MOHAMMAD MALEK FAIZAL BIN AZIZI

Dedicated Plant Pathologist at the Malaysian Nuclear Agency with over 6 years of specialized experience in crop health and food security. Expertise in molecular diagnostics and host-pathogen interactions, particularly in identifying and managing diseases affecting rice crops. Proven track record of leveraging mutation breeding techniques to develop high-yielding, disease-resistant crop varieties within the Agrotechnology and Biosciences Division. Actively leading research projects, supervising postgraduate students, and collaborating with breeders and farmers to enhance national rice production and bolster food security initiatives. Professional researcher with commitment to high standards and delivering results.

• Graduate Technologist from Malaysia Board of Technologists, 2025 to present
• American Phytopathological Society (Member), 2019 - present
• Plant Disease Journal and Bioprotocol publications (Reviewer), 2019 to present
• Agricultural Institute of Malaysia (Member), 2019- present
• Malaysian Nuclear Society (Member), 2022 - present
• Malaysian Association of Research Scientists, 2022 - present
• Research.Life Ambassador, 2023 - present
• International Plant Pathology Society, 2024 - present
• Graduate Research Fellowship, 2017-2019

• Zulperi, D. M., Azizi, M. M. F., & Johari, M. I. H. (2025). Pantoea: A future threat to Malaysia rice production. UPM Press. eISBN 978-629-7754-23-9.
• Noraziyah, A. A. S., Hasan, N. A., Ahmad, F., Harun, A. R., Yusof, S. N., Hisham, S. N., Oyebamiji, O. Y., Azizi, M. M. F., Wan Chik, W. D., Aris, A., Sharkawi, S., & Shukri, A. I. A. (2025). Molecular and genomics techniques for disease resistance in rice. CRP 23032. [Book in review].
• Harun, A. R., Hussein, S., Ahmad, F., Hasan, N. A., Abd Wahid, A. N., Adenan, M. N. H., Aris, A., Azizi, M. M. F., Md Saad, M., & Wan Chik, W. D. (2025). Teknologi nuklear dalam pembaikbakaan dan pengurusan tanaman padi. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). [Book in review].
• Abdullah, N. A., Khairul Izhar, M. A. A., Yusof, M. D. N., Rosli, N. A., Khairuddin, N. H., Muhammad Rizal, N. A., Yusri, N. E., Zulkifli, N. A., Lau, H. Y., Wan Chik, W. D., & Azizi, M. M. F. (2025). Microbial biocontrol agents: A boon of combating rice pathogens. Journal of Tropical Agriculture and Food Science, 53(1), 65–75.
• Faiz, P. B. M., Azizi, M. M. F., Romeli, S., & Lau, H. Y. (2025). Emerging diseases in ginger cultivation: Challenges, detection, and control. Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 9(2), 103–109.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Khairuddin, N. H., Yusri, N. E., Rizal, N. A. M., Abdul Aziz, N., Roslizan, N. A. A., Lau, H. Y., Ahmad, F., Wan Chik, W. D., Aris, A., Hussein, S., & Mohamed Zulperi, D. (2025). Preliminary evaluation of a colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (cLAMP) assay for rapid detection of Pantoea ananatis in bacterial leaf blight disease of rice. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS).
• Ahmad, F., Mohd Salleh, S. H., Mohd Zazeli, Z. S. N., Mohd Latiff, S., Ahmad, M. S., Ja'afar, M. A. N., Wan Chik, W. D., Azizi, M. M. F., Aris, A., Hussein, S., Hase, Y., & Shamsudin, N. A. A. (2025). Carbon-ion beam radiosensitivity study of selected high-yielding Malaysian rice genotypes. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS).
• Khairuddin, N. H., Azizi, M. M. F., Yusri, N. E., Rizal, N. A. M., Rosli, N. A. M., Yusof, M. D. N., Ahmad, F., Wan Chik, W. D., Aris, A., Hussein, S., & Mohamed Zulperi, D. (2025). Preliminary biochemical characterization of bacterial isolates linked to bacterial leaf blight in mutant rice lines. Proceedings of the 16th Malaysia International Genetics Congress (MiGC16).
• Abdul Rahman, K. M., Wan Ismail, W. I., Wan Chik, W. D., Ahmad, F., Azizi, M. M. F., Rezuwan, M. F. H., Razali, R. E. B., Abu Hassan, A., Hussein, S., & Harun, A. R. (2025). Leveraging next-generation sequencing to uncover genetic variations in the advanced rice mutant line NMR191 with blast resistance and early maturity traits. Proceedings of the 16th Malaysia International Genetics Congress (MiGC16).
• Rezuwan, M. F. H., Wan Ismail, W. I., Wan Chik, W. D., Ahmad, F., Azizi, M. M. F., Abdul Rahman, K. M., Razali, R. E. B., Abu Hassan, A., Hussein, S., & Harun, A. R. (2025). Exploring genetic profiling of the abiotic stress-tolerant mutant rice variety NMR152 using next-generation sequencing. Proceedings of the 16th Malaysia International Genetics Congress (MiGC16).
• Aris, A., Muhd Rosli, M. H., Abdul Aziz, N., Yusri, N. E., Rizal, N. A. M., Zainfornor, N. D., Azizi, M. M. F., Ahmad, F., Hussein, S., & Wan Chik, W. D. (2025). Soil metagenomics: Unravelling microbial communities for improved rice yields in non-granary areas. Proceedings of the 16th Malaysia International Genetics Congress (MiGC16).
• Zulkifli, N. A., Izhar, M. A. A. K., Lau, H. Y., & Azizi, M. M. F. (2024). Advances in irradiation technology for plant disease resistance: A review. Agricultural Reviews, 45(1).
• Kamarudin, S. A. A., Ahmad, F., Hisham, S. N., Yusof, S. N., Hassan, A. A., Hussein, S., & Azizi, M. M. F. (2024). Whole genome resequencing data and grain quality traits of the rice cultivar Mansuri and its blast-disease resistant mutant line, Mansuri Mutant. Data in Brief, 52, 109974.
