Field of Interest
More than seven years ago, the pharmaceutical sector began to invest heavily in genomics to increase the supply of validated drug targets.  Upon the completion of the human genome sequence, drug discovery pipeline with more than 75,000 sequences of potential targets has been identified.  However, valid drug targets were unable to examine by the gene sequence information as it reveals little about protein function or disease relevance. Proteomics seeks to provide functional information for all proteins, it refers to any protein-based approach that provides new information about proteins on a genome wide scale.   In order to determine a protein relevance to a particular disease, it is importance to catalog where, when and to what extent the protein is expressed.  Although the level of mRNA can be monitor, mRNA and protein levels do not always correlate in the cell and many regulatory processes occur after transcription.  Thus, a direct measure of relative protein abundance is more desirable. 

We are currently conducting four proteomics research :

i)                      Identification of protein biomarker for colorectal cancer amongst the Malaysia patients

ii)                    Identification of protein biomarker for breast cancer amongst the Malaysian female patients 

iii)                   Development of high throughput screening method for kidney stone disease.

iv)                  Differential protein expression between Atypical mycobacteria and clinical M. tuberculosis strains.

Analysis service provided

Analysis to differentiate porcine and bovine gelatin in capsule. 

Publications                   

Seng Liang, Manjit Singh, Lay-Harn Gam (in press) The Differential Expression of Aqueous Soluble Proteins in Breast Normal and Cancerous Tissues in Relation to Ethnicity of the Patients; Chinese, Malay and Indian. Disease Markers. 

Lay-Chin Yeoh, Chee-Keat Loh, Boon-Hui Gooi , Manjit Singh  and Lay-Harn Gam (in press), Abundant hydrophobic proteins in colorectal cancer in relation to cancer’s stages, grades and patients’ gender. World J. Gastroenterol. 

Lau WH, Leong WS, Zhari I, Gam LH (in press)  SDS-PAGE Quantitative Assay for Screening of Kidney Stone Disease.  Biological Procedure Online. 

Che Nin Man , Ahmed Ibrahim Fathelrahman, Gam Lay Harn, Razak Lajis, Ahmad Shalihin Mohd Samin, Maizurah Omar, Rahmat Awang and Nurulain Abdullah Bayanuddin (2009) Correlation between urinary nicotine, cotinine and self-reported smoking status among educated young adults. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology  28:92-96 

Lau WH, Leong WS, Zhari I, Gam LH (2009) Proteomics and Detection of Uromodulin in First-time Renal Calculi Patients and Recurrent Renal Calculi Patients.  Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 159:221-232

Che Nin Man, Syazwani Ismail, Gam Lay Harn, Razak Lajis and Rahmat Awang (2009). Determination of Hair Nicotine by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.  Journal of Chromatograpy B, 877:339-342

Izani O, Majid MIA, Manjit S, Gooi, Subatra S, Liang S. Gam LH (2009), Proteomics of Grade Three Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma In Malaysian Chinese Breast Cancer Patients.  Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry.       (http://www.babonline.org/bab/052/bab0520209.htm) 

Wai-Hoe Lau, Wing-Seng Leong, Zhari Ismail, Lay-Harn Gam (2008).  Qualification and application of an ELISA for the determination of THP in human urine and its use for screening of kidney stone disease.  International Journal of Biological Sciences, 4:215-222. or online at http://www.biolsci.org/v04p0125.htm

Izani O, Majid MIA, Manjit S, Man CN, Gam LH (2008) Isolation, identification and quantification of differentially expressed proteins from cancerous and normal breast tissues. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry.  May 45: 299-306

Leow CH, Manjit S, Gooi BH, Che Min M, Gam LH (2008)  Comparison of protein profiles of colorectal cancer tissues extracted using three extraction buffers.  Journal Biosceince.  19(1), 1-14. 

Gam LH, Leow CH, Man CN, Gooi BH, Manjit S.  (2006)  Analysis of differentially expressed proteins in cancerous and normal colonic tissues.  World J. Gastroenterol. 12(31): 4973-4983.

Man CN, Gam LH, Ismail S, Lajis R, Awang R.  (2006)  Simple, rapid and sensitive assay method for simultaneous quantification of unrinary nicotine and cotinine using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.  Journal of Chromatography B. 844 (2) 322-327.

Saravanan D., Jamaludin A.S., Razak H.M., Valiappan R., Ahmad N.A., Gam LH, Ismail Z.  (2006)  The classification of Phyllanthus niruri Linn. According to location by infracred spectroscopy.  Vibrational Spectroscopy. 41:68-72.

Saravanan D, Hossain M.A., Zhari S., Gam LH, Ismail Z. (2006)  The use of principal component analysis and self-organizing map to monitor inhibition of Calcium oxalate crystal growth by Orthosiphone stamineus extract.  Chemometrics and Inteligent Laboratory System. 81: 21-28. 

Gam LH and Latiff A. (2006) Tandem mass spectrometic analysis of glycopeptides derived from the tryptic digestion of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).  Malaysian Journal of Science.  25(2): 87-95.

Gam LH, Leow CY & Baie S. (2006)  Proteomic analysis of snakehead fish (Channa striata) muscle tissue. Malaysia Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 14: 25-32

Gam LH, Aishah L. (2005)  SDS-PAGE Electrophoretic Property of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and its b-subunit.  International Journal of Biological Sciences. 1:103-109. and online at  http://www.biolsci.org/v01p0103.htm.

Gam LH, Leow CY & Baie S. (2005)  Amino acid composition of snakehead fish (Channa striatus) of various sizes obtained at different times of the year.  Malaysian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 3(2): 19-30.

Gam LH & Aishah L (2005) Identification and Confirmatory Method for Human Chorionic Gonadetropin using HPLC/MS/MS Analysis. Malaysian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 12: 25-30

Gam LH, Tham SK and Aishah L.  (2003), Immunoaffinity extraction and tandem mass spectrometric analysis of human chorionic gonadotropin in doping analysis.  Journal of Chromatrography B, 79: 187-196.

Gam LH and Aishah L.  (2002), Identification and confirmation of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin using in-gel digestion and HPLC/MS/MS analysis.  Journal Bioscience, 13 (1):27-34

Gam LH and Aishah L.  (2002), High throughput screening for urinary human chorionic gonadotropin using ELISA method. Journal Bioscience  13(2): 95-101.

Verdugo-Rodriguez, A, Gam, LH, Devi S, Koh, CL, Puthucheary, SD, Calva, E and Pang, T. (1993), Detection of antibodies against Salmonella typhi Outer Membrane Protein (OMP) preparation in typhoid fever patients. Asian Pacific Journal of Allergy and Immunology 11: 45-52.  

3. Book and Chapter in a Book

Gam LH (2009) Untuk Wanita Yang Menghidap Kanser Payudara (Mandarin Version) Intan Spektra Sdn Bhd publisher, ISBN 978-983-43724-4-6.

Gam LH (2009) Memahami Kemoterapi: Panduan Untuk Pesakit dan Keluarga (Mandarin Version) Intan Spektra Sdn Bhd publisher, ISBN 978-983-43724-6-0

Gam LH. et al. (1991)  Immune Reactivity of Typhoid Sera with Outer Membrane Protein extracted from Salmonella typhi.  In: Typhoid Fever, Strategies for the 90’s.  T. Pang, CL Koh and SD Puthucheary eds.  World Scientific Singapore. New Jersey. London. Hong Kong.  Pp182-187. 

4. Proceedings and Abstracts 

Yeoh LC, Kboo BY, Shaharum S, Singh M, Syed Hassan SAA, Norhayati O, Gooi BH, Gam LH (2009) Biomarker Identification in Colorectal Cancer tissues from Malaysian Patients.  Symposium of USM fellowship holders, USM, 9 pages. 

