Waste Management in Negara Brunei Darussalam
Panorama
Craniosacral Therapy during Pregnancy
Mind Over Matter
Language Centre Holds ELT Conference: Reality vs Ideal
News Update
Efforts to Maximize
Student Learning
Department of Public
Relations and Information
Sultan Qaboos University
Issue 339
View Point
The Way Forward
The rising demand for water associated with population growth, water-intensive diets and rising of living standards has stressed water resources across
the world. This situation is much aggravated in arid areas including the Middle East where natural water resources depletion is attributed to low rainfall
and high evaporation rates. The water budget deficit in arid areas, the high
cost of water supply, the essential need for food and associated energy value
among other challenges all need to be scientifically addressed to find solutions
to worlds’ current and future water problems.
Mohamed Salem Al Ghailani
Editorial Supervision
Santhosh Muthalath
Senior Editor
Sara Al Gheilani
Nasebah Al Muharrami
Ground water is a vital and strategically important natural resource of drinking
water in this region. Major aquifers around the world are facing severe pressure
from water abstraction for irrigation and other water uses, which is aggravated
by land use and climate change. In many regions, ground water tables have declined considerably and aquifers have become polluted by various pollutants
such as nitrates. The changes observed in ground water quality and quantity
are a threat to the crucial ecosystems services groundwater provides such as
drinking and irrigation water provision, natural attenuation processes, storage
functions and habitats; to ground water dependent ecosystems such as springs,
rivers, wetlands and lakes; and to the ground water dependent socio-economic
system. The socio-economic component is important as the social and economic
development in many regions is linked to the provision of safe and reliable
water resources.
Translation
Ahlam Al Wahaibi
Design & Layout
Photography Dept., CET
Photography
Salim Al Sudairi
Circulation
To provide sustainable solutions, new methods and policies are needed in
ground water management in which ground water systems are considered in
a more holistic and integrated way. Decision making in ground water management is often complex due to varied stakeholder interests, multiple objectives, different options and uncertain outcomes. Conflicting stakeholder interests are often an impediment to the realization and success of any regulations,
policies and measures. Sustainable solutions need to take into account the
socio-economic values and ecological aspects of ground water and dependent
ecosystems. The “water resources in arid areas: the way forward” conference
organised by the Water Research Centre at SQU witnessed a huge turnout of researchers working in this area. Management of groundwater resources should
involve the design of proper institutional, legal and operational framework
based on scientific studies, and should ensure a long-term sustainable management of water and associated ecosystems.
SQU-info
90199997
@SQU-info
Horizon invites contributions from SQU members of staff and faculty. Contributions in the form of
articles, news, travelogues, stories of unique and interesting experiences, encounters, etc., are welcome. Contributions may be edited for the sake of clarity and length. Please send your contributions
to horizon@squ.edu.om preferably, as MSWord attachments. Authors will be suitably credited.
The views and opinions expressed in the articles published in this newsletter are those of the authors
and are not to be construed as the official views of the publication. Horizon is published three times a
month by the Department of Public Relations and Information, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 50,
P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Phone: +968 24141045
E-mail: horizon@squ.edu.om
30 April 2016
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Fax: +968 24413 391
Website: www.squ.edu.om
News Update
SQU Academic Bags
Khalifa Award
Dr. Muna Ayed Al Awadi from the College
of Education at Sultan Qaboos University
(SQU) bagged the ninth version of Khalifa
Award for Education in the field of general
education research at the pan Arab level. A
ceremony was held on 21 April under the
patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin H. H.
Zayed al-Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister,
Minister of Presidential Affairs in UAE and
Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees to hand over the award to the winners. Khalifa Award for Education has been
founded to enrich the education field and ensure keeping pace with rapid
developments in technology, science and information fields.
Dr. Muna Al Awadi works as Assistant Professor at the Department of Art
Education at the College of Education. Dr. Al Awadi served as the Head
of the Department from 2008 -2010. She organized the first international
symposium and Art Education Alumni Forum. She supervised a number of the master’s and doctoral theses. Her research focused on the fields
of art education, design, printmaking and child’s art. She contributed in
evaluating research, as well as provided scientific consultations, organized
art workshops for teachers and supervisor of Fine Arts at the Sultanate. In
addition, she worked in the preparing and improving specialized courses
in the light of international quality standards.