• Nordin, M. N. H., Lau, H. Y., Azizi, M. M. F., & Romeli, S. (2024). Unlocking the medicinal benefits of local herbal remedies. RA Journal of Applied Research, 10(6), 114–123.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Abdul Aziz, N., Roslizan, N. A. A., Ahmad, F., Wan Chik, W. D., Aris, A., Khairul Izhar, M. A., Simoli, J. M., Abdul Wahab, M. R., Hussein, S., & Hasan, N. A. (2024). Isolation and characterization of Pantoea ananatis from bacterial leaf blight disease of rice in Kedah, Malaysia. Proceedings of the 6th International Plant Breeding Conference (IPBC2024).
• Azizi, M. M. F., Yusri, N. E., Khairuddin, N. H., Muhammad Rizal, N. A., Ahmad, F., & Wan Chik, W. D. (2024). Validation of species-specific PCR assays for the detection of Pantoea ananatis causing bacterial leaf blight (BLB) of rice in Kedah, Selangor. Seminar R&D Nuklear Malaysia 2024.
• Azizi, M. M. F., et al. (2023). Memoir Saintis Nuklear Malaysia. Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP). [In press].
• Chai, K. H., Azizi, M. M. F., Romeli, S., & Lau, H. Y. (2023). Deployment of IoT sensors in the revolution of agriculture. RA Journal of Applied Research, 9(6), 306–330.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Ahmad, F., Wan Chik, W. D., Md Saad, M., Aris, A., Hussein, S., & Abdul Wahab, M. R. (2023). Screening techniques of rice mutant lines against leaf blast disease. Proceedings of the Konvensyen Inovasi dan Teknikal Nuklear Malaysia (NITC 2023).
• Wan Chik, W. D., Aris, A., Azizi, M. M. F., Md Saad, M., Ahmad, F., Ab. Hassan, A., & Yusof, S. N. (2023). Transcriptome sequencing method for the discovery of submergence tolerance genes in mutant rice cultivar NMR152. Proceedings of the Konvensyen Inovasi dan Teknikal Nuklear Malaysia (NITC 2023).
• Aris, A., Wan Chik, W. D., Azizi, M. M. F., Ahmad, F., Hussein, S., Harun, A. R., & Abdul Wahab, M. R. (2023). Standard operating procedure of paddy NMR152 transplant and direct seeding cultivations. Proceedings of the Konvensyen Inovasi dan Teknikal Nuklear Malaysia (NITC 2023).
• Azizi, M. M. F., & Lau, H. Y. (2022). Advanced diagnostic approaches developed for the global menace of rice diseases: A review. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 44(5), 627–651.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Mardhiah, N. H., & Lau, H. Y. (2022). Current and emerging molecular technologies for the diagnosis of plant diseases – An overview. Journal of Experimental Biology and Agricultural Sciences, 10(2), 294–305.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Romeli, S., Razali, H., Ariffin, E. Y., Tajol Ariffin, M. A., Heng, L. Y., & Lau, H. Y. (2022). An electrochemical biosensor for the rapid genetic identification of Musang King durian. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 19324.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Lau, H. Y., Abu Bakar, N., Romeli, S., Mohd Yusof, M. F., Badrun, R., & Ismail, S. I. (2022). Development of a highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification incorporated with flocculation of carbon particles for rapid on-site diagnosis of blood disease bacterium banana. Horticulturae, 8(5), 406.
• Kua, J. M., Azizi, M. M. F., Abdul Talib, M. A., & Lau, H. Y. (2022). Adoption of analytical technologies for verification of authenticity of halal foods – A review. Food Additives & Contaminants: Part A, 39(12), 1906–1932.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Lau, H. Y., & Abu-Bakar, N. (2021). Integration of advanced technologies for plant variety and cultivar identification. Journal of Biosciences, 46, 1–20.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Yin, L. H., & Abu Bakar, N. (2021). Pengenalpastian jujukan unik daripada gen kloroplas bagi penentuan dan pengesahan varieti durian premium terpilih. Bulletin Teknologi MARDI, 24, 73–78.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Ismail, S. I., Ina-Salwany, M. Y., Hata, E. M., & Zulperi, D. (2020). The emergence of Pantoea species as a future threat to global rice production. Journal of Plant Protection Research, 60, 327–335.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Yin, L. H., & Abu Bakar, N. (2020). Pengenalpastian jujukan unik dari gen barok bagi penentuan dan pengesahan varieti durian premium terpilih. Proceedings of the Kolokium Perlindungan Tumbuhan, MARDI, Malaysia.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Zulperi, D., Rahman, M. A. A., Abdul-Basir, B., Othman, N. A., Ismail, S. I., & Hata, E. M. (2019). First report of Pantoea ananatis causing leaf blight disease of rice in Peninsular Malaysia. Plant Disease, 103(8), 2122.
• Azizi, M. M. F., Ismail, S. I., Hata, E. M., Zulperi, D., Ina-Salwany, M. Y., & Abdullah, M. A. F. (2019). First report of Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes causing leaf blight on rice in Malaysia. Plant Disease, 103(6).
• Azizi, M. M. F. (2018). Phylogeny and identification of Pantoea species causing leaf blight disease of rice in Peninsular Malaysia. Proceedings of the Joint Symposium: 8th International Agriculture Congress & 6th International Symposium on Food & Agriculture 2018, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia.

