitative measurement of the chemical or bioactive constituents, and 3) development of standardized commercial formulations. Similarly for Centella asiatica, studies including identification and characterization of accessions, genetic fingerprinting, bioassays, bioreactor feasibility, etc. are aimed at the enhancement of bioactive metabolites production.

The oil from Oil Palm is a major cash crop in Malaysia. The research on oil palm focuses on two major areas. First, developing and improving methods for the cultivation of oil palm in tissue and suspended culture. Second, Oil Palm engineering produces biodegradable plastics, furthering the value of the crop.

The MMBPP, approved as a national biotechnology programme by the National Research Council, Mesyuarar Majlis Penyelidikan Dan Kemajuan Sains Negara (MPKSN), is sponsored by the Ministry of Science Technology and the Environment of Malaysia, with the National Biotechnology Directorate as the designated authority. The MMBPP is formulated with the consensus of the biotechnology community of Malaysia and participating MIT research personnel, and is guided by the framework set forth by the National Science Advisor of Malaysia. The MMBPP has had strong support and sanction of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, the Right Honorable Y.A.B. Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohamad from its inception.

Exchange of Malaysian and MIT research personnel to facilitate the interaction, progress, and training of researchers in critical areas such as genomics, bioinformatics, and bioprocess, are an integral part of the MMBPP. The engagement of Malaysian scientists on MMBPP research at MIT, in collaboration with the MIT researchers in areas currently important in biotechnology including genomics, bioinformatics, proteomics, bioassay etc., is aimed at training the professionals who will lead the biotechnology development and be responsible for the new biotechnology industry in Malaysia.

A total of eighteen academic, industrial and government research institutions including six Biotechnology Cooperative Centers along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology collaborate in the MMBPP. They are the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), Palm Oil Research Institute Malaysia (PORIM), Applied Agricultural Research (AAR), FELDA Agricultural Services Sdn Bhd, Golden Hope Plantations, Guthrie Biotech Laboratory Sdn Bhd, Institute for Medical Research (IMR), IOI Plantations Bhd, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Sime Darby Plantations, Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM), Technology Park Malaysia (TPM), TropBio Sdn Bhd, United Plantations Bhd, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Malaysia (UM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and Universiti Science Malaysia (USM). The MMBPP has approximately 200 research personnel in Malaysian institutions and 27 research personnel, including Malaysian scientists, working at MIT.