School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

  • Qualification

    PhD of Immunopharmacology (The University of Queensland, Australia), MSc in Pharmacology & Toxicology (UPM), BPharm (USM)

  • Senior Lecturer

    Discipline of Physiology

  • Coordinator

    Master of Pharmacy (Clinical Pharmacy) 

  • Room

    J01 Room 132

  • Contact

    +604-6577888 Ext. 2793

  • Email

    sarahfazalul@usm.my

Author ID

Siti Sarah Fazalul Rahiman, Dr

Dr Sarah is a registered pharmacist and a senior lecturer at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Her research interests revolve around developing immunotherapeutics derived from naturally derived compounds and peptides against inflammatory diseases, tropical diseases, and cancer. She has received several grants from the university, national, and external agencies for her research work. In 2021, Dr Sarah was among the 15 recipients of a Science and Technology Research Grant funded by the Toray Science Foundation, Japan. Her research output has been published in many high-impact journals, both at international and national levels. She is actively involved in the journal peer-review process and was appointed Guest Editor for Heliyon's special issue on Ethnopharmacology. She is also one of the micro-credential content developers for the Certified Training Programme on Immunisation for Pharmacists (CTPIP), a competency-based professional learning course in collaboration with the Malaysian Pharmacists Society.

In addition to teaching and research, Dr Sarah has also developed an interest in the field of translation, with a focus on the medical and health sciences. She obtained her Professional Translation Diploma in 2021 and is currently a certified translator of the Malaysian Translator Association. She joined the Cochrane Malaysia Translation Initiative in 2021 and actively involved in translating Cochrane medical evidence into plain language for the public until now. In 2023, she was awarded the Cochrane Malaysia Translation Initiative Award for her outstanding contribution to this initiative.

  • Research interest revolves around the immunomodulation of compounds and peptides from plants and marine organisms against inflammatory diseases, tropical diseases, and cancer

    Ongoing Research

    1. Immunomodulatory mechanisms of dynorphin A and its metabolites in neutrophilic inflammation as therapeutic potentials for chronic rhinosinusitis
    2. Immunomodulation of Scylla olivacea water extracts as potential therapeutics for dengue
    3. Potential inhibitors for dengue virus type 2 (DENVs) protease activity isolated from Curcuma aeruginosa (Temu Hitam)
    4. Immunomodulatory mechanisms of mitragynine on NF-κB signalling pathway in human macrophages
    1. Immune cell culture
    2. Immunoassays
    3. Malaria in-vivo model
    4. In-vitro dengue inhibition assay
    5. Histopathology of malaria
    1. Fazalul Rahiman SS, Ballouze R, Mathandaver D, Al-Amin M, Salhimi SM. Opioid-like compounds isolated from Mitragyna speciosa, Picralima nitida and Clinacanthus nutans as potential therapeutics for peripheral analgesia via opioid and non-opioid mechanisms: A review, Malays. J. Med. Health Sci. (Accepted)
    2. Ballouze R, Ismail MN, Abu Kassim NS, Salhimi SM, Mohamad I, Abd Mutalib NS, Hassim AA, Fazalul Rahiman SS. Detection of dynorphin 1-17 biotransformation fragments in human nasal polyps by UPLC-QTOF-MS. Anal Bioanal Chem. 2023 Dec 2. doi: 10.1007/s00216-023-05061-3.
    3. Al-Amin M, Fazalul Rahiman SS, Hossain, CF, Khairuddean M, Salhimi SM. Natural products from Rhynchostylis retusa (Orchidaceae), their chemophenetic significance and bioactivity. Biochem. Syst. Ecol. 2023; 11, 104737. doi.org/10.1016/j.bse.2023.104737
    4. Al-Amin M, Fazalul Rahiman SS, Khairuddean M, Salhimi SM. Chemical constituents of Curcuma zanthorrhiza and the activity of (R)-(−)-α-curcumene on the migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cell line. Rev. Bras. Farmacogn. 2023; 33, 1243–1250.
    5. Ballouze R, Salhimi SM, Mohtar N, Fazalul Rahiman SS. Dynorphin 1-17 biotransformation peptides: properties, challenges and solutions for future therapeutics development. Future Med Chem. 2023;15(9):791-808. doi: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0016.
    6. Othman HIA, Alkatib HH, Zaid A, Sasidharan S, Rahiman SSF, Lee TP, Dimitrovski G, Althakafy JT, Wong YF. Phytochemical composition, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of Citrus hystrix, Citrus limon, Citrus pyriformis, and Citrus microcarpa leaf esssential oils against human cervical cancer cell line. Plants (Basel). 2023; 12(1):134. doi: 10.3390/plants12010134.
    7. Al-Amin M, Eltayeb NM, Hossain CF, Rahiman SSF, Khairuddean M, Muhamad Salhimi S. Bioactive compounds from Curcuma aeruginosa and the effect of comosone II on the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Journal of Asian Natural Product Research. 2022; 4:1-12. doi: 10.1080/10286020.2022.2081562.
    8. Al-Amin, M., Eltayeb, N.M., Rahiman, SSF. et al. UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and 1H-NMR identification of alkaloids in potent fraction of Catharanthus roseus leaves inhibits migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. Biologia. 2022. doi.org/10.1007/s11756-022-01185-6
    9. Noh, MAA, Fazalul Rahiman, SS, Wahab, HA, Mohd Gazzali A. Discovery of new targeting agents against GAPDH receptor for antituberculosis drug delivery. Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology. 2021: 32(4), 715-722.
    10. Mohtar N, Parumasivam T, Gazzali AM, Tan CS, Tan ML, Othman R, Fazalul Rahiman SS, Wahab HA. Advanced Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery Systems and Their Cellular Evaluation for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment. Cancers (Basel). 2021: 13(14), 3539.
    11. Ruslan, NS, Mohtar, N, Fazalul Rahiman, SS., Mohd Gazzali, A. The influence of preparation factors on physical characteristics of chitosan nanoparticles. Journal of Physical Science. 2020: 31(3), 47-60.
    12. Al-Amin M, Eltayeb NM, Hossain CF, Khairuddean M, Fazalul Rahiman SS, Salhimi SM. Inhibitory activity of extract, fractions, and compounds from Zingiber montanum rhizomes on the migration of breast cancer cells. Planta Medica. 2020; 86(6): 387-394. doi:10.1055/a-1129-7026.
    1. FAR 132 Basic Physiology and Pharmacology
    2. FAR 240 Peripheral Nervous System and Therapy
    3. FAR 343 Gastrointestinal System and Therapy
    1. Duopharma (Product write-up)
    2. Translation (Malay-Eng, Eng-Malay) in Medical and Health Sciences
    1. Member of Cochrane Malaysia
    2. Translation Initiative
    3. Guest Editor For Heliyon Special Issue on Ethnopharmacology
    1. Cochrane Malaysia Translation Initiative Award 2023
    2. Hadiah Sanjungan (Penerbitan Jurnal) 2022, Universiti Sains Malaysia
    3. International Competition for Educational Innovation and Research (EduInnovation 2020) - Bronze
    4. Innovations in Teaching and Learning Competition, USM Teaching and Learning Symposium 2018 Bronze

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences
11800 Universiti Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
Tel : +604-653 2211  |  Fax: +604-657 0017