Cheong Soon Keng MBBS, FRCPE, FRCP, FRCPA, FAMM, FAMS, FASc

Prof Cheong Soon Keng has been involved in research on stem cells for many decades. In early 2000, Prof Cheong became interested in Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) found in the human bone marrow, MSCs were first isolated and developed in his laboratory for clinical use for the first time in Malaysia. These MSCs are now undergoing clinical trials in collaboration with industry partners.

In the 2010s, Prof Cheong’s research group in UTAR was the first to generate Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) in Malaysia. This technology was first reported in 2006 and the discoverer, Dr Shinya Yamanaka has conferred the Nobel Prize in 2012. Prof Cheong’s research group was able to generate iPSC-cancer cell lines for disease modelling and drug discovery. iPSC-cancer cell lines successfully generated included the iPSC-myeloid leukaemia, iPSC-osteosarcoma, iPSC-oral squamous cell carcinoma, and iPSC-colonic carcinoma. Using virus-free, serum-free techniques, the research group was also able to establish clinical-grade, GMP-compliant normal iPSC cell lines from normal skin cells and haemopoietic stem cells. These mother cells can be used for future differentiation into the intended mature cell type for regeneration and repair. These generated IPSC clones are now cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen tanks and are being trade-marked for distribution purposes from 2020. He was instrumental in setting up the PPUKM-MAKNA Cancer Centre, which was established in 1998, a collaboration between UKM and MAKNA which continues to date. He was Head of the Centre until his retirement from UKM and continues to support the collaboration as Vice-President of MAKNA.

Professionally, Prof Cheong has numerous notable accomplishments. In 1994, he was one of the Founding Council Members of the National Cancer Council (MAKNA), a not-for-profit charity organisation, setup up to fight cancer and help cancer patients. He was elected in 1997 as Vice-President of MAKNA and has been holding this post since then.

Prof Cheong retired from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in 2005 while holding the post of the Founding Head of the Laboratory Diagnostic Services, as well as Founding Head of the Clinical Haematology & Haemopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Services of the UKM Medical Centre. In 2007, he was conferred Emeritus Professor by UKM.

In 2008, he was elected as President of the College of Pathologists, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia (CPathAMM). He initiated the International Congress of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine which is now held biennially. He also established the MCPath QAP Sdn Bhd under the College in 2013 to provide an external quality assurance programme (McQAS) for diagnostic pathology laboratories and support the national drive for laboratory accreditation under ISO15189, which is still voluntary at this stage.

In 2009, Prof Cheong was invited to be the Founding Dean of UTAR Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, a post he has held until now. In 2011, he was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore (FAMS), and a Founding Fellow of the Faculty of Sciences for clinical scientists, Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FFScRCPA). In November 2017. Prof Cheong was appointed by the Minister of Health as an Appointed Member of the Malaysian Medical Council, which is a corporate entity under the revised Medical Act 1971 and the regulator of the medical profession. In August 2018, he was further appointed as Chairman of the Preliminary Investigation Committee 2 which looks into the complaints by the public against the doctors. UTAR congratulates Prof Cheong on this significant appointment and wishes him even greater successes and achievements in the years ahead.