The areas of the Khalifa Award is divided into two levels, the first level
is local and includes the areas of public education, educational innovation, disabilities and education, sustainable environment and community
service. The second level is for the UAE and the Arab world countries and
includes several areas; such as higher education, innovation in teaching
Arabic language and educational research, as well as projects, innovative
educational programs and educational authoring for children.
SQU Council Approves Centre
for Preparatory Studies
Language Centre Holds ELT
Conference: Reality vs Ideal
The Language Center at SQU held its 16th International English Language Teaching Conference on Thursday, 21 and 23 of April. The Opening ceremony took place place in the Conference Hall under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Al Harrasi, Chairman of the Public
Authority for Radio and Television. Over the 16 years, Oman International English Language Teaching Conference has succeeded in establishing itself as one of the most successful conference not only at the
national level but also at the regional level. It has secured itself a spot
on the map of conferences directed toward the improvement of English
language teaching in the Arabian Gulf region. Every year, the conference attracts an attendance of about 800 delegates. Its pool of speakers
has grown to include speakers from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar the
UK, the USA, Australia, to name a few, in addition to the speakers that
represent the various government and private academic institutions in
the Sultanate.
The conference was established back in 2001 with the aim of creating a
platform where ideas and research findings are shared among ELT professionals. It also serves as a forum for researchers, both novice and expert, to present their research ideas, elicit feedback from colleagues, reflect on accumulated experiences and perhaps even formulate research
topics that are inspired by discussions during conference sessions or
through networking. This year, the conference discussed the theme ELT:
Idea vs. Reality. The conference provided all parties involved in the
English language teaching profession an opportunity to reflect on the
underlying beliefs about the reality of our teaching situations in relation
to the ideal we all aspire to reach.
In order to provide a richer experience to conference participants, the
MENAWCA conference was also hosted by SQU alongside the 16th ELT
Conference. MENAWCA (Middle East- North AFRICAN Writing Centers Alliance) is a regional affiliate of the International Writing Centers
Association. MENAWCA is a network of writing center directors, employees, tutors and others interested in supporting student writing in
the Arab world.
The Sultan Qaboos University Council held its third meeting for the academic year 2015/2016 under the chair of H.E. Dr. Rawiya bint Saud Al
Busaidiyah, Minister of Higher Education and Chairperson of the Board.
The SQU Council approved the establishment of a centre for preparatory
studies and granting honorary Ph.D. degrees for individuals who made
great achievements over the years for the university for their specialization or the society or for humankind in general. The Council approved the
merger of the Language Centre and the Foundation Program under one
umbrella called “SQU Centre for Preparatory Studies”.
The meeting discussed SQU’s investment vision within the framework of
the University’s endeavours to have an investment arm that provides it
with self-finance sources and enhances its budget. The Council also approved the university’s graduation lists for autumn season for the year
2015/2016 for Ph.D. and master degrees, as well as the doctor of medicine,
higher diploma and bachelor degrees.
SQU Holds
Programming Contest
The Department of Computer Science of the College of Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) organized Oman University Programming Competition 2016 under the patronage of H.H. Sayyedah Dr.
Muna bint Fahd al-Said, SQU Assistant Vice-Chancellor for International Cooperation. As many as 37 teams from 11 local universities took
part in the two-day competition, in addition to the team of the State of
Kuwait. The competition was judged by a team from the Regional Centre in Egypt. The university programming competition aims at training
and qualification of university students from different IT disciplines to
work under pressure through creation of a competitive environment
where they work on a group of life issues by designing algorithms that
are implemented by using one of the two prevailing languages in the
development of algorithms: Java and C++
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30 April 2016
Insight
Efforts to Maximize
Student Learning
that contribute to their lives and their careers. Dr. Neisler added,
“In this method of teaching and learning, the ultimate result is a
significant change from teaching based on curriculum and grading
using the traditional grading systems. What the learners will be able
to do when they have completed their course or programme is an
important element in outcome-based learning. Outcomes are more
student-centred because, whilst objectives indicate the intentions of
the teacher, outcomes are the specific measurable achievements of
the successful student”.
“Like any other country, outcome-based learning is important for
the Sultanate as it seeks to promote problem solving, leadership and
entrepreneurial skills among its future generations. Another focus
of the faculty orientation programs and workshops is the CETL goal
of producing graduates who can meet the global requirements and
who can overcome the challenges of the future in a much more effective manner. The use of latest technologies for education is also
important in this regard. The standard of education of a nation is a
powerful predictor of the wealth that it will be able to produce”, Dr.
