DR. ZUBAIDAH BINTI YA'COB

Dr. Zubaidah Ya’cob is a senior lecturer and researcher at TIDREC, Universiti Malaya, whose academic career has been defined by a strong commitment to advancing One Health principles, impactful infectious disease research, transformative education, and community engagement. Her research expertise lies in entomology, with a specialization in public health vectors—particularly ticks, chiggers, sandflies, and blackflies—and associated diseases such as scrub typhus, rickettsioses, onchocerciasis, and leishmaniasis. She has published over 70 ISI-indexed articles in reputable journals including PLOS ONE, Scientific Reports, Acta Tropica, Insects, Journal of Medical Entomology, and Pathogens.

Over the years, she has successfully secured a range of competitive research grants from both national and international funding bodies, reflecting her strong research credibility and global engagement. Among her internationally funded projects, the Royal Society (UK) supported her work titled “Mites with Wings”, which investigates the role of avian hosts in the spread of scrub typhus-carrying mites. Through funding from the BBSRC (UK), she explored pathogen detection in Simulium black fly populations linked to Onchocerciasis transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. Her collaboration with the International Science Partnership Fund (UK) led to groundbreaking research on rodent genomics and the prevalence of Orientia bacteria in domestic poultry, shedding light on complex zoonotic transmission pathways.

Domestically, she secured a Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) award to study black flies and their association with filarial parasites in Malaysia. With the support of the Institute of Research for Development (IRD), France, she investigated zoonotic disease risks associated with oil palm agriculture using a One Health approach. Additionally, her work with UMCARES has focused on community-based projects that bring vector-borne disease awareness to underserved populations, particularly primary schoolchildren and Orang Asli communities, bridging scientific research with meaningful public health impact.

In recognition of her international collaborations and academic contributions, Dr. Zubaidah was appointed in 2025 as an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Faculty of Infection and Microbiome, University of Liverpool, further strengthening her ties with global research institutions.

Her research approach integrates field entomology, molecular diagnostics, and ecological data modeling, reflecting her capacity to lead multi-disciplinary, solution-oriented studies. Her future research aims to investigate genetic determinants of vector competence, ecological drivers of disease emergence, and innovative, ecologically sound control strategies.

Dr. Zubaidah has consistently demonstrated excellence in teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At the Faculty of Science, she teaches core first-year courses such as Biology of Organisms, Biostatistics, and Statistics, as well as the Research Methodology course at the Institute of Advanced Studies. Her pedagogy emphasizes active learning, scientific inquiry, and real-world relevance, nurturing students’ critical thinking and analytical skills from the outset of their academic journey.

In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she supervises a growing number of postgraduate students, including four PhD candidates (two graduated) and seven Master’s students (three graduated, four ongoing). Her mentorship emphasizes academic excellence and the development of professional competencies in research and community engagement.

Dr. Zubaidah is an engaged academic citizen who contributes meaningfully to the university and broader public through science communication, policy engagement, and grassroots outreach. She has been featured on national platforms including TV1's Selamat Pagi Malaysia and Bernama TV, where she has provided expert commentary on the public health implications of vector-borne diseases, especially during flood seasons.

In less than five years, her impactful work in underserved communities—delivering health education to Orang Asli families and B40 children—has earned institutional recognition, most notably the Universiti Malaya Excellence Award (ACUM) in 2023. Her ability to translate academic knowledge into accessible and actionable information has significantly enhanced the university’s profile in public health engagement and societal impact.