Page 9 - Pulse@UM Issue 4/2019

our people. our story

professor dr mohd rais mustafa: a tale of acaDemic freeDom anD
Passionate research

rofessor Mohd. Rais Mustafa was Despite having a PhD in neuropharmacology,
Pappointed as a lecturer in the Department Professor Rais started his research by
of Pharmacology at the age of 26 (1987) after collaborating with natural product chemists
completing his PhD from University of Wales, to screen plant extracts and phytochemicals
Cardiff, UK. Coming straight into academia without for blood pressure lowering and vasorelaxant
much experience as a tutor or any teaching action. Garnering what he could remember
experience posed a challenging task. “In the from his undergraduate pharmacology
first 3 years, I was concentrating more on practical classes, Professor Rais began to
teaching duties and didn’t pay much attention assemble his version 1.0 of an in vitro isolated
to research,” Professor Rais recalled. “As I got tissue organ bath. To enable him to set this
more settled into teaching duties, I realised that into motion, he became a regular customer
to further progress in academia one needs to be of the local hardware shop in Jalan Bukit,
involved in research and start publishing”. PJ. His next pit stop was the glass blower
in the Chemistry Department who had this
Although there was not much expectation for incredible skill of crafting organ baths as good
research in the early years, things gradually as those seen in the catalogues. Soon he
changed with the increasing emphasis on expanded his research and began to conduct
research output of the university. During pharmacological studies on snake and jellyfish
those early years, there were no KPIs and the toxins. With that, his research interests evolved
university was neither pushing nor penalising from being a pharmacologist to a toxicologist!
academic staff for not doing research. Only
Vote F (maximum of RM 10,000) was available Professor Rais further advised young
as research grants back in those days. There academicians to identify a research area
were also not many research assistants or of interest and be passionate about it. ”It is
postgraduate students to help with research. important to have passion because there are
Likewise, research infrastructure was almost days that would make you wonder if you did
non-existent or outdated, and there were no make the right choice in getting into academia
regular supplies of laboratory animals. and doing research.” Professor Rais said. “It is
very easy to get discouraged, with experiments
Sharing his early experience as a researcher, that would not work, getting papers and grants
Professor Rais advised young academicians rejected, and having to juggle your time with
that in addition to teaching, they should be other working commitments. Passion is what
mindful of their role as researchers and be will get you through your career, not high IQ or
prepared to explore and try out new things. political skills”.
They should make themselves versatile and
adaptable to the circumstances. One should The next point that Professor Rais wishes to
not wait for everything to be perfect and ready share with the young lecturers is to treasure
before starting his or her research. the academic freedom as much as research is

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