Neisler observed.
Commenting on the teaching strategy that can meet outcome-based
learning, Dr. Neisler said that she believes in interactive nature of
significant learning. Quoting Professor L. Dee Fink, she said that
the interactive authentic learning is important for teachers and students. Various aspects of learning are synergistic. “When a teacher
finds a way to help students achieve one kind of learning, it enhances student achievement in the other kinds of learning. If a teacher
finds a way to help students learn how to use the information and
concepts in a course to solve certain kinds of problems (application
learning), it becomes easier for them to get excited about the value of
the subject (caring). When students learn how to relate one particular subject to other ideas and subjects (integration), it will be easier
for them to see the significance of the course material for themselves
and for others (human dimension)”.
As part of its imitative to promote changes in teaching standards
and methods across the university, the Centre of Excellence in Teaching & Learning (CETL) at Sultan Qaboos University (CETL) is organizing different programs for the teaching faculty of different colleges.
The latest in the series of activities is the workshop on developing outcomebased learning objectives (OBLO) for teaching staff in the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences. The workshop was held on 5 and 12 of April.
The second workshop focussed on the alignment of assessment tools with
the learning objectives. The long-term goals of organizing such workshops
is to design authentic assessments that not only document the extent of
student learning but also help students understand how to use their skills
and knowledge in their jobs and in their communities. Within the last few
months, similar workshops have been held for teaching faculty in the Colleges of Arts and Social Sciences, Sciences, and Economics & Political Science.
Dr. Otherine Neisler, Deputy Director of CETL, said that in outcome-based
learning the emphasis is on student learning rather on what the teacher
intends to teach. “In this approach, which suits the requirements of the 21st
century graduates, the desired outcomes determine the curriculum content, the teaching methods and strategies, and the assessment process. The
outcomes also provide a framework for curriculum evaluation”. Outcomebased learning includes the graduates’ commitment to lifelong learning
and takes into consideration what is happening with the graduates in the
labour market and in the social sphere. It demands the students be active
learners who are at the university to achieve certain goals and objectives
30 April 2016
P4
The CETL at SQU, through various programs, stimulate faculty
members individually and in peer groups to reimage teaching to
maximize student learning and to integrate technological tools to
enhance learning. Any faculty member at the university can consult
experts at CETL with regard to analysis of student learning, syllabus
revision for outcome-based learning, technology integration, course
development, assessment of learning, and related services.
Hon. Dr. Rashid Abdullah Al Yahyai, Dean of the College of Agricultural & Marine Sciences, said that the workshop on outcome-based
learning was important for the college, which has initiated academic accreditation, to enhance the quality of its academic programs.
“Outcome-based education is a student-centred strategy aiming to
enhance the quality of teaching and learning. It is different from
tradition teaching processes. OBL specifies the outcomes the students should be able to demonstrate upon leaving the university.
To improve the quality of our programs, CAMS seeks to focus and
organize all of its programs and instructional efforts around the
clearly defined outcomes we want all graduates to have obtained.
Outcome-based education shifts the focus of educational activity
from teaching to learning; skills to thinking; content to process; and
teacher instruction to student demonstration. It needs a collective
effort from the college and the university at large as it is aligned with
the programs and objectives of the whole university. CAMS faculty
is excited about the proposed strategy laid out by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching & Learning. The practical sessions to prepare
the course outlines according to the new strategy in the teaching and
learning process proved helpful to the faculty members. We propose
CETL to incorporate plans to enhance the soft skills of the students
which are crucial in the development of a successful career”, Dr.
Rashid said.
Mind Over Matter
Craniosacral Therapy during Pregnancy
By: Frincy Francis
Lecturer, Dept. of Maternal & Child Health
College of Nursing, SQU
A gentle touch during a tensed phase of life is always very reassuring
and helps to calm down. Pregnancy is one such phase of life when the
whole body systems goes on a roller coaster ride with lots of changes
and imbalances. Every pregnant woman would look forward for relaxing bodywork to soothe her systems especially the nervous system. Once
such complementary therapy that is growing in popularity among the
midwives and the childbirth professionals is the CranioSacral Therapy.
