US Embassy, NIH NIAID officials visit SRDC, SIDC to explore research collaboration

Peter (third right) presenting a souvenir to Dr Neal in the present of others.

KUCHING, Aug 16: The Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC) received a visit from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the United States of America and officials from the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur today.

NIAID is one of the institutes and centres which make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the USA’s Department of Health and Human Services.

Led by Dr Aaron Neal, the Clinical Research Specialist and NIAID NIH Country Lead for Indonesia, the entourage also included US Embassy Economic Officer Katherine Jernigan and Economic Assistant Wesha Ooi.

On hand to receive the visitors were SRDC general manager Dr Peter Morin Nissom, deputy general manager Dr Ivan Yap Kok Seng, Head of Clinical Research Centre Sarawak General Hospital Dr Alan Fong and other council members.

The visitors were briefed on SRDC’s roles and functions by Peter as well as on the setting up of the Sarawak Infectious Disease Centre (SIDC) by Dr Yap.

Discussion centred on matters related to establishing collaboration with the SIDC to further develop its programme, funding opportunities from NIH as well as training and collaborative research opportunities between SIDC and NIAID. — DayakDaily