Curriculum Vitae

DR. LEONG SZE WEI

Senior Lecturer
  • Department of Chemistry
    Faculty of Science
  • 03-79674262

BIOGRAPHY

Sze Wei Leong received his PhD in medicinal chemistry from Univeristi Putra Malaysia in 2014, for which he was awarded the National Science Fellowship (NSF) Scholarship from the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MoSTI). Upon completion of his PhD, he was appointed as an assistant researcher in natural product chemistry at the Laboratory of Natural Products, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia. In 2017, he was appointed as a post-doctoral fellow in cancer pharmacology at the Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia. His doctoral and post-doctoral experiences have equipped him with knowledge and techniques in medicinal chemistry, natural product chemistry, and cancer pharmacology.  His research is now focusing on small molecule-based drug discovery, particularly in the search of synthetic multi-functional anti-cancer drugs.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

  • ORGANIC CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS
  • MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
  • MOLECULAR PHARMACOLOGY

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

  • PhD, (Medicinal Chemistry)
    Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)
  • BSC, (Chemistry)
    Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

PUBLICATIONS

Article in Journal
WoS
  1. Islam, Rajibul; Hossain, Md. Selim; Mock, Phooi Yan; Leong, Sze Wei; Lam, Kok Wai (2023). Exploring the potential of chromone scaffold compounds in cancer therapy: targeting key kinase pathways, MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY RESEARCH. 32(6), 1017-1038. doi:10.1007/s00044-023-03063-5
  2. Leong, Sze Wei; Wang, JingJing; Okuda, Kazuhide Shaun; Su, Qi; Zhang, Yanmin; Abas, Faridah; Chia, Suet Lin; Yusoff, Khatijah (2023). Discovery of a novel dual functional phenylpyrazole-styryl hybrid that induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death in bladder cancer cells, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY. 254. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115335
  3. Liew, Kong Yen; Chee, Hui-Yee; Abas, Faridah; Leong, Sze Wei; Harith, Hanis Hazeera; Israf, Daud Ahmad; Tham, Chau Ling (2023). Curcumin-like diarylpentanoid analogues inhibit influenza A virus (H1N1) replication and pro-inflammatory cytokines production in A549 lung epithelial cells, RESPIROLOGY. 28, 27-28
Scopus
  1. Islam R., Hossain M.S., Mock P.Y., Leong S.W., Lam K.W. (2023). Exploring the potential of chromone scaffold compounds in cancer therapy: targeting key kinase pathways, Medicinal Chemistry Research. 32(6), 1017-1038. doi:10.1007/s00044-023-03063-5
  2. Leong S.W., Wang J., Okuda K.S., Su Q., Zhang Y., Abas F., Chia S.L., Yusoff K. (2023). Discovery of a novel dual functional phenylpyrazole-styryl hybrid that induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death in bladder cancer cells, European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. 254. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115335
Others
  1. Rullah, K., Shamsudin, N. F., Koeberle, A., Tham, C. L., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Leong, S. W., Jantan, I., & Lam, K. W
  2. Chan, L. C., Kalyanasundram, J., Leong, S. W., Masarudin, M. J., Veerakumarasivam, A., Yusoff, K., Chan, S. C., & Chia, S. L. (2021). Persistent Newcastle disease virus infection in bladder cancer cells is associated with putative pro-survival and anti-viral transcriptomic changes. BMC Cancer.
  3. Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Leong, S. W., Auwal, F. A., Abas, F., Wai, L. K., Ahmad, S., Tham, C. L., Shaari, K., Lajis, N. H., & Yamin, B. M. (2021). In silico studies, nitric oxide, and cholinesterases inhibition activities of pyrazole and pyrazoline analogs of diarylpentanoids. Archiv Der Pharmazie.
