No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies b. NPC Lab-to-clinic
program • Lab-to-clinic
- NPC
Developmental Therapeutics:
Repurposing of FDA approved drugs.
- Developmental therapeutics and Biomarkers:
Identification of new targets for therapy, development of new therapies and companion diagnostics;
strategic partnership for the development of affordable effective therapeutic agents for major cancers
2016-2020
2016-2025
• Candidate drugs with evidence to justify clinical trials
• Identified targets, candidate drugs, companion diagnostics assays.
• Establishment of a drug discovery and chemical biology centre at the IMR to address national health priorities including cancers.
• Evaluation of companion diagnostics to optimize matching of cancer patients to treatment
MoH (IMR, CRC) IMUSMDC, UCSF
MoH (IMR, CRC, IKN, other MoH Health Facilities) IMUSMDC, UCSF Drug companies Other hospitals
2. Develop Leukemia
program at the IMR • Development of precision medicine for leukemia
2016-2025 • Companion diagnostics assays for leukemia
MoH (IMR)
3. Develop the Bio-bank to support research programs at the IMR
• Review of SOPs
• Implementation of processes
• Establishment of bio-bank mirror site and satellite collection sites at major hospitals (inclusive of minor renovations and purchase of equipment)
• Development of network for collection of specimens and
• QC and audit data system
2016-2020 • Fully functional
bio-bank MoH (IMR, MoH
Health Facilities, CRC, Clinical Research Malaysia (CRM)
No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies 4. Strengthening animal
research capabilities for in vivo drug testing
• Hiring and training of permanent officer
• Development of SOPs and implementation of in vivo drug testing pipeline
• AAALAS training and certification of personnel
• AAALAC accreditation of facility
2016-2020 • Fully functional facility for laboratory small animal research
• Candidate drugs tested
• Candidate drugs tested which proceeded into clinical trials
• Candidate genes/
drug targets/
prognostic markers evaluated
MoH (IMR)
5. Strengthening of genomics and bioinformatics
• Hiring of bio-informatician
• Training of staff in genomics and bioinformatics
• Strengthening of downstream studies
2016-2020 • Fully functional genomics and bioinformatics facility
• Candidate genes identified and validated
• Diagnostic assays developed based on findings
MoH (IMR)
6. Strengthening of in vitro
drug discovery pipeline • Hiring of staff
• Screening of compound libraries
• Validation of hits
2016-2020 • Established drug discovery pipelines
• Candidate drugs identified which proceeded to in vivo validation studies
MoH (IMR)
7. Develop strategic
collaborations with other groups to strengthen research to address issues related to cancer in the country
• Collaborative arrangements/
agreements
• Implementation of collaborative work
2016-2020 • Successful collaborations which resulted in useful output/
outcomes
MoH (IMR) Other organisations
No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies 8. Strategic planning of
research programs and Scientific Advisory Board Reviews
• Sessions for in-depth strategic planning of research programs
• Scientific advisory board reviews (2016/2017: strategic plan review; 2018:
midterm review;
2020 full review and planning for next 5 year cycle)
• Revise current mechanisms to ensure implementation of best practices of research management in line with the IMR Transformation Program
• Ensure that scientific reviews (prospective/
retrospective) are carried out by independent experts in the field (need to be identified)
• Establish mechanism for long term research programs designed to
maximize impact on cancer, with focus on quality and impact rather than mere number of projects
• Strategic planning of the use of resources to maximize impact
2016-2020 • Strategic plan
• Appointment of International Scientific Advisory Board
• Scientific advisory board reviews conducted
• Scientific advisory board recommendations which have been successfully implemented
MoH (IMR)
No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies 9. Strengthening the
information and communication
technology (ICT) facilities to enhance cancer
research
• Upgraded ICT to curate and analyse “big data” emerging from laboratory studies as well as encourage and facilitate collaborative projects between local and international research teams.
• Adequate technical ICT support
• Tap on Malaysian Health Data Warehouse (MyHDW) to retrieve clinical data to support research through the Bio-specimen bank.
2016-2020 • Collaborative projects between local/international research teams facilitated by ICT
• Impact of research projects supported by ICT to retrieve clinical data from MyHDW via bio-specimen bank
MoH (IMR) MyHDW
10. Strengthening cancer research by recruiting and keeping talent as well as combining effort from the public sector as well as research universities
• The possibility of setting up a National Cancer Research Consortium to increase research cooperation and collaboration between research institutes and universities from the public and private sector as well as to enhance international networks and partnerships and the NIH
(Malaysia) should be considered.
(this will become the link between the research communitry and the Steering Committee for the National Cancer Control Program)
2016-2020 MoH (IMR, IKN)
local universities etc
No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies
• Possibility of setting up laboratories at the IMR serving as the National Laboratories for the consortium should be explored.
• Create a mechanism to hire / offer internationally competitive post-doctoral training fellowships, fellowships for Masters and PhD as well as long term training in cancer which allows recent PhD graduates from local and foreign universities to work at the NIH Malaysia in the area of cancer and for IMR staff to be trained abroad (short and long term)
• Explore the possibility of setting aside a National Cancer Research Grant to supplement current research funding including a Cancer Research Challenge Fund which encourages donation for cancer research and training (including attendance at international cancer conferences)
• Mechanism to hire post-doctoral fellow being set up
• Numbers of post-doctoral, master and PhD fellowships given to facilitate cancer research
No Strategy Activities Implementation
period Indicator Collaboration /
Coordinating Agencies Prevention
1. To assess awareness and knowledge of general public on common cancers in Malaysia and their risk factors
• KAP study on cancer prevention (and screening) among public
2020 • Study conducted
and report produced
MoHMoE
Screening
1. Exploring new cost effective modalities for cancer screening
• Conduct research / HTA on
feasibility of using other available cancer screening modalities:
- Cervical cancer screening - Colorectal
Cancer
- Prostate cancer screening using MRI and PSA - NPC screening
using EBV Serology and EBV DNA
• HTA conducted
• Research conducted and report produced
• HTA conducted
• HTA/Pilot Study- report produced
• Research conducted and report produced
• Research conducted and report produced
MoH,MoE, Professional Bodies
MoH (MaHTAS)
College of Radiology, IPR
MoH (MaHTAS)
College of Radiology, HTA unit, Surgery
IMR, College of Radiology, IKN, MoH