Professor Dr Khalijah Awang is a prolific researcher in the area of natural products with a strong focus on pharmacognosy. Her work covers the study of novel and bioactive compounds from rare and endemic Malaysian plants that could be potential leads for the development of therapeutic drugs. Some examples of novel compounds isolated are the neolignan series “Pahangine A & B”, limonoid series “Malayanine A & B” and the peculiar indole alkaloid series, the “lapidilactines”. In addition, she also endeavours in the studies of medicinal plants used in the Malay traditional medicine: Alpinia conchigera, Brucea javanica, Curcuma zedoaria, Piper sarmentosum and Kaempheria galanga.  She has studied more than 70 Malaysian plants which resulted in more than 200 ISI publications. She has numerous collaborative projects national research institutes and universities. She is also active internationally and her strongest collaboration is with the French Organization (ICSN-CNRS), which has started 30 years ago and it is still active until today. This is manifested by the conferment of the LIA (International Associated Laboratory) status by CNRS (France) for her laboratory IFM-NatProLAB.