  4. Ong, H. M., Ahmad Azmi, A. F., Leong, S. W., Abas, F., Perimal, E. K., Farouk, A. A. O., Israf, D. A., & Sulaiman, M. R. (2021). The involvement of l-arginine-nitric oxide-cgmp-atp-sensitive k+ channel pathway in antinociception of bbhc, a novel diarylpentanoid analogue, in mice model. Molecules.
  5. Ong, H. M., Azmi, A. F. A., Leong, S. W., Abas, F., Perimal, E. K., Farouk, A. A. O., Israf, D. A., & Sulaiman, M. R. (2021). Antinociceptive activities of a novel diarylpentanoid analogue, 2-benzoyl-6-(3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzylidene)cyclohexen-1-ol, and its possible mechanisms of action in mice. Scientific Reports.
  6. Ullah, A., Leong, S. W., Wang, J., Wu, Q., Ghauri, M. A., Sarwar, A., Su, Q., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Cephalomannine inhibits hypoxia-induced cellular function via the suppression of APEX1/HIF-1 interaction in lung cancer. Cell Death and Disease.
  7. Abdullah, M. A., Lee, Y. R., Mastuki, S. N., Leong, S. W., Wan Ibrahim, W. N., Mohammad Latif, M. A., Ramli, A. N. M., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Mohd Faudzi, S. M., & Kim, C. H. (2020). Development of diarylpentadienone analogues as alpha-glucosidase inhibitor: Synthesis, in vitro biological and in vivo toxicity evaluations, and molecular docking analysis. Bioorganic Chemistry.
  8. Awin, T., Mediani, A., Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Maulidiani, Leong, S. W., Shaari, K., & Abas, F. (2020). Identification of -glucosidase inhibitory compounds from Curcuma mangga fractions. International Journal of Food Properties.
  9. Fadilah, N. I. M., Ahmad, H., Abdul Rahman, M. B., Chia, S. L., Ng, S. F., & Leong, S. W. (2020). Synthesis and in vitro biological evaluations of novel tetrapeptide as therapeutic agent for wound treatment. Journal of Saudi Chemical Society.
  10. Leong, Sze Wei, Chia, S. L., Abas, F., & Yusoff, K. (2020a). In-vitro and in-silico evaluations of heterocyclic-containing diarylpentanoids as Bcl-2 inhibitors against lovo colorectal cancer cells. Molecules.
  11. Leong, Sze Wei, Chia, S. L., Abas, F., & Yusoff, K. (2020b). Synthesis and in-vitro anti-cancer evaluations of multi-methoxylated asymmetrical diarylpentanoids as intrinsic apoptosis inducer against colorectal cancer. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
  12. Yusoh, N. A., Leong, S. W., Chia, S. L., Harun, S. N., Rahman, M. B. A., Vallis, K. A., Gill, M. R., & Ahmad, H. (2020). Metallointercalator [Ru(dppz)2(PIP)]2+ Renders BRCA Wild-Type Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells Hypersensitive to PARP Inhibition. ACS Chemical Biology.
  13. Awin, T., Mediani, A., Maulidiani, Leong, S. W., Muhd Faudzi, S. M., Shaari, K., & Abas, F. (2019). Phytochemical and bioactivity alterations of Curcuma species harvested at different growth stages by NMR-based metabolomics. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis.
  14. Foo, J. B., Ng, L. S., Lim, J. H., Tan, P. X., Lor, Y. Z., Loo, J. S. E., Low, M. L., Chan, L. C., Beh, C. Y., Leong, S. W., Saiful Yazan, L., Tor, Y. S., & How, C. W. (2019). Induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by copper complex Cu(SBCM)2 towards oestrogen-receptor positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. RSC Advances.
  15. Hisamuddin, N., Shaik Mossadeq, W. M., Sulaiman, M. R., Abas, F., Leong, S. W., Kamarudin, N., Ong, H. M., Ahmad Azmi, A. F., Ayumi, R. R., & Talib, M. (2019). Anti-edematogenic and anti-granuloma activity of a synthetic curcuminoid analog, 5-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)penta-2,4-dien-1-one, in mouse models of inflammation. Molecules.
  16. Leong, Sze Wei, Awin, T., Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Maulidiani, M., Shaari, K., & Abas, F. (2019). Synthesis and biological evaluation of asymmetrical diarylpentanoids as antiinflammatory, anti- -glucosidase, and antioxidant agents. Medicinal Chemistry Research.
  17. Liew, K. Y., Rosly, N. A. dila., Abas, F., Leong, S. W., Israf, D. A., & Tham, C. L. (2019). Effect of diarylpentanoid analogues on lipopolysaccharide-induced interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 gene expression in airway inflammation. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences.
