The Malaysian Society of RNA Science (MSRS) was proud to co-organise an international academic talk with the Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The talk was titled “South–South Scientific Cooperation: Reshaping the Geopolitics of Knowledge and Biomedical Innovation.” It was held in hybrid format at INFORMM Conference Room 1 and via Webex.
MSRS was honoured to welcome the speaker, Professor Odir Antonio Dellagostin of the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Brazil, who is also President of the Research Support Foundation of Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS). The Society thanks Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Aziah Ismail, Director of INFORMM, and Dr. Eugene Ong Boon Beng, Deputy Director (Postgraduate and International), for their warm hospitality. MSRS was represented by its Founding Chair, Dr. Tang Thean Hock.
In his talk, Professor Dellagostin described how the global landscape of scientific research is shifting, with Asian countries and emerging economies contributing a growing share. According to data he presented, China has overtaken the United States in annual scientific publication output, and Malaysia’s scholarly output rose by 39.8% between 2021 and 2025.
He called for stronger South–South scientific cooperation through:
- joint research funding
- researcher mobility
- shared scientific infrastructure
- strategic international partnerships
The discussion also explored collaboration opportunities in biomedical research, vaccine development, molecular diagnostics and biotechnology. These areas closely match MSRS’s mission to advance RNA science in Malaysia.
MSRS thanks Professor Dellagostin for an inspiring session, INFORMM for being an excellent partner, and all participants who joined in person and online. The Society looks forward to building on this exchange and fostering international partnerships, knowledge sharing and biomedical innovation for the benefit of society.
Participants at INFORMM Conference Room 1 during the talk “South–South Scientific Cooperation: Reshaping the Geopolitics of Knowledge and Biomedical Innovation.” The session ran in hybrid format, with online participants joining via Webex.
From left: Professor Odir Antonio Dellagostin (UFPel, Brazil) and his wife, Mrs. Diovana Dellagostin; Professor Tang Thean Hock (Founding Chair, MSRS); and Dr. Eugene Ong Boon Beng (Deputy Director, Postgraduate and International, INFORMM), after the international academic talk at INFORMM, Universiti Sains Malaysia, on 30 October 2026.
