Kuala Lumpur Meeting.
Asian Chemical Biology Initiative 2023 Kuala Lumpur Meeting
December 15-17, 2023
Berjaya Times Square Hotel
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Following a long pause in international gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACBI 2023 Kuala Lumpur Meeting marked the network’s first in-person event since 2019. Held from December 15 -17 in Malaysia’s capital city, the event brought together 35 ACBI members from Japan (15), South Korea (8), China (11), and India (1), including 10 first-time attendees from the network.
Being physically apart during the pandemic led many participants to reflect on how much they had missed the natural flow of conversation, the joy of reconnecting face-to-face, and the vibrant community spirit that defines ACBI gatherings. Informal chats over coffee and meals often proved just as fruitful as the formal talks, sparking new ideas, collaborative plans, and renewed energy for joint projects.
This meeting also marked ACBI’s second event in Malaysia, following the ACBI 2014 Kota Kinabalu Event. Nearly a decade after that first outreach effort, the 2023 Kuala Lumpur Meeting renewed ACBI’s ties with Malaysia’s academic community and reaffirmed its commitment to regional engagement. By reconnecting with faculty, students, and institutions in Malaysia, ACBI not only built on long-standing relationships but also opened new avenues for collaboration, talent discovery, and scientific exchange in one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic research environments.
Scientific Sessions
From December 15 through 17, 2023, a majority of our time together was spent in closed-door scientific sessions, where each attendee gave a 12-minute talk sharing their ongoing research and the challenges they were facing.
Presenters also highlighted progress in collaborative projects initiated through ACBI in prior years. Discussions were highly interactive and continued informally throughout the event.
In a special segment, five Malaysian faculty members from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Putra Malaysia, and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia gave 5-minute flash talks to introduce their research and institutional strengths. This exchange sparked meaningful conversation about long-term partnerships between ACBI members and Malaysian researchers.
Tutorial & Student Interview Sessions
On the afternoon of December 16th, 2023, the event shifted focus to the ACBI 2023 Kuala Lumpur Tutorial & Interview event, designed to engage talented undergraduate and master’s course students in Malaysia who are curious about chemical biology and interested in studying abroad.
A total of 32 students applied, and 25 were invited to attend. The students came from both public and private universities across Malaysia and included several international students currently studying in Malaysia. This trend reflects Malaysia’s role as a hub for global higher education in Asia and signals the opportunity for ACBI to connect with a wider talent pool.
Tutorial Lectures
Students attended four short tutorials (12 minutes each), introducing the basics and applications of chemical biology. The speakers covered a range of topics, including chemical probes, imaging, natural products, and chemical genetics.
Interview Session
In the second half of the program, each student participated in one-on-one interviews with multiple ACBI researchers. These conversations allowed students to talk in-depth with professors and learn about their expertise, while exploring scholarship opportunities such as Japan’s MEXT, Korea’s GKS, and university-specific graduate fellowships.
Post-event surveys from the students who attended the event reflected the substantial impact of the program on participants’ motivation and outlook:
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I used to think studying abroad was out of reach, but now I feel like I can do it.
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I didn’t know so many exciting labs existed across Asia — now I’m thinking seriously about applying.
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Meeting professors from different countries helped me see the bigger picture of science beyond my campus.
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After the ACBI session, I feel more open to exploring opportunities in Asia, not just the West.
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It was an eye-opening and life-changing event for me!
ACBI Reconnects: Strengthening Ties in the Post-Pandemic Era
The 2023 Kuala Lumpur Meeting marked a turning point for ACBI. While the network had remained active through online gatherings during the pandemic, the absence of in-person interaction made spontaneous collaboration and deeper relationships harder to sustain. This event reaffirmed the unique value of in-person dialogue, mentorship, and mutual discovery—principles that have long guided ACBI’s efforts to build bridges across Asia’s scientific landscape.
Looking to the future, the Kuala Lumpur gathering serves as a powerful reminder of the vital role that physical presence, local engagement, and cross-border friendships play in building a more connected and resilient research community in Asia.
