Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Wee Sim Choo completed a Bachelor of Science in Food Studies (2001) majoring in Food Quality Management with a First Class Honours and Master of Science (2004) in the field of Food Chemistry and Biochemistry from the Universiti Putra Malaysia. She then joined the Malaysian Palm Oil Board as a research officer before moving to the University of Otago, New Zealand to complete a Ph.D. in Food Science in 2008. She joined the Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University soon after and then the School of Science, Monash University Malaysia in 2009. In 2013 she obtained a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education from Monash University.
Associate Professor Wee Sim Choo has been awarded three PVC’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching (2010-2011) and one PVC Commendation for Excellence in Education - Innovations in Teaching (2020). She also received the Most Popular Supervisor in Monash University Malaysia and Supervisor of the Year of the School of Science awards in 2022 from the Monash University Postgraduate Association (MUPA). She was an Outstanding Nominee for the Best Supervisor of the Year Award in 2018. Her current research interests focus on functional foods which are foods that potentially offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition. Her work focuses on the extraction and application of bioactive compounds from food sources, phytochemicals, probiotics and prebiotics. She is investigating and pioneering works on various bioactivities of natural-coloured pigments such as betalains and anthocyanins. She currently serves as an Associate Editor for Sustainable Food Processing (specialty section of Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems) and an editorial board member of International Journal of Food Science and Technology.
Research interests
Functional foods, phytochemicals and their bio-activities, natural colourants, probiotics and prebiotics.
Monash teaching commitment
- FST3810 (Food Bioprocess Technology)
- FST3820 (Food Preservation)
- FST3840 (Food Processing)
Community service
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Invited lecture – “High-Pressure homogenization on the extractability and stability of bioactive pigments”, Valortech ERA Chair Online International Lecture: Biomass Valorization and Bioprocessing Technologies, 4th April 2022.
- Co-Topic Editor, Phytochemicals in Ornamental Plants: Synthesis, Nutraceutical Prospects, and Applied Focus - Women in Plant Science Series, Frontiers in Plant Science, 2022.
- Topic Editor, Sustainable Production of Bioactive Pigments, Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2020.
- Invited Lecture - "Betalains: Application as natural colorants and recent findings on their antibiofilm and antiviral activities", Faculte de Pharmacie, Universite Paris Sud, France, 19th November 2019.
- Invited Lecture - "Betalains: Application as natural colorants and recent findings on their antibiofilm and antiviral activities", Laboratoire de Chimie Bioorganique, CEA Saclay, France, 25th November 2019.
- Invited Lecture - "Biocatalysis and biotransformation of bioactive compounds using lipase", Faculte de Pharmacie de Paris, Universite Paris Descartes, France, 28th November 2019.
- Invited Lecture - "Biocatalysis and biotransformation of bioactive compounds using lipase", French National Museum of Natural History, France, 29th November 2019.
- Careers in Food Science – Oral Presentation at the Sureworks Education and Further Studies Fair, Midvalley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 25th March 2018
- Where to after a food science degree? - Oral Presentation at the Sureworks Education Fair, Midvalley Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 18th March 2017
- Healthy eating habits - Interactive talk for children from two shelter homes - Agathians Shelter and Yayasan Chow Kit on eating healthy and nutritious food in a fun environment. This is part of the Corporate Social Responsibility strategy of the Royal Bank of Canada in partnership with Monash University Malaysia, Jaya Shopping Mall, Petaling Jaya, 13th December 2015.
Supervision interests
Associate Professor Choo has supervised 1 MSc and 6 PhD students as the main supervisor, and 1 MSc student and 1 PhD student as a co-supervisor to completion. She is currently supervising 2 MSc and 6 PhD students as the main supervisor, and 2 PhD students as a co-supervisor. Besides postgraduate students, she has supervised 21 Honours students as the main supervisor and 3 Honours students as the co-supervisor to completion.
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):
Education/Academic qualification
Graduate Certificate in Higher Education , Monash University Malaysia
Food Quality Management , Bachelor Science in Food Studies , Universiti Putra Malaysia (University Putra Malaysia)
Food Chemistry and Biochemistry , Master of Science , Universiti Putra Malaysia (University Putra Malaysia)
Food Science, Ph.D., University of Otago
Research area keywords
- Functional foods
- phytochemicals and their bio-activities
- natural colourants
- probiotics
- prebiotics
- Bioactive compounds in foods
Network
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Anti-viral studies on betacyanins against influenza A virus infections - molecular studies on the mechanism of action
Choo, W. S., Omar, A. R., SyedHassan, S., Joo Kheng, Emily, G. & Lal, S.
1/11/20 → 31/10/23
Project: Research
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Enhancing production of rosmarinic acid in plants of the Lamiaceae family by using spectrally tunable LED lights
Yau Yan, L., Choo, W. S., Rahman, S., Vineetha, V. & Joo Kheng, Emily, G.
1/11/20 → 31/10/22
Project: Research
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Improving storage stability of the exclusive marine carotenoid from a tropical marine microalgae, Chaetoceros calcitrans (Paulsen) Takano 1968
Foo, S. C., Md Yusoff, F. & Choo, W. S.
1/09/19 → 31/05/23
Project: Research
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Cannabis: The new antiviral hero?
Choo, W. S. & Ng, C. S., 20 Mar 2023, In: The Microbiologist.Research output: Contribution to journal › Comment / Debate › Other
Open Access -
Encapsulation of tocotrienol-enriched flaxseed oil in calcium alginate-carboxymethyl cellulose hydrogel beads for improved oxidative stability and release profile
Sultana, M., Chan, E. S., Janarthanan, P. & Choo, W. S., 17 Feb 2023, In: ACS Food Science & Technology. 3, 2, p. 259-272 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
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Impact of high-pressure homogenization pretreatment on recovery of curcumin from turmeric by different combinations of extraction and drying methods
Vichakshana, G. A. D., Foo, S. C. & Choo, W. S., Jan 2023, In: Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies. 83, 9 p., 103249.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
1 Citation (Scopus) -
Advances in extrusion-dripping encapsulation of probiotics and omega-3 rich oils
Sultana, M., Chan, E. S., Pushpamalar, J. & Choo, W. S., May 2022, In: Trends in Food Science and Technology. 123, p. 69-86 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
7 Citations (Scopus) -
Antimicrobial betalains
Wijesinghe, V. N. & Choo, W. S., 1 Dec 2022, In: Journal of Applied Microbiology. 133, 6, p. 3347-3367 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile
Prizes
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Honored Student Award, The American Oil Chemists' Society
Choo, Wee Sim (Recipient), 2008
Prize: National/international honour
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Journal of Applied Microbiology Top 10% Most Downloaded Paper 2018-2019
Choo, Wee Sim (Recipient), 2020
Prize: National/international honour
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Monash University Malaysia PVC Commendation for Excellence in Education - Innovations in Teaching
Choo, Wee Sim (Recipient), 2020
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
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Most Popular Supervisor Award in Monash University Malaysia, Monash University Postgraduate Association (MUPA)
Choo, Wee Sim (Recipient), 2022
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
Press/Media
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Pectin promise: Researchers uncover new methods to extract ingredient from cocoa waste
6/08/13
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Article/Feature