  18. Nyan, L. K., Abas, F., Maulidiani, Ahmed, M., Wei, L. S., Ismail, I. S., & Shaari, K. (2019). Chemical constituents and biological activities of south east asia marine sponges: A review. In Pertanika Journal of Science and Technology.
  19. Song, D. S. S., Leong, S. W., Ng, K. W., Abas, F., Shaari, K., Leong, C. O., Chung, F. F. L., Mai, C. W., Hii, L. W., Tan, P. J., & Patel, V. (2019). Novel 2-Benzoyl-6-(2,3-Dimethoxybenzylidene)-Cyclohexenol Confers Selectivity toward Human MLH1 Defective Cancer Cells through Synthetic Lethality. SLAS Discovery.
  20. Kamarudin, N., Hisamuddin, N., Ong, H. M., Ahmad Azmi, A. F., Leong, S. W., Abas, F., Sulaiman, M. R., & Shaik Mossadeq, W. M. (2018). Analgesic effect of 5-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)penta-2,4-dien-1-one in experimental animal models of nociception. Molecules.
  21. Leong, Sze Wei, Abas, F., Lam, K. W., & Yusoff, K. (2018). In vitro and in silico evaluations of diarylpentanoid series as -glucosidase inhibitor. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
  22. Leong, Sze Wei, Chia, S. L., Abas, F., & Yusoff, K. (2018). Asymmetrical meta-methoxylated diarylpentanoids: Rational design, synthesis and anti-cancer evaluation in-vitro. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
  23. Fasihi Mohd Aluwi, M. F., Rullah, K., Huan, T. H., Meng, C. K., Jie, T. S., Wei, L. S., Mansor, A. H., Yamin, B. M., & Wai, L. K. (2016). Synthesis and effects of oxadiazole derivatives on tyrosinase activity and human SK-MEL-28 malignant melanoma cells. RSC Advances. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6ra12754a Lasekan, O., Gholivand, S., Ping, T. C., Abas, F., Wei, L. S., & Muniandy, M. (2017). Enzymatic esterification of dihydrocaffeic acid with hexanol in different ionic liquids. In Ionic Liquids: Electrochemistry, Uses and Challenges. Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Leong, S. W., Abas, F., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Lam, K. W., Ahmad, S., Tham, C. L., Shaari, K., & Lajis, N. H. (2015). Synthesis, biological evaluation and QSAR studies of diarylpentanoid analogues as potential nitric oxide inhibitors. MedChemComm. https://doi.org/10.1039/c4md00541d Siti Zulaikha, A. G., Mediani, A., Khoo, L. W., Lee, S. Y., Leong, S. W., & Abas, F. (2017). Effect of different drying methods and solvent ratios on biological activities of Phyllanthus acidus extracts. International Food Research Journal.
  24. Gholivand, S., Lasekan, O., Tan, C. P., Abas, F., & Wei, L. S. (2017a). Comparative study of the antioxidant activities of some lipase-catalyzed alkyl dihydrocaffeates synthesized in ionic liquid. Food Chemistry.
  25. Gholivand, S., Lasekan, O., Tan, C. P., Abas, F., & Wei, L. S. (2017b). Optimization of enzymatic esterification of dihydrocaffeic acid with hexanol in ionic liquid using response surface methodology. Chemistry Central Journal.
  26. Lawal, U., Leong, S. W., Shaari, K., Ismail, I. S., Khatib, A., & Abas, F. (2017). -Glucosidase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Different Ipomoea aquatica Cultivars and LC MS/MS Profiling of the Active Cultivar. Journal of Food Biochemistry.
  27. Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Haque, M. A., Yamin, B. M., Ahmad, W., Amjad, M. W., Lam, K. W. (2017). Suppression of PGE2 production via disruption of MAPK phosphorylation by unsymmetrical dicarbonyl curcumin derivatives. Medicinal Chemistry Research. doi:10.1007/s00044-017-2025-4
  28. Velaithan, V., Okuda, K. S., Ng, M. F., Samat, N., Leong, S. W., Faudzi, S. M. M., Abas, F., Shaari, K., Cheong, S. C., Tan, P. J., & Patel, V. (2017). Zebrafish phenotypic screen identifies novel Notch antagonists. Investigational New Drugs.
  29. Ado, M. A., Abas, F., Leong, S. W., Shaari, K., Ismail, I. S., Ghazali, H. M., & Lajis, N. H. (2016). Chemical constituents and biological activities of Callicarpa maingayi leaves. South African Journal of Botany.
