Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Prof Uma Palanisamy is a trained biochemist and has been a biomedical researcher for over 30 years. She has carried out substantial work in establishing centres, securing grants and publishing extensively to aid the growth of natural product research in Malaysia. She has to her name a number of innovation awards, patents and numerous publications in this area of research. She is on the editorial board of a number of prestigious nutrition journals including Trends in Food Science & Technology.
As a pre-clinical medical educationist and researcher, she has been actively involved in health promotion research and education with marginalized populations for over 10 years. As coordinator of the Community engagement program at the School of Medicine (2009-2012) and School of Pharmacy (2011-2018), and currently the Campus Community engagement program, she saw the development and implementation of numerous student-led health promotion projects. She founded the HEARD (HEAlthcare needs of the Deaf) program at Monash and leads a number of research projects, in collaboration with the Deaf community and industry. She was recently awarded prestigious Nature Health Award for inclusive health research in 2023 Winners (nature.com) for her work pertaining to Health care access of the Deaf community in Malaysia.
Research interests
- Health benefits of Polyphenols, Ellagitannins in particular
- Polyphenols as prebiotics and its modulation of the gut microbiota and SCFA
- Postbiotics produced from polyphenol consumption
- Projects to address the healthcare needs of the Deaf in Malaysia, particularly their healthcare access
Supervision interests
- Prebiotic potential of polyphenols and identifying novel methods to postbiotic production
- Research related to the Deaf community; Healthcare access, Healthcare resources etc
Community service
An advocate of the Deaf community in Malaysia; with particular interest to improve their healthcare access
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
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Enhancing Deaf Healthcare Access and Outcomes through Inclusive Health Research
Palanisamy, U. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Wong, K. S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lay Ki, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Olivier, P. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Chong, A. A. V. Y. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Appalasamy, J. R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Selvaraj, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ramadas, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Thanzami, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Alshehri, T. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Watterson, J. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/08/25 → 31/07/29
Project: Research
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Postbiotics and IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) – A Randomised Control Trial
Tan, S. S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Radhakrishnan, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Kew, S. T. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Lim, W. W. D. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Ramadas, A. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Palanisamy, U. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/10/24 → 30/09/26
Project: Research
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Tocotrienol-rich vitamin E and its effects on diabetic microvascular complications: nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy: A double-blinded placebo controlled, multicentre clinical trial with dose ranging study to study mechanisms of action of tocotrienol in comparison to tocopherol
Kadir, K. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Ahmad, B. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Palanisamy, U. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Shin, H. L. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Botross, N. (Chief Investigator (CI))
31/10/23 → 30/01/27
Project: Research
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Elucidating the Effects of Tocotrienol Rich Vitamin E in a Prediabetes Population of Different Ethnicities in Malaysia (Phase 1 and Phase 2)
Ahmad, B. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Kadir, K. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Palanisamy, U. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Mokhtar, S. S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
23/05/22 → 2/10/26
Project: Research
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The Effect of Ostrich Oil on Arthritis in Animal Model
Palanisamy, U. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
Kementerian Kesihatan (Malaysia) (Ministry of Health)
