Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Associate Professor Wee Sim Choo completed a Bachelor of Science in Food Studies (2000) 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 PVC Commendation for Excellence in Research – Postgraduate Supervision in 2024, 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), an editorial board member of International Journal of Food Science and Technology and an editorial advisory board member of ACS Food Science and Technology. She was on Stanford University's list of the World's Top 2% Scientists 2024.
Research interests
Functional foods, phytochemicals and their bio-activities, natural colourants, probiotics and prebiotics.
Monash teaching commitment
- FST2810 (Food Bioprocess Technology)
- FST3711 (Food and Industrial Microbiology)
- FST3840 (Food Processing)
Community service
- Invited lecture – “Pectin extraction from food industry by-products”, Valortech ERA Chair: International Symposium on 'Sustainable Solutions for Food Wastes and By-Products Valorisation - The Way Ahead!', December 13, 2023.
- 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 3 MSc and 9 PhD students as the main supervisor, and 1 MSc and 2 PhD students as the co-supervisor to completion. She is currently supervising 6 PhD students as the main supervisor. Besides postgraduate students, she has supervised 23 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
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
Projects
- 3 Finished
-
Enhancing production of rosmarinic acid in plants of the Lamiaceae family by using spectrally tunable LED lights
Yau Yan, L. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Choo, W. S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Rahman, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Vineetha, V. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Joo Kheng, Emily, G. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI))
1/11/20 → 31/10/22
Project: Research
-
Anti-viral studies on betacyanins against influenza A virus infections - molecular studies on the mechanism of action
Choo, W. S. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Omar, A. R. (Chief Investigator (CI)), SyedHassan, S. (Chief Investigator (CI)), Joo Kheng, Emily, G. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Lal, S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/11/20 → 31/01/25
Project: Research
-
Improving storage stability of the exclusive marine carotenoid from a tropical marine microalgae, Chaetoceros calcitrans (Paulsen) Takano 1968
Foo, S. C. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)), Md Yusoff, F. (Chief Investigator (CI)) & Choo, W. S. (Chief Investigator (CI))
1/09/19 → 30/11/23
Project: Research
-
Antibiofilm activity of Clitoria ternatea flowers anthocyanin fraction against biofilm-forming oral bacteria
Sathiaseelan, A., Song, K. P., Tan, H. S. & Choo, W. S., 2025, In: FEMS Microbiology Letters. 372, 10 p., fnaf035.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
A review on the extraction of polyphenols from pomegranate peel for punicalagin purification: techniques, applications, and future prospects
Huang, Z., Foo, S. C. & Choo, W. S., 1 Mar 2025, In: Sustainable Food Technology. 3, 2, p. 396-413 18 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access -
Assessing the impact of temperature, pH, light and chemical oxidation on fucoxanthin colour changes, antioxidant activity and the resulting metabolites
Yusof, Z., Lim, V., Khong, N. M. H., Choo, W. S. & Foo, S. C., 15 Jan 2025, In: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 105, 1, p. 93-108 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access2 Citations (Scopus) -
Biofilm destruction activity of α-tocopherol against Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Leong, M.P.-Y., Wei Qi, T. & Choo, W. S., 2025, In: FEMS Microbiology Letters. 372, 8 p., fnaf020.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Effect of Boiling, Steaming and Microwaving on the Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Parkia speciosa Seeds
Limas, L. F., Jeyaraj, E. J., Ng, K. Y. & Choo, W. S., Jun 2025, In: Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 80, 2, 8 p., 110.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
Open Access
Prizes
-
Honored Student Award, The American Oil Chemists' Society
Choo, W. S. (Recipient), 2008
Prize: National/international honour
-
ITEX 2023 Silver Medal for Invention of Super Purple and Blue
Choo, W. S. (Recipient), Vidana Gamage, G. C. (Recipient) & Joo Kheng, Emily, G. (Recipient), 13 May 2023
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
File -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Top 10% Most Downloaded Paper 2018-2019
Choo, W. S. (Recipient), 2020
Prize: National/international honour
-
File
-
Press/Media
-
Pulses: The powerhouse crops driving sustainable agriculture
10/02/25
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
Cannabis as an antiviral?
19/01/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Blogs, Podcasts and Social Media › Podcasts
-
Gaining insight into the potential of cannabis in combating viral infections
27/06/23
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
-
-
Cannabis shows potential as weapon in the fight against COVID-19
17/01/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature