Research Institutes, Centres and Units - Universiti Sains Malaysia

professionals and medical students and has heightened in popularity over the years
based on the increased number of requests and trainees received yearly.
5. As a WHO designated Collaborating Centre for Drug Information (Western Pacific
Region), PRN’s expertise in specialised areas are continually utilised to support the
Organisation’s various projects. These include:
a) The development and field-testing of an Information Exchange System for Drug
Information/Drug Therapeutic Committee for countries identified BY WHO in
the Western Pacific Region.
b) The designing and development of a Training Kit for pesticide use for WHO-IPCS.
c) The development of multimedia interactive CDs on “Toxicology in the Classroom”.
The product was officially launched in Geneva in May 2009 during the 2nd
Session of the International Conference on Chemical Management (ICCM2).
d) The development of an MPOWER Training Package for WHO-Tobacco Free
Initiative including training selected tobacco control personnel from Bloombergfunded
countries, namely, China, Vietnam & Philippines.
e) The planning and implementing of a WHO-funded pilot project to create youth
leaders among university undergraduates in tobacco control. The capacitybuilding
project involved undergraduates from Universiti Malaya, Universiti
Putra Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Islam Antarabangsa
and Universiti Sains Malaysia. A spin-off from this project led the birth of the
“Green Lung Project”, an awareness campaign to transform the USM campus
into a 100 per cent TOBACCO-FREE CAMPUS.
f) PRN is in collaboration with the Division of Food Safety and Quality to research
on marine toxins, including the monitoring of marine-based products, particularly
those derived from puffer fish.
g) Besides routine testing and analysis, PRN’s Toxicology Laboratory has also
developed analytical methods to determine the adulteration of sildenafil and
its analogues in foods. PRN has entered into an agreement with a company to
test for this adulteration in their health products and anticipates more requests
from other food manufacturers.
h) PRN continues to provide short-term training and attachment in ICT/ multimedia
and laboratory instruments for students from both public and private colleges.
i) PRN recent acquisition of an ‘Eye-Tracking’ machine has enabled new researches
on visual literacy, communication and product design. The equipment is the first
of its kind to be used in Malaysia.
j) PRN is the recipient of the inaugural USM Quality Award for the Service
Sector in 1998 and has also earned a place in Universiti Sains Malaysia Hall
of Fame for Quality Service. PRN is networked globally through its website
“prnweb”(http://prn.usm.my).