Functional Biotechnology Unit

Mission

To provide the oil palm industry with innovations for the production of genetically modified oil palm and novel high-value products through research in gene function and transgenic technology.
 

Strategic Research Areas

  1. Isolation of constitutive and tissue-specific promoters
  2. Isolation of key genes involved in oil synthesis and carotenoids pathway
  3. Testing oil palm promoters and genes using model plants
  4. Molecular approaches towards solving major disease and yield problems
  5. Development of routine and improved transformation system
  6. Improving oil quality and novel products using transgenic technology.
  7.  Understanding of oil palm genes associated with the height of regulation and affecting oil quality.

Gene Function GroupTransgenic Technology Group

Objective

To identify, isolate and characterise genes and promoters towards production of oil palm with improved traits and novel high value products.

Group Leader

Members

DR. NURNIWALIS ABDUL WAHAB

Senior Research Officer

MDM. WAN NUR SYUHADA WAN SULAIMAN
Research Officer

MDM. ZATTY SYAMIMI @ ADURA MAT SAID
Research Officer

Objective

To provide the oil palm industry with innovations for the production of genetically engineered oil palm with improved oil quality and novel high-value products through research in genetic transformation and its allied sciences.

Group Leader

Members

DR. OMAR ABDUL RASID
Principal Research Officer

MDM. SITI MASURA SUBHI
Senior Research Officer

MDM. BAHARIAH BINTI BOHARI
Research Officer

MDM. NOR HANIN AYUB
Research Officer

MR. LIM FOOK HWA
Research Officer

MDM. SITI SURIAWATI BADAI
Research Officer

MS. NORFAEZAH JAMALUDIN

Research Officer

MR. MOHD AL AKMARUL FIZREE MD PIJI
Research Officer

MDM. NURFAHISZA ABDUL RAHMAN
Research Officer

Gene Function Laboratory

Transgenic Technology Laboratory

Service being offered are:

  • Arabidopsis thaliana laboratory as a research facility in MPOB. MPOB Information Series No. 308.

Contact Person: Dr Zubaidah Ramli (bai@mpob.gov.my)

 

Services being offered are:

  • Transient gene expression system utilizing oil palm protoplasts. MPOB Information Series No. 687.
  • Services for genetic transformation of plant species. MPOB Information Series No. 483.
  • Construction of transformation vectors for genetically modifying plants. MPOB Information Series No. 309.

Contact Person: Dr Abdul Masani Mat Yunus (masani@mpob.gov.my)