Staying healthy can feel like an uphill battle.
From the outbreak of diseases to natural disasters and ongoing conflicts, we face threats to our health and well-being all the time. Take, for instance, climate change. Caused by fossil fuels, it is the main culprit that contributes to natural disasters. The World Health Organisation even reported that due to air pollution, which normally comes from energy use and production, one person dies every 5 seconds due to the lack of clean air.
Swinburne Sarawak is proud to contribute towards initiatives that promote good health globally. We are committed to innovative research that helps society stay safe and healthy despite these challenges.
Borneo’s Cancer-Fighting Secret
Researchers at Swinburne are unlocking the secrets of the rainforest! A team from Swinburne and the Sarawak Biodiversity Centre studied silvestrol, a compound found in Borneo’s rainforests. Early results show promise: silvestrol might slow the growth of cancerous cells. This finding could lead to safer, better treatments for nasal cancer.
Heart-Healthy Harvest
Photo by Suzy Hazel/ pexels.com
Researchers from Swinburne Sarawak, Swinburne Melbourne, and Okayama University in Japan teamed up with the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre to study local rice! They found that antioxidants in the bran of Sarawak native rice varieties might reduce stress on heart cells. This could lead to natural therapies for better heart health and even help identify heart-healthy rice varieties.
Making Good Strides in Smart Robot Navigation
Swinburne Sarawak researchers are making waves in robot navigation! Their research improves on how robots move indoors, with potential applications for self-driving cars and medical robots. By combining deep learning with fundamental calculations, the research developed robots that can “see” their surroundings and plan safe routes for patients using assistive technologies. This breakthrough is a leap forward for smarter robots in many real-world settings.
Coughing Up Answers
Swinburne Sarawak teamed up with a team of specialists from the nation’s health research institute and leading IT and Cloud Solutions provider to create a game-changing app: Cof’e. The innovative app uses artificial intelligence and smartphones to spot hidden COVID-19 cases by analysing coughs. With a user-friendly interface, Cof’e offers fast, non-invasive testing, bringing us closer to accessible and discreet COVID-19 screening.
Photo by JC Gellidon / unsplash.com
At Swinburne Sarawak, our research makes a difference.
We provide our researchers with international collaborations, industry connections, and top-notch facilities. Explore our research initiatives and partnerships or reach out to us for collaboration opportunities.
This article is written in conjunction with World Health Day 2024. The theme ‘My health, my right’ was chosen to champion our right to have access to quality health services, education and information.