[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In 2016, ischaemic heart disease was the principal cause of deaths, charting 13.2 percent of overall deaths. Cardiovascular disease remains the top killer among Malaysians and it is happening increasingly among younger people.
Ischaemia means reduced blood supply and most ischaemic heart disease is caused by atherosclerosis where plaque builds up in the arteries. This narrows or even blocks the artery which then limits the blood supply to the heart and can lead to heart attacks or a stroke.
We sat down with Dr. Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail, a receiver of the 2017 Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment Recipients, to find out what drives her research, Lipidomics Profiling and Risk of Early-Onset Myocardial Infarction, and who is behind her success.
Dr. Sophia’s research aims to understand the lipidomics in the Malaysian population which could lead to targeted treatment strategies for cardiovascular diseases.
What is lipidomics?
Lipidomics is a study of the pathways and networks of cellular lipids within a cell, tissue, organism or ecosystem. It uses many technological advances such as mass spectrometry, and more, including recognising the role of lipids in diseases such as obesity, atherosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes.
1Twenty80: How do you juggle your work, research and family time?
Dr. Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail: I am a single mum and I must say that it isn’t easy. However, I must say that I have an amazing support system. My parents stay in Singapore but whenever I need to be away from my little girl for a while, my mum will fly back to Kuala Lumpur and help me out. Other than my wonderful mum, I also have a very efficient helper who really helps me out when it comes to house chores.
1Twenty80: What inspired you to pursue your current profession?
Dr. Sophia: I am a medical doctor by profession and I decided to become a doctor so I can help people. I want them to get better from whatever that is ailing them and I’ve never once regretted becoming a doctor. The best feeling is when my patients are recovering and then ultimately discharged.
I wanted to contribute to a larger group of people and thus, I ventured into public health. This is because decisions made at this level could affect the community and nation which lead me to pursue my Masters degree at the London School of Health.
Now, with the Merdeka Awards Grant, it can further boost my career in research which could benefit the Malaysian public.
1Twenty80: What is your daily schedule like?
Dr. Sophia: As a researcher, there is no typical day. Although there are seven researchers to cover data collection in 16 hospitals, I like being on hand and thus will drive to the hospital where I’m collecting data. We look for data that points to reasons for heart attacks occurring in Malaysia among other things. In lipidomics, the clinical guidelines are Western but we are genetically different compared to Caucasians. There are uniquely Malaysian markers which points to cardiovascular diseases and these are the ones that we’re looking for in our research.
Dr. Sophia the mum however, is a different story. I make it a point to come home every day to tuck my daughter into bed. She’s turning six this year and I love her to bits! I try to have quality with my daughter as much as my work schedule permits me. My ex-husband and I are co-parenting very well but Saturday is most definitely Mummy’s Day.
1Twenty80: What are your hobbies?
Dr. Sophia: Most of my time is at work but I’ve been very determined at doing my weight training. It isn’t exactly a hobby but it is something that I make sure to do on Saturday and Sunday. I believe that in order to pursue a career, our health is very important.
1Twenty80: Who is your biggest inspiration and why?
Dr. Sophia: Without a doubt, my dad. He hasn’t won awards, but he is just amazing! He has been the main breadwinner of the family for a long time and his work ethics are solid which is why he is a respectable man. He also values quality time with his family which is what I practice with my daughter as well. My dad will always be my hero.
1Twenty80: Why is lipidomics profiling important?
Dr. Sophia: Half of the population of Malaysia has high cholesterol levels and it isn’t a surprise, looking at our diet which is high in fats, salt and sugar. Our lifestyle is affected by lipids and in a study that compared those with high lipid counts and low lipid counts, it was found that 50 percent of these cases can be prevented.
Thus, my research in lipidomics profiling could help prevent myocardial infarctions by drawing up targeted treatments.
1Twenty80: What do you hope to achieve with your work in lipidomics profiling?
Dr. Sophia: As a Malaysian, I hope my work would benefit Malaysians at large. There’s lots to do in terms of cardiovascular medicines.
1Twenty80: What is your take home message to our readers?
Dr. Sophia: I want everyone to take care of yourself and most importantly, your health. What you eat now could affect your health later. It is important to love ourselves and thus, maintain a healthy lifestyle!
Dr. Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail, 30, Research Medical Officer. First recipient from Institute for Medical Research, Ministry of Health Malaysia to receive the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment at University of Cambridge (UK).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