Lee HH. Manjit S, Khoo BY, Shaharum S, Syed Hassan SAA, Norhayati O, Gam LH (2009) Comparison of protein expression of colorectal and breast cancer tissue from Penang Patients. Symposium of USM fellowship holders, USM, 9 pages. 

Ang KC, Tang TH, P Ibrahim, Gam LH (2009) Analysis of proteome of mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and a Malaysia Clinical isolate (TB138) by 2D gel analysis.  Symposium of USM fellowship holders, USM, 8 pages. 

Ang KC, Tang TH, Ibrahim P and Gam LH (2009) Comparison of the proteome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and a Malaysian Clinical Isolate (TN138) by 2D gel analysis.  In 3^rd Regional Conference on Molecular Medicine 2009, Kota Bharu Kelantan 2-4 May 2009. Pg 56. 

Yeoh LC, Khoo BY, Shaharum S and Gam LH (2009)  Identification of biomarker for colorectal cancer from Malaysian patients.  In 3^rd Regional Conference on Molecular Medicine 2009, Kota Bharu Kelantan 2-4 May 2009. Pg 158. 

Lim CA, Khoo BY, Shaharum S and Gam LH (2009)  Identification and evaluation of protein expression in breast cancer tissue.   In 3^rd Regional Conference on Molecular Medicine 2009, Kota Bharu Kelantan 2-4 May 2009. Pg 158. 

Gam LH, Liang S, Leow CH, Izani M, Lim CA, Yeoh LC (2008)  Proteomics of Breast Cancer tissues Amongst  Malaysian Patients.  In the proceeding of 7th Surugadai Symposium, Tokyo, Japan. 

Rusliza B, Kartini H, Gam LH, Amin MSAM.  (2008)  Interleukin-18 (IL-18) Expression in the plasma and major organis of Malaria-infected Mice and its modulatory effers on the cytokine cascade during infection.  In the proceeding of Malaria: Immunology, Pathogenesis and Vaccine Perspectives, Apphach, Austria. 

R. Basir, K. Hasballah, LH Gam, A. Majid and S, Ismail. (2008)  Modulation of Interleukin-18 produces a positive impact on the release of Proinflammatory and Antiinflammatory cytokines during Malaria Infection.  In the proceeding of 13th International Congress on Infectious Disease. KL Malaysia. 

Seng Liang and Gam Lay Harn.  (2008)  Identification of differentially expressed aqueous soluble proteins in cancerous and normal breast tissue of Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma: A proteomics study.  In the proceeding of Asean Scientific conference in Pharmaceutical Technology, Penang. 

Kartini, H, Rusliza B, Gam LH, Amin MS.  (2008)  The release profile of IL-18 in major organs of Malaria-infected mice.  In the proceeding of Asean Scientific conference in Pharmaceutical Technology, Penang. 

 Lau WH, Gam LH, Zhari I, Leong WS.  (2007)  Identification of biomarkers and development of sreeening methods for kidney stone disease.  In the proceeding of Annual Conference of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, PJ, Selangor. 

Ismail S., Man CN., Gam LH, Rahman MSA., Bayanuddin NAA., Maarup N., Lahis R., Awang R.  (2006)  Prevalence of smoking among new Universiti Sains Malaysia students (04/05).  3nd Life Sciences Postgraduates Confefence, 1st USM-Penang International Posgraduate convention 24-27 May 2006 USM. 

Saravanan D., Sasidharan S., Mohannad HR, Gam LH., Ismail Z.  (2006)  Radical Scavenging activity of Phyllanthus niruri samples from Malaysia: partial least squares regression on ultraviolet-visual absorbance data. 3nd Life Sciences Postgraduates Confefence, 1st USM-Penang International Posgraduate convention 24-27 May 2006 USM. 