The Founder
The Founder, Dr. John Upledger in his own words explains CST as “The
body’s natural healing process by the use of a gentle tough and very
light pressure”. Since the discovery of CST, this complementary therapy
is practiced for over 35 years among practioners worldwide and has seen
may clinical applications. Dr. John Upledger developed a clinical framework and a evaluative process which address 90% of craniosacral system
dysfunctions with a 10 step protocol that is noninvasive and based on
light touch and I practiced as directed cannot harm the patient.
The ten step protocol that make up the clinical techniques are palpation
of cranisacral rhythm, transverse diaphragm release, lumbosacral and
sacroiliac release, atlanto- occipital release, occipito cranial base release,
frontal and parietal lift, sphenid and temporomandibular compression –
decompression, still point and CV-4, dural tube traction, rock and glide,
therapeutic pulse and V – spread. Thought he steps sound complicated,
Dr. Upledger promises that it needs only a simple training to master the
skills.
Can this gentle touch heal birthing?
CST is a gentle, noninvasive and powerful hand – on therapy that benefits whole body health through the transformative and healing bodywork. The healing occurs physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually by relieving the restrictions in the body thus improving the health ,
harmony and well-being of the pregnant women.
How does CST exactly work?
The CranioSacral System comprises of the brain and spinal cord. This is
surrounded by the membranes, cerebrospinal fluid and the fascial connection to the bones. This system has a slow, gentle rhythm that resonates
throughout the entire body. A trained therapist can feel this craniosacral
rhythm in a pregnant women’s body by a subtle palpation tries to release
the tension in the fascia and creates a balance between the muscles, bones
and ligaments. During this therapy, the assessment of the whole body is
done to identify restrictions and uses light touch which has a pressure not
more than 5 grams (equivalent to the amount of pressure required to hold
Nickel) and encourages expansion, mobility and healing. The pregnant recipient at some points of the therapy experiences the sense of “still points”
which is the unique property of the craniosacral system among all the other
body systems.
The Benefits
The CST offers a wide range of benefits to the pregnant women. This includes, the mobility of the maternal pelvis improves; helps the baby to take
up the ideal position within the uterus; promotes easier birth for mother
and baby; and, relieves pains especially the lower back pain, foot pain, sciatica pain, vaginal or groin pain. Other benefits of CST are that it strengthens the pelvic floor muscles; sometimes promotes better postpartum healing after births; and, promotes recovery from the episiotomy, perineal tears
and C- Section.
What research literatures say about CST?
Helen Elden et al (2013) conducted a single blind, randomized controlled
trial to test effectiveness of CST on Pelvic Girdle Pain (PGP) among 123 pregnant woman and found that there was lower morning pain intensity and less
functional deterioration was observed after CST. The results of this study
is published in ACTA Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavia(AOGS). A
review of craniosacral therapy by Thomas Zone, published from “The Current Repertoire, Fall 2011, Newsletter of Cambridge Center for Behavioural
Studies reviews various literatures and finds CST effective not only for
pregnant women but other conditions like autism, migraine amd ADHD. A
study conducted in 2012 evaluated the effectiveness of combined approach
of CST and Sensory Integration Therapy (SIT) on reducing features in children with autism. The intervention tried on 20 autistic children and findings revealed overall improvement of children in the experimental group.
However, the concept has flourished as a very good alternative and complementary therapy in the western world but the literature searches prove
the need for more extensive research in the craniosacral therapy with more
evidence based articles to read and put into practice.
(This article is based on information available from several websites. References are
available with the author. Frincy Francis may be contacted by email to frincy.s@
squ.edu.om )
P5
30 April 2016
News Round Up
SQU, Iranian Institutes
to Boost Ties
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) and a number of Iranian higher
educational and research institutions have agreed to strengthen
academic and research ties. A discussion in this regard was held
on Monday, 18 April at SQU between Dr. Rama Al Mahrouqi,
SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research, and a group of officials from Iran headed by Prof. Batool
Meshkinfam, Deputy Director for Scientific Affairs, Centre for International Scientific Studies and Collaboration, Iran, and Professor Faculty of Literature, Alzahra University. Prof. Meshkinfam
was accompanied by Akber Irani, Director of Written Heritage
Research Center, and Nakysa Hooman, Professor, Iran University
of Medical Sciences.
