Kuala lumpur: Universiti Malaya (UM) academic Dr Lee Yee Qing became the first Malaysian scientist to receive the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Young Investigator Award. The United States (US) Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, in a Facebook post, congratulated Lee on being the first Malaysian to win the prestigious award and for receiving its highly competitive travel grant. 'Malaysian excellence continues to make its mark on the global stage,' it said.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the embassy noted that Lee's research gained recognition from Yokohama to Kuala Lumpur and that her next destination would be the ASTMH 2026 meeting in Maryland, US. Lee, who is with the Department of Medical Microbiology at UM's Faculty of Medicine, obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Medical Microbiology from the university in 2025. She completed her thesis with distinction and graduated on time.

Lee previously earned a Master of Medical Science in 2021 and a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry in 2017, both from UM. Her research work focused on medical microbiology and her academic publications included studies related to antimicrobial resistance and bacterial pathogens.

The ASTMH Young Investigator Award recognises emerging researchers in tropical medicine and related fields, while the travel award facilitates the recipients' attendance at the society's annual scientific meeting.