Loh CK, Manjit S., Gooi BH, Gam LH.  (2006)  Identification of differentially expressed proteins in colorectal cancer using proteomics appraoch  3nd Life Sciences Postgraduates Confefence, 1st USM-Penang International Posgraduate convention 24-27 May 2006 USM. 

Gam & Aishah (2000).  Analytical protocol of urinary hCG – confirmation methodology for athletics doping.  In the proceeding of The 48^th ASMS Conference on Mass Spectrometry and Allied Topics.  Pp. 87. 

Gam L.H. et al. (1999).   Immunoaffinity trapping procedure for urinary hCG.  In the proceeding of Joint 14^th Scientific Meeting of The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.  Asia Pacific Journal of Pharmacology, S63.  

Saringat Hj Baie, Gam Lay Harn and Leow Chiuan Yee, (2004), Proteomics study of Haruan (Channa striatus) tissue extracts: An Approach to explore Medicinal property for wound healing, 2nd Life Sciences Postgraduates Confefence: life Sciences: the power to explore, discover and stimulate 1-4 April 2004.p. 397-401, 

Gam Lay Harn, Tengku sifzizul Tengku Muhammad and Leow Chiuan Herng. (2004), Proteomics study of colon cancer tissue. 2nd Life Sciences Postgraduates Conference: life Sciences: the power to explore, discover and stimulate 1-4 April 2004.p. 385-389 

Izani M. O., Gam LH., Mohamad Isa., Gooi BH., Manjit S. (2006)  Method development for the identification of differentially expressed proteins of grade three infiltrating ductal carcinoma. In the proceeding of 1st USM-Penang international postgraduate convention. 1 page 

Che Nin Man, Syazwani Ismail, Gam Lay Harn (2005) Rapid assay for determination of urinary nicotine and cotinine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.  In the proceeding of Asian Conference on Clinical Pharmacy.  

Gam Lay Harn, Leow Chiuan Herng, Che Nin Man, Gooi Boon Hui and Manjit Singh a/l Karam Singh (2005)  Method development for proteomic analysis of human colorectar cancer tissue.  .  In the proceeding of Asian Conference on Clinical Pharmacy. 

Leow Chiuan Yee, Saringat Hj. Baie, Gam Lay Harn. (2004)  Proteomics analysis of Haruan Tissue Extract.  In the proceeding of &th Asian Fisheries Forum 04.  

Gam LH, Izani O., Man CN, Manjit S. Gooi BH, Mohamed IAM.  (2006)  Method development for isolation and identification of proteins extracted from breast carcinoma.  In the proceeding of 21^st Scientific Meeting of The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.

Man CN, Gam LH, Ismail S., Hassan NI. (2006)  A sensitive assay for simultaneous determination of nicotine and cotinine in hair by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In the proceeding of 20^th Scientific Meeting of The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.  

Che Nin Man, Masfusi A, Razak L. Gam LH, Maisurah O, Rahmat A, Foong K, Nurulain AB (2006)  Hair Nicotine levels in Male smokers and non-smokers from major ethinic in Malaysia.  In the proceeding of Malaysian Conference on Tabacco Control (MCTC) 1-3 December 2006.  

Kartini Hasballah, Rusliza Basir and Gam Lay Harn (2005) Interleukin-18 expression in the plasma of Malaria-infected mice.  In the proceeding of 20^th Scientific Meeting of The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.  

Leow Chiuan Herng and Gam Lay Harn (2005).  Proteomic study of colon cancer tissues.  In the proceeding of 20^th Scientific Meeting of The Malaysian Society of Pharmacology and Physiology.  

Gam Lay Harn, Leow Chiuan Herng. Manjit Singh a/l Karam Singh (2004) proteomics analysis of differentially expressed proteins extracted from malignant colon tissues as compared to normal colon tissues. In the proceeding of 29^th Annual Conference of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  

Gam Lay Harn and Zhari Ismail. (2005)  Method development for screening and analysis of Urinary Tamm-horsfall glycoprotein.  Laporan akhir geran  IRPA jangka pendek.  

