KUALA LUMPUR, 19 May 2026 - A group of researchers from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) once again achieved excellence by winning six gold medals from six entries at the 37th International Invention, Innovation and Technology Exhibition (ITEX) 2026.

Held from 18 to 20 May 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, ITEX 2026 is a leading platform for researchers and innovators to showcase their inventions and technologies to key stakeholders, including investors and venture capitalists, for potential commercialisation opportunities.

In addition to achieving an outstanding success with a 100 per cent medal-winning rate, four USM researchers also received prestigious special awards, namely the Asian Invention Excellence Award, Best SME Innovative for Intellectual Property (IP) Award Category for AI/Agriculture Sectors, JIPA Award for Best Invention in Information, Communication Technology, and the Innovation Excellence Award conferred by Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah.

The four researchers who received the prestigious recognition were Associate Professor Dr. Tan Joo Shun, Dr. Hasber Salim, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Shankar Karuppayah, and Professor Ir. Dr. Srimala Sreekantan.

The six USM researchers and their award-winning innovations are as follows:

1. Professor Ir. Dr. Srimala Sreekantan (School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering) - Polynex BioCompostable Mulch Film - Advancing Sustainable Agriculture through Biomass Innovation.

2. Associate Professor Dr. Tan Joo Shun (School of Industrial Technology) - Lassica K014 - Smart Postbiotic K014: One Solution for Antimicrobial Defense, Gut Health and Skin Repair.

3. Associate Professor Dr. Rafidah Zainon (Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Cancer Centre, PKTAAB) - EcoShield-X - Lead-Free Interlocking Nano-Composite Bricks for X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Shielding; development of an environmentally-friendly and lightweight tungsten carbide-based polymer composite brick prototype with nano-fillers for radiation protection.

4. Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Shankar Karuppayah (School of Computer Sciences) - OwlSight - External Security Operations Centre for SMEs.

5. Dr. Hasber Salim (School of Biological Sciences) - TITO™ BOX v3 - Development of an Integrated Bioacoustic Attraction System with a Research-Based Owl Nest Box.

6. Dr. Ahmad Fakrurrozi Mohamad (Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Cancer Centre, PKTAAB) - HyBIRT (Hybrid Brachytherapy followed by Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy) Protocol - A radiation therapy protocol for organ preservation in oral tongue squamous cancer.

According to the Director of the USM Centre for Innovation and Consultation (CIC), Professor Dr. Mohd Hazwan Hussin, the achievement reflects USM's continuous commitment to strengthening innovation excellence, high-impact research, and the commercialisation of technologies developed by the university to meet the needs of industry and the community.

He said innovations produced by the university must continue to be highlighted and recognised so that they can be effectively translated into solutions to real challenges faced by industry and society.

"It is our hope that innovations resulting from university research and competitions such as ITEX will continue to be empowered, accepted, and highlighted for commercialisation purposes so that they can provide meaningful solutions to industry and community problems," he said.

ITEX 2026 received approximately 700 entries from public and private universities, research institutions, and industry players from across the country.

The exhibition featured inventions covering 15 exhibition classifications and seven competition categories related to innovation and technology.

ITEX remains Malaysia's longest-running innovation, invention, and technology competition and exhibition, and continues to serve as a catalyst for the development of research, creativity, and commercialisation at the national and international levels.

Original Text: Nur Farrah Ezlin Mohd Suhaimi, Centre for Innovation and Consultation (CIC), USM/Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photo: Muhamad Faris Darwisy Muhammad Rafiq