Professor Datuk Wira Dr. Raha Abdul Rahim

Raha graduated with a Degree in Microbiology from Oklahoma State University, USA and proceeded to do her MS degree at the University of Oklahoma. She joined Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in June 1991 as a tutor at the Department of Biotechnology and completed her PhD in Molecular Genetics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

Her main research interest is the development of lactic acid bacteria for delivery of useful proteins; plasmid biology, vaccine delivery and cell factory systems of lactic acid bacteria. She is also involved in other research including identification of genetic markers and authentication of halal products by molecular methods. She has supervised and co-supervised more than 50 post-graduate students, published more than 130 papers in peer-reviewed journals and filed several Intellectual Property rights.

She is also a consultant to several government agencies and biotech-related industries. Raha has held several administrative post at UPM; as the Director of UPM’s Research Management Center, Deputy Dean of Research at the Faculty of BioTech, UPM’s Biosafety Chair for Genetically Modified Organisms, Head of the Cell and Molecular Biology Department and Coordinator of the Culture Collection Unit, IBS, UPM.

Raha is currently the President of the Malaysian Society of Lactic Acid Bacteria. She was a past President of the Malaysian Society for Microbiology and is a continuing EXCO member. She is also affiliated to several other professional societies such as the Malaysian Society for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the Malaysian Genetics Society. At the international stage, she is a member of the American Society for Microbiology and the Sec-general to the Asian Federation of Societies for Lactic Acid Bacteria.

Raha held the post of Director at the Institution of Higher Education Excellence Planning Division, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education (MoE) Malaysia. She was in-charge of the overall Innovation Ecosystem as pledged in Shift 7 of the Higher Education Blueprint 2015-2025. Her division specifically managed MoE’s research & development programs (Research Universities, Higher Institutions’ Centers of Excellence, FRGS), research grants and projects, R&D databases (MyRA and MyGRANTS), coordinated matching international and industrial grants (MyPAIR) and facilitated activities relating to the promotion of R&D products from the Institutions of Higher Learning, Malaysia.

Raha is currently the fourth Vice Chancellor of Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM).