The Malaysian Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (MSBMB) was established in 1973 as a professional body representing biochemists and molecular biologists in Malaysia. The MSBMB was founded with the singular objective of bringing together biochemists and other scientists in related areas and provide a forum for discussion of their research interests. Such a forum was vital for establishing a basis of cooperation amongst biochemists who were playing increasing important roles in medical and agricultural research as well as running hospital and private laboratories. It must be borne in mind that this meeting was organized during an era when such scientific meetings were rare. The first meeting was so successful in reaching its objectives that a second annual meeting followed in 1975. Such a meeting of biochemists has since become and annual affair, thus establishing a tradition. We have followed this tradition faithfully thus far and hope that it will be continued for many years to come. Our conferences are highly scientific in nature and followed by a proceeding as a permanent record of the transactions. These proceedings have since been replaced with the society's academic journal, the Malaysian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MJBMB) that was launched in 1997. This journal complements the Journal of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, run by the Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB) as a platform for the needs of biochemists and molecular biologists in the region. In all its activities, the society has not forgotten the significant role of students in keeping the flame of biochemistry and molecular biology burning. In 1986, the undergraduate students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia organised the first Intervarsity Biochemistry Seminar (IBS) exclusively for their fellows from other universities. The remarkable success of this seminar turned it into an annual affair, with each university student biochemistry club taking turns to organize the annual event. The seminars provide opportunities to students to learn how to organize seminars and derive benefit from them, as well as to help in honing their leadership skills and teamwork. The society has organized workshops, seminar and lectures by visiting scientists. All these keep the members abreast of the latest development in their areas of particular interest. A newsletter is also published from time to time by the society to keep its members informed of the various activities organized by the seminar as well as international biochemistry and molecular biology related events pertinent to the members. In recent times, the society has engaged in dialogue, as a non-governmental organization, with the Chief Secretary to the Malaysian government on problems faced by its members as well as on other issues. The society has been affiliated with the Confederation of Scientific and Technological Associations in Malaysia (COSTAM) and this has enabled the society to interact and work together with other professional associations in the country with similar objectives. It is our hope that the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology will continue to move forward and to be able to contribute to the future of Malaysian biochemistry and molecular biology.