The meeting with SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor was a follow-up
from Iran in return to a trip paid by the delegates of SQU back in
2012. The delegates from Iran delivered lectures at the College of
Arts & Social Sciences and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital to
give insights into areas they explore collaboration. Dr. Abdullah
Al Kindi, Dean of the College of Arts & Social Sciences, SQU, who
attended the meeting, suggested to resume the teaching of Persian language at the college and requested the Iranian Centre to
nominate and send the names of teachers. The two sides showed
interest in the exchange of students and faculty associated with
the College of Arts & social Sciences. The officials agreed on conducting a joint research project related to history of Oman and
Arabic language. Iranian institutions will help to translate the
manuscript written on the history of Oman and Arabic language
from Persian language to Arabic. The two sides discussed about
the prospects of sending medial doctors from SQU to Iran for
training in the fields of bone marrow, genetics and other specializations in SQU Hospital.
Seminar on IT
Governance Held
The Information systems department at the College of Economics and
Political Science at SQU organized a seminar on IT Governance. The
main objective of the seminar is to enable faculty and students remain
up-to-date with the latest developments and new trends in the everchanging field of IT. Mr. Rohit Banerjee - an Enterprise IT governance
and project management consultant presented the seminar entitled
‘IT Governance with COBIT 5 framework’. The seminar started with
an introduction to the fundamental concepts of IT Governance and
highlighted the set of rules and mechanisms that balance power, authority and the use of resources within an enterprise. Then, Mr. Banerjee moved on to discuss Enterprise IT, and stressed that Enterprise
IT Governance requires a collaborative work between the Enterprise’s
board and management team. Furthermore, Controlled Objectives
of Information and Technology (COBIT5) was discussed in the seminar. COBIT 5 is considered as the business framework for Enterprise
IT Governance and Management. COBIT 5’s principles and enablers
were explained with some of its common roadblocks and challenges.
30 April 2016
P6
RMO Holds Workshop on
Gas Cylinders Safety
In association with three major gas suppliers to the university, the
Risk Management Office (RMO) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU)
organized a workshop on compressed gas cylinders safety recently.
Around 70 participants including academicians, technicians, researchers, postgraduate students and administrators from different
units of the university, and SQU Hospital attended the event.
Commenting on the importance of the workshop, Dr. Salim Al
Harthi, Director of the Risk Management Office, said that compressed gas cylinder safety is an issue of paramount importance to
a leading research institution like SQU. “Compressed gases expose
users to both chemical and physical hazards. Gases contained within cylinders can be toxic, flammable, oxidizing, corrosive, inert, or a
combination of these hazards. Because the pressurized chemical is
released in gaseous form, a leak from the cylinder, regulator, or any
part of the system used to deliver the gas can quickly contaminate a
large area. Therefore, it is necessary to be familiar with the chemical
hazards of the gas and possibility of health problems like asphyxiation. In this context, enhancement of gas cylinder safety and creating
awareness on this among SQU community is an important task of
the Risk Management Office at the university”, Dr. Al Harthi said.
“We are happy to have the support of three main gas suppliers to the
University, namely Oman Industrial Gas Company, Mohsin Haider
Darwish and Muscat Gases Company, in providing oral presentations and practical sessions on compressed gas cylinder safety”, he
added.
Dr. Al Harthi further said in addition to the chemical hazards, there
are hazards from the gas pressure and the physical weight of the
cylinder. “A gas cylinder falling over can break chemical containers
and crush feet. The cylinder can itself become a dangerous propelled
object if its valve is broken off. Appropriate care in the handling and
storage of compressed gas cylinders is essential”. The topics of the
workshop covered all aspects of compressed gas use at research labs
starting from transportation and identification of gases until delivery and use of cylinders. “The representatives from the companies
gave directions and practical training on various aspects of safe use
of gases including proper fixing of gas regulators, and how leaks can
be identified and fixed to avoid dangers and damages. They gave insights into the best practices to users to minimize potential dangers
during use of compressed gases in laboratories. The aim is to train
the university staff concerned to develop good skills in dealing with
gases”, he said.
Dr. Al Harthi hoped that support of the gas suppliers would benefit
both the university and the companies. “This would help SQU to enhance safety related to use of compressed gas cylinders. By sharing
their experience in gas cylinder safety, the companies can sustain
their business and strengthen their commitment to the university,
which is one of their major customers”, he added. “The Risk Management Office at SQU, which is committed to safety of the university community, will organized more workshops on risk management
and safety in the days to come”, he concluded.
