KUALA LUMPUR: The government is currently funding two research projects on the development of Covid-19 vaccines, in collaboration with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said her ministry together with the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry (Mosti) under the Mosti Combating Covid-19 Fund, was funding a research project using the Newcastle disease virus.
The project began on March 1 this year and is expected to end on Aug 31 next year.
"The research is headed by Professor Datin Dr Khatijah Yusof of UPM, with a research grant worth RM2.6 million.
"At the same time, cooperation for the development of a Covid-19 inactivated virus vaccine between the Institute for Medical Research, UPM, and the Veterinary Research Institute is also being actively carried out, led by Professor Datuk Hair Bejo of UPM," the Dewan Rakyat heard today.
She was responding to a question by Datuk Dr Hasan Bahrom (Pakatan Harapan-Tampin), who wanted to know if there was any research being conducted in science, technology and medicine, particularly on infectious diseases such as Covid-19.
Noraini said in the year 2020 alone, the ministry had approved 32 research projects related to Covid-19 under the Higher Education Research Fund, including fundamental research, prototype development and also policy studies.
"This year, 60 high-impact research projects under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme have been approved in various fields of study.
"All projects are on-going and still in the research phase," she added.