• Regional Training Course on Experimental Design and Data Analysis for the Advancement of Mutant Populations, 2023-11-20
• Regional Training Course on Application of Double Haploidy for Mutation by Speed Breeding (MbyS), Toward Crop Improvement, 2022-12-05

• Plant Pathology and Microbiology
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Biology
• Plant Biotechnology

• Rapid Colorimetric Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (cLAMP) Detection of Pantoea species Associated with Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) Disease in Rice (Lead)
• Recombinase Polymerase Amplification with Lateral Flow Dipstick (RPA-LFD) for detection of Pantoea spp. causing bacterial leaf blight in rice
• Discovery of MicroRNAs Related to Mahsuri Mutant Rice Resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae (NM-R&D-23-13) (Lead)
• Strengthening National Capacities in Integrated Climate Smart Agriculture and Plant Breeding for Sustainable Functional Food Crop Production (MAL 5036) (Member)
• Development and Commercialization of Climate-Resilient Rice Varieties (SRF MOSTI) (Member)
• Mutation Breeding of Major Crops (FNCA) (Member)
• Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Productivity (IAEA RAS5094) (Member)
• Enhancing Crop Productivity through Speed Breeding (IAEA RAS5088) (Member)
• Molecular Profiling of Blast Resistance in Malaysian Rice (MTSF) (Member)
• Whole Genome Sequencing of Advanced Mutant Lines NMR152 and NMR191 (NM-R&D-24-07) (Member)
• Microbiome Metagenomic Profiling in Low Yield Areas (NM-R&D-24-08) (Member)
• New Variety Commercialization with Private Partners (Member)
• Upgrading Nuclear Technology Facilities (RMK Rolling Plans) (Member)

Dr Zaiton binti Ahmad

Director

Agrotechnology & Biosciences Division

Malaysian Nuclear Agency

(+6) 0126317785

zaitonahmad@nm.gov.my

Dr. Lau Han yih

Principal Research Officer

Biodiagnostic - Biosensor Program

Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute

(+6) 0132886785

hylau@mardi.gov.my