Gam Lay Harn and Tengku Sifzizul Tengku Muhammad (2006)  Method development for isolation and identification of proteins extracted from breast carcinoma.  Laporan akhir geran IRPA jangka pendek.

Mohd Izani Othman, Gam Lay Harn, Mohamad Isa Abd. Majid, Gooi Boon Hui and Manjit Singht a/l Karam Singh (2005).  Proteomics study of grade 3  female breast cancer.  In the proceeding of Malaysian Association of Clinical Biochemists. 

Gam & Aishah (2000). Analysis of urinary hCG by tandem mass spectrometry.  In the proceeding of The 10^th Scientific Meeting of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology  Pp. 28-29.  

Gam & Aishah (2000)  Quantitation of urinary hCG using immunoaffnity column clean-up method followed by HPLC/MS/MS analysis.  In the proceeding of 12^th National Biotechnology Seminar Pp 223.

Gam LH and Aishah L. (2002)  Identification and confirmation of urinary hCG using In-gel digestion and HPLC/MS/MS analysis.  In the proceeding of MPS Pharmacy Scientific Conference 2002.  

International Invited Speaker

Invited by KMCH College of Pharmacy to International Seminar on Recent Advances in LCMS on 28^th January 2009

Topic of the talk: LC/MS Method Development 

Post-graduate students 

 Undergraduate Teaching 

1. FAR211/3 Biochemistry and Basic Principles of Molecular Biology 

2. FAR 241/4 Antimicrobial Therapy 

3. FAR311/3 Pharmaceutical Analysis I 

4.  FAR 112/3  Organic Chemistry 1 

Professional or Academic Association 

Member of American Associaton of Cancer Research, AACR 2007-2009

Research Fello of National Institute of Phamarceutical and Nutraceutical Malaysia

Programme Coordinator for Toxicology Laboratory of National Poison Centre, Malaysia

Associate Member of National Poison Centre, Malaysia

Associate Member of INFROMM (Institute of Research on Molecular Biology)

Commettee Member of Postgraduate and Research INFORMM 2005-2008

Commettee Member of  MITD, INFORMM

Commetee Member of Tuberculosis Research Group

Member of National Colorectal Cancer Working Group

Board Member of School of Pharmaceutical Sciences 

Research Grants

1. Principle Investigator 

Development of Dip- stick for kidney stone disease. Cradle Fund (ongoing)

Proteomic analysis of the leaf of Medicinal plants: Misai Kuching, Kadok and Sambung Nyawa. RU Grant (ongoing)

Proteomic Analyses of Isoniazid-susceptible and resistant strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Malaysia: Identificatinof unique proteins as candidate for durg target and diagnostic markers.  FRGS (ongoing).

Proteomic analysis of urinary proteins and development of high throughput screening assay for kidney stone patients.University Short Term Grant (ongoing). 

Identification of membrane associated protein biomarkers for infiltrating ductal carcinoma: Proteomics approach. eScienceFund (ongoing). 

 Identification of biomarker for colorectal cancer from Malaysian Patients. RU Grant (ongoing). 

Study of the protein profile of colon cancer cells, IRPA (completed). 

Method Development for Isolation and Identification of proteins extracted from Breast Carcinoma. University Short Term Grant (completed). 

Method Development for Isolation and analysis of Urinary Tamm-Horsfal Glycoprotein. University Short Term Grant (completed). 