  30. Fasihi Mohd Aluwi, M. F., Rullah, K., Huan, T. H., Meng, C. K., Jie, T. S., Wei, L. S., Mansor, A. H., Yamin, B. M., & Wai, L. K. (2016). Synthesis and effects of oxadiazole derivatives on tyrosinase activity and human SK-MEL-28 malignant melanoma cells. RSC Advances.
  31. Fasihi Mohd Aluwi, M. F., Rullah, K., Koeberle, A., Werz, O., Abdul Razak, N. S., Wei, L. S., Salim, F., Ismail, N. H., Jantan, I., & Wai, L. K. (2019). Design and synthesis of a novel mPGES-1 lead inhibitor guided by 3D-QSAR CoMFA. Journal of Molecular Structure.
  32. Leong, Sze Wei, Abas, F., Lam, K. W., Shaari, K., & Lajis, N. H. (2016). 2-Benzoyl-6-benzylidenecyclohexanone analogs as potent dual inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry.
  33. Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Yamin, B. M., Leong, S. W., Abdul Bahari, M. N., Lim, S. J., Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Jalil, J., Abas, F., Mohd Fauzi, N., Ismail, N. H., Jantan, I., & Lam, K. W. (2016). Synthesis of unsymmetrical monocarbonyl curcumin analogues with potent inhibition on prostaglandin E2 production in LPS-induced murine and human macrophages cell lines. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
  34. Khoo, L. W., Mediani, A., Zolkeflee, N. K. Z., Leong, S. W., Ismail, I. S., Khatib, A., Shaari, K., & Abas, F. (2015). Phytochemical diversity of Clinacanthus nutans extracts and their bioactivity correlations elucidated by NMR based metabolomics. Phytochemistry Letters.
  35. Leong, Sze Wei, Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Abas, F., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Lam, K. W., Abdul Bahari, M. N., Ahmad, S., Tham, C. L., Shaari, K., & Lajis, N. H. (2015). Nitric oxide inhibitory activity and antioxidant evaluations of 2-benzoyl-6-benzylidenecyclohexanone analogs, a novel series of curcuminoid and diarylpentanoid derivatives. Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters.
  36. Maulidiani, M., Sheikh, B. Y., Mediani, A., Wei, L. S., Ismail, I. S., Abas, F., & Lajis, N. H. (2015). Differentiation of Nigella sativa seeds from four different origins and their bioactivity correlations based on NMR-metabolomics approach. Phytochemistry Letters.
  37. Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Leong, S. W., Abas, F., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Lam, K. W., Ahmad, S., Tham, C. L., Shaari, K., & Lajis, N. H. (2015). Synthesis, biological evaluation and QSAR studies of diarylpentanoid analogues as potential nitric oxide inhibitors. MedChemComm.
  38. Yousefi, S., Bayat, S., Rahman, M. B. A., Ismail, I. S., Saki, E., Leong, S. W., & Abdulmalek, E. (2015). Synthesis, bioactivity evaluation, and docking study of 5-aminosalicylic acid s fatty acid derivatives. Monatshefte Fur Chemie.
  39. Leong, Sze Wei, Mohd Faudzi, S. M., Abas, F., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Rullah, K., Wai, L. K., Abdul Bahari, M. N., Ahmad, S., Tham, C. L., Shaari, K., & Lajis, N. H. (2014). Synthesis and sar study of diarylpentanoid analogues as new anti-inflammatory agents. Molecules.
  40. Rullah, K., Mohd Aluwi, M. F. F., Yamin, B. M., Abdul Bahari, M. N., Wei, L. S., Ahmad, S., . . . Wai, L. K. (2014). Inhibition of prostaglandin E2 production by synthetic minor prenylated chalcones and flavonoids: Synthesis, biological activity, crystal structure, and in silico evaluation. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 24(16), 3826-3834. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.06.061

RESEARCH PROJECT

National
  1. 2023 - 2025, UM International Collaboration Grant
    Structural Optimization of AP21 as EGFR-Targeting Anti-Cancer Agents ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  2. 2023 - 2025, Bantuan Khas Penyelidikan (BKP Special)
    Design, Synthesis And Anti-cancer Evaluation Of Phenylpyrazole-styryl Hybrids As Multi Target Agents Against Egfr And Vegfrs ( Principal Investigator(PI))
  3. 2022 - 2024, Others MOHE - Top 100 (IIRG)-FNW
    WP2: Development of Novel Therapeutic Agent and Delivery Method for Lung Cancer ( Co-Researcher)