Panorama
Waste Management
in Negara Brunei Darussalam
By: Amal Nazirah Hj Abd Mulok
As an undergraduate exchange student who has been
given the opportunity to study abroad in a country, which
is exceptionally far away from home, has given me bittersweet experiences and memories, in which, inshaa Allah
will be sweeter with time. I am a Bachelor of Science student who is majoring in Environmental and Life Sciences
in the University of Brunei Darussalam. Learning about
waste management in a foreign university is an advantage
for me as it may increase my knowledge to preserve and
manage the environment globally to be in its optimum
well-being.
the residents dispose their wastes. However, there are
some houses with individual bins and the waste companies (trash collectors) pick them up. The companies collect
waste from house to house. This also applies to schools,
commercial centers, health centers, and construction sites,
but they store their wastes in trolley bins due to its volume
being more than household wastes’ volume. Some underprivileged families have no other choice but to burn (open
burning) their wastes. This is usually due to lack of transportation to dispose the waste, or they have not enough
revenue to pay for waste collection services.
Negara Brunei Darussalam is one of the smallest nations in
the world located on the Borneo Island in South East Asia,
having the size of 2,228 sq miles, with a population of less
than 500,000. There are 4 districts which makes up Brunei.
Its capital city is Bandar Seri Begawan and is located in the
Brunei-Muara district. Our country’s governance is based
on the MIB system; Melayu, means that we live by the
Malay customs and culture, Islam, as our main religion,
and Beraja, which translates to the monarchy system, as
our monarch is the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Haji Hassanal
Bolkiah Muizzadin Waddaulah.
The collected waste is usually thrown straight to the landfills. To date, there are 7 municipal solid waste landfill sites
across Brunei. The one in Brunei-Muara district, the Sg
Akar landfill which used to be the main landfill of Brunei,
is now on the process of rehabilitation to be a recreational
park. A new landfill in Sg Paku (which is located in Tutong)
is said to have been taken over to replace the Sg Akar landfill. Hazardous waste (from hospitals) are usually incinerated and sometimes transported to other countries (to the
United Kingdom and Germany via Singapore) for disposal.
Some waste materials such as plastic bottles or cans, and
unused electronics are recycled and sold for money. This
also applies to the “green waste” generated from gardening
or the kitchen, these wastes are used in making composts to
improve soil fertility and it can lessen the waste load.
Entire Brunei generates 189,000 tonnes of waste per year or
518 tonnes per day, or around 1.4 kg per person per day or
almost 511 kg per person per year. These wastes come from
various sources: residential, institutional and commercial
areas, yard and landscaping, land clearing, and constructions areas.
Bins and trolley bins are one of the ways in which the
wastes are stored before collection. Trolley bins (bigger
bins) are placed in a specific area in each province where
Few of the local NGOs (non-government organizations)
has also been a great catalyst to improve the waste management in some provinces in Brunei. An example would be
the Society for Community Outreach & Training (SCOT),
where they collaborated with the HSBC Bank and a local
private recycling company in one of their projects, called
the Green Xchange (GX) project. The crux of GX project is
that the people are encouraged to collect recyclable materials such as paper, plastics, metals, unused furniture, and
unused appliances, etc. and in return, the materials they
collected are exchanged with rice (rice is one of the basic
necessities to live in Brunei). The objective of doing this
project is to inculcate the habit of recycling among Bruneians as well as to help those with low incomes to have an
extra source of sustenance.
This project was held for twice a year in different location
of provinces for four years straight, and have collected
roughly around 37 tonnes of recyclable wastes. These recyclables are then sold and exported out to China where these
are used as raw materials for some of their companies.
I have always thought that the idea of having a pleasant
and enjoyable environment has always sparked my interest in making a better place for the community to live in.
However, maintaining and educating the society to work
together and make the environment a living sanctuary
takes time, but it is worth it.
(Amal Nazirah Hj Abd Mulok from Negara Brunei Darussalam
is a former exchange student in environmental biology at the College of Science, SQU.)
