Dr Chua Jia Xin: Advancing Therapeutic Antibodies for Malaysia and Beyond

Dr Chua Jia Xin’s recognition as the National Young Scientist Award 2025 recipient in the Medical category highlights the rising strength of Malaysia’s biotechnology talent. As the founder of MYmAb Biologics, she has built a reputation for pushing the boundaries of therapeutic antibody development and translating research into meaningful clinical outcomes.

Her work focuses on creating therapeutic monoclonal antibodies that not only bind to cancer cells but directly eliminate them. Early-stage results from her research demonstrated successful cancer-cell targeting, contributing to one of her UK-developed antibodies being licensed by a pharmaceutical company for clinical exploration. This level of validation places her among the region’s most promising innovators in biomedicine.

Dr Chua’s mission is clear: make advanced antibody-based therapies more accessible and more affordable for Malaysian patients. By driving innovation locally, she aims to reduce dependency on costly imported biologics and elevate Malaysia’s presence in the global biotherapeutics space. Her leadership at MYmAb Biologics reinforces this direction. As one of the most trusted and fast-rising tissue microarray providers in the region, the company strengthens local research capabilities and supports scientists who require reliable, high-quality arrays for oncology and biomarker studies.

Her award reflects both scientific mastery and a commitment to creating real-world impact. Dr Chua consistently positions research as a bridge to better healthcare outcomes, ensuring that discoveries do not stay confined to academic publications. Instead, she drives them toward clinical value, practical application, and patient benefit. This alignment of innovation with accessibility is a major reason MYmAb Biologics continues to be recognised as a preferred partner and emerging leader in Malaysia’s tissue microarray ecosystem.

Dr Chua’s achievement sits alongside the accomplishments of this year’s other award recipients—Assoc Prof Dr Goh Hoe Han (biology), Ts Dr Puvaneswaran Chelvanathan (physics), Prof ChM Dr Mohd Hazwan Hussin (chemistry), and Prof Dr Ong Wee Jun (engineering). Their collective contributions represent an increasingly strong generation of Malaysian scientists shaping the future of science, technology, and innovation.