2. Co-researcher

1. Identification of antigenic epitopes among leptospira serogroups in Malaysia for use in serodiagnosis. University Short Term Grant (ongoing)

2. Characterization of Circulating Antigens in Toxoplasmosis. eScienceFund (completed). 

3. The role of involvement of Interleukin-17 in Malaria Infection, FRGS (completed). 

4. Proteomics Analysis of Ikan Haruan tisssue, Universiti Short Term Grant (completed) 

Travel Grants

1. AACR-NCI travel grants, 2007,International, American Association of Cancer Research, USA.

2.  Royal College of Surgeon Ireland and received invitation to Ireland on 26 Feb to 11 March 2007/ 2 weeks.

3. Tokyo Medicine and Dental University to 7th Surugadai Symposium in Tokyo Japan, November 2008. 

Awards

1. Anugerah Sanggar Sanjung 2005 (kategori penerbitan) co-author, National, USM, Malaysia

2. Anugerah Sanggar Sanjung 2006 (kategori penerbitan) co-author, National, USM, Malaysia

3. Hadiah Sanjungan 2006 (kategori penerbitan), National, USM, Malaysia

4. Hadiah Sanjungan 2006 (kategori penerbitan), National, USM, Malaysia

5. Hadiah Sanjungan 2008 (ketegori penerbitan), National, USM, Malaysia 

Exhibitions

1. SMIDEX 2009, KLCC Convention Centre, May 2009

Workshops Conducted

1. Protein isolation, separation and analysis, INFORMM, Health Campus, USM 2007

2. Gel casting and protein separation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, USM May 2008.

3. Proteomics, INFORMM, Main Campus, USM 2007

4.  Protein Worshop, School of Phamaceutical Sciences, USM May 2008

5. Proteomics Workshop on Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Data Interpretation,

    May 2009, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sponsored by MOSTI 

Consultations

1. Project R&D Satelit Biotechnology Penang in prepatation of “Strategic roadmap for the development of Biopharmaceutical research and industry in Northen Region of Malaysia’.

2. Course coordinator for Pharmaceutical Chemistry I for franchised degree program (Bachelor of Pharmacy) with College Technology Pulau, Penang.

Services to the Community 

1.      Coordinate and edit the Chinese version of ‘ For Woman Suffers from Breast Cancer’ booklets for cancer patients in collaboration with Cornell University, US and CaEd, UPM on Cancer Education and Research Project.

2.      Coordinate and edit the Chinese version of ‘Understanding Chemotherapy”  booklets for cancer patients in collaboration with Cornell University, US and CaEd, UPM on Cancer Education and Research Project.

3.      Coordinate and edit the Chinese version of ‘Understanding Radiotherapy”  booklets for cancer patients in collaboration with Cornell University, US and CaEd, UPM on Cancer Education and Research Project.  

Patents

1.      Biomarker for kidney stone disease (patent-pending)

2.      Analysis method to differentiate bovine and porcine gelatin source in capsule (patent-pending) 

Supplementary Materials for  Seng Liang, Manjit Singh, Lay-Harn Gam (accepted) The Differential Expression of Aqueous Soluble Proteins in Breast Normal and Cancerous Tissues in Relation to Ethnicity of the Patients; Chinese, Malay and Indian. Disease Markers 

Supplement 1a: Proportion of upregulated, same intensity and downregulated protein spots for a) SEC13-like 1, b) calreticulin, c) 14-3-3 protein eta and d) 14-3-3 protein zeta in relation to estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, C-ERB-B₂ ^­oncoprotein status and triple negative status for all patients. 

a) SEC13-like 1

b) calreticulin,

c) 14-3-3 protein zeta

 d) 14-3-3 protein eta

Supplement 1b: Proportion of upregulated, same intensity and downregulated protein spots for a) SEC13-like 1, b) calreticulin, c) 14-3-3 protein zeta and d) 14-3-3 protein eta in relation to nodal status for all patients.

a) SEC13-like 1

 b) calreticulin

c) 14-3-3 protein zeta

d) 14-3-3 protein eta

Supplement 2: Proportion of upregulated, same intensity and downregulated protein spots for a) SEC13-like 1, b) calreticulin, c) 14-3-3 protein eta and d) 14-3-3 protein zeta in relation to estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, C-ERB-B₂ ^­oncoprotein status and triple negative status by race.

a) SEC13-like 1

 b) Calreticulin

 c) 14-3-3 protein zeta

d) 14-3-3 protein eta