P7
30 April 2016
Straight Talk
Marine Microbes as
Sources of Drugs
Dr. S. Kalidass
Dr. S. Kalidass is an Associate Professor of Biotechnology at the
School of Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Karunya University,
Coimbatore, India. He is a recipient of Young Innovator Award from
the Department of Biotechnology, government of India. His research
areas include bioremediation and nano-remediation; bioprospecting
and elucidation of new drug principle from phytochemical and marine sources; and, biological activity of the drug molecules. Dr. Kalidass is exploring collaboration with scientists at Sultan Qaboos University in his research on antioxidant potentials and ability to control
neurocognitive disorders of marine organisms and characterisation of
drug molecules from microbes in the marine environment. To this he
visited SQU.
Horizon: Your main research interest is characterization of drug molecules from marine microorganisms. Can you elaborate?
Dr. Kalidass: Natural products have long been a major source of medicines in the world. Finding new drugs from the marine sources for treatment of diseases is one of my research interests. We collect samples of
30 April 2016
microorganisms from the marine sources which are not exposed to the
land. The microorganisms in the ocean are different from the terrestrial microorganisms in many aspects. The underwater microorganisms
produce certain compounds to protect themselves from the neighbouring organisms. The microorganisms in the ocean have to survive
highly saline and high pressure environments. For their self protection in these environments and to alleviate the stressful environment,
the organisms produce some molecules and compounds that can harm
other organisms in the surrounding area. These biological compounds
can be toxins or pharmaceutical compounds. Researchers concentrate
on these bioactive compounds due to their potential to produce drugs
that can control diseases affecting human beings including bacterial
infections, inflammatory diseases, cancers, and neurodegenerative disorders. In fact microbes in the sea are an emerging and untapped area
in drug research and development. Natural products, especially those
from marine sources, are ready to make a real impact in drug discovery and development. Scientists have already tapped the terrestrial microorganisms to produce drugs. These include microorganisms found
in the soil, flora and fauna and even in deep mines. However, marine
microorganism offers further hope in drug development.
Horizon: What makes drugs isolated from microorganism in the sea
different from those isolated from the small organisms on land?
Dr. Kalidass: The problem with antibiotics is that human beings develop resistance to a particular antibiotic if it is used continuously or
repeatedly over time. This means that the drug is no more capable of
controlling the pathogens. For instance, hospital acquired infections
are a common phenomena now. In some cases the microorganism that
causes the disease originates from the patients’ own skin micro biota,
becoming opportunistic after surgery or other procedures that compromise the protective skin barrier. In order to prevent such pathogens we need to develop new drug molecules and compounds from
untapped sources such as the marine world. Our research team has
come up with certain compounds isolated from the microorganisms in
the ocean. We have grown the organisms in the laboratory to produce
bioactive compounds. Some of these compounds have been found to
be more effective in controlling certain pathogens than available antibiotics. Due to the presence of antioxidants, some of these compounds
have the potential to prevent neurocognitive disorders resulting from
death of neurons and brain cells. A particular compound that we isolated in our lab from marine microorganisms was found to be effective in controlling inflammation of eyes. We collected the eye infection
causing pathogen from the eye hospitals in our place and proved the
potential of the drug in killing the pathogen. Certain bioactive compounds that we isolated have the property to control proliferation of
cancer cells in the body. Now we are in the process of purifying the
compounds that we isolated. Once we get to know the structure of
the compound, we will register patents for our discoveries. In short,
marine microorganisms are an unexpectedly rich source of antibiotic,
antitumor and thrombosis-modulating agents.
Horizon: Can you summarise your experience in bioremediation research?
Dr. Kalidass: Environmental pollution and its consequences is a hot
topic among scientists worldwide. Our studies on bioremediation
mainly focussed on xenobiotics/toxins released to the environment
from heat resistant compounds used in paints and hydraulic machines.
Heat resistant compounds are widely used in manufacturing paints
and paint products, printing inks etc. to avoid fading of colour due to
exposure to sunlight. They are widely used in machines that are exposed to the heat in the atmosphere or industrial settings. When these
compounds are exposed to the environment, including the water bodies and agricultural areas, it affects small creatures such as fishes and
frogs. Through food chain, human beings are also exposed to these
toxins. We have identified and characterised two types of bacteria that
can neutralize the xenobiotic compounds and textile dyes toxins in the
heat resistance compounds. Currently my PhD students are working
on a project to characterise microbes and nanomaterials that can eliminate azo dyes from the effluents released from textile industries in the
Tamilnadu state of India.