Project: Research
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Assessing the feasibility and acceptance of the Deaf in Touch Everywhere (DITE™) mobile app: Insights from healthcare simulations and stakeholder discussions (HEARD project)
Ng, E. S., Wong, R. X., Fernando, W. N. J. E., Dhanoa, A., Ratnasingam, V., Chong, V. Y., Ng, J., Palanisamy, U. D. & Jacob, S. A., Feb 2026, In: Digital Health. 12, p. 1-23 23 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Digital Health Communication for Deaf Individuals: Scoping Review of Technologies, Strategies, and Outcomes
Tan, T. H., Lim, Z. C., Palanisamy, U. D., Selvaraj, A. & Appalasamy, J. R., 2026, In: JMIR Medical Informatics. 14, 19 p., e81358.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Effects of Traditional Asian Diet on dietary fibre requirement, gut microbiome composition, and faecal and urine metabolomes in healthy Asian women: a pilot study
Sahran, N. F., Chong, C. W., Ismail, I. H., Taib, F., Hoo, P. S., Palanisamy, U. D., Sundralingam, U., Teh, C. S. J., Kong, Z. X., Ayub, Q., Yoke Ling, F., Hazlan, S. N. H., Azlan, M., Abdul Razak, S., Tengku Din, T. A. D. A. A., Abdullah, N., Tagiling, N., Tee, V., Ehab Ayad, M. & Zheng, F. M. & 2 others, , Jan 2026, In: Beneficial Microbes. 17, 1, p. 47-60 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Link opens in a new tab Citation (Scopus) -
Metagenomic insights into urolithin formation from rambutan rind extract by rat faecal-derived microbiome
Tow, W. K., Teh, C. S. J., Ooi, C. W., Lee, R. F. S., Krishnasamy, M., Palanisamy, U. D. & Sundralingam, U., 4 Jun 2026, In: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 110, 1, 16 p., 171.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Exploring the Role of Herbal Compounds in Skin Aging: A Systematic Review of Topical Approaches
Goh, A. P. T., Goh, S. M., Tow, W. K., Toh, K. M., Palanisamy, U. D. & Sundralingam, U., Jan 2025, In: Phytotherapy Research. 39, 1, p. 315-363 49 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus)
Prizes
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2021 Vice Chancellor Special Team Commendation Award for Diversity and Inclusion- Monash University.
Fernandez, A. (Recipient), Sandhu, A. (Recipient), Chee, D. (Recipient), Tong, J. (Recipient), Kumari, Y. (Recipient), Selvaratnam, L. (Recipient), Li Fong, S. (Recipient), Phipps, M. (Recipient), Souket Ali, R. (Recipient), K Krishnan, S. (Recipient), Bong, S. (Recipient), Palanisamy, U. (Recipient), Wong, Y. J. (Recipient), Devarajan, N. (Recipient), Zabidi, N. Z. B. (Recipient) & Sidhu, P. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Gut Microbiota Profile of Malaysian Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Ramadas, A. (Recipient), Balasubramaniam, V. (Recipient), Palanisamy, U. (Recipient) & Jayanthi, T. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Other distinction
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Inclusive Health Research Awards 2023
Palanisamy, U. (Recipient), 26 Jul 2023
Prize: National/international honour
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Nutrition-gut microbiota interactions in Malaysian Malay women with gestational diabetes mellitus
Ramadas, A. (Recipient), Palanisamy, U. (Recipient), Balasubramaniam, V. (Recipient) & Jayanthi, T. (Recipient), 2021
Prize: Other distinction
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PVC Commendation Award for teaching 2024
Palanisamy, U. (Recipient) & Sundralingam, U. (Recipient), 2024
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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WHO Disability Health Equity Network
Palanisamy, U. (Fellow) & Thanzami, V. (Fellow)
1 Oct 2025 → 30 Sept 2027Activity: External Academic Engagement › Committees and working groups
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WHO Committee on Workstream 3: Building a disability-inclusive health sector
Palanisamy, U. (Fellow)
3 Oct 2025 → 30 Sept 2027Activity: External Academic Engagement › Committees and working groups
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Non-coding RNA World 2024: Exploring Mechanisms, Designing Medicines
Lee, J. S. Y. (Speaker), Bai, K. (Speaker), Palanisamy, U. D. (Speaker), Farghadani, R. (Speaker) & Radhakrishnan, A. (Speaker)
7 Oct 2024 → 9 Oct 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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National Cancer Congress Malaysia
Lee, J. S. Y. (Speaker), Bai, K. (Speaker), Palanisamy, U. (Speaker), Farghadani, R. (Organiser) & Radhakrishnan, A. (Speaker)
21 Jun 2024 → 23 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
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Trends in Food Science & Technology (Journal)
Palanisamy, U. (Editor in chief)
3 Sept 2024 → 31 Dec 2026Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work types › Editorial responsibility