Research Associate

SCOPE / PURPOSE OF JOB / JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Introduction

Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers in Asia, and nearly 74% of oral cancer-related deaths occur in Asians. The major challenge in most Asian settings is access to timely diagnosis, particularly in remote areas. We have developed MeMoSA®, an App to capture individual patient information and enable specialists to remotely provide clinical recommendations for patients with suspicious lesions. MeMoSA® is currently used for teleconsultation in a clinical setting enabling patients with high-risk lesions to attend follow-up remotely. Moving forward, we aim to integrate MeMoSA® in screening programs to facilitate early detection in the community. To be able to scale this up in the longer-term, we have also developed an AI-driven algorithm for the classification of oral lesions.

In this project, we will improve on the development of the AI-driven algorithm and the MeMoSA® App, and conduct implementation science research to evaluate the implementation of MeMoSA® for early detection of high-risk lesions and for the follow-up of patients in rural Malaysia.

The candidate is required to support research activities focused on the development, evaluation, and implementation of AI-enabled oral cancer screening programme by contributing to research activities and evidence generation to support the translation of innovative screening approaches into real-world healthcare settings. The candidate is required to lead the data analysis of quantitative research data from the screening programme and AI evaluation studies.

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the research design, development, implementation and evaluation of MeMoSA and MeMoSA AI
• Assist in the preparation of research proposals, grant applications, study protocols, ethics submissions, and other research-related documentation.
• Lead data collection
• Lead management and data analysis, interpretation and dissemination of research findings.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support the translation of MeMoSA and MeMoSA AI into clinical practice.
• Maintain accurate research documentation and ensure compliance with institutional, ethical, and regulatory requirements.
• To undertake any tasks as required.

QUALIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS

• At least a Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, implementation science, data science, health informatics, or a related field with strong emphasis on data analytics
• Demonstrated experience in designing tools and strategies for data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Proven ability to analyse data using statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R)
• Experience in implementation research, digital health and scientific writing would be an added advantage.
• Additional certifications in