Dr. Chui Pin Leaw is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences (IOES), University of Malaya. Her research pertains to marine protistology and phycology, focusing on the studies of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Her research spans ecology, taxonomy, molecular systematics, evolution, and the genetics and toxigenesis of harmful toxic microalgae.
She commenced her academic career at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in September 2008 as a senior lecturer DS51 in the Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation (IBEC). She obtained her First Class BSc. (H), in Marine Science from the National University of Malaysia (Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia) and subsequently earned her MSc. and Ph.D. in Marine Science from the same institution.
She is affiliated with professional organizations pertinent to her field of study, including the International Society for the Study of Harmful Algae (ISSHA), the Phycological Society of America (PSA), and the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS). She is actively engaged in editorial responsibilities, having been appointed as a reviewer for high-impact factor journals (BMC Evolutionary Biology, PlosONE, Harmful Algae, Scientific Reports), and has served as a regional editor on the editorial board of Harmful Algae News. Throughout her academic tenure, she has mentored over 40 undergraduate students, six Ph.D. candidates and 16 MSc students who have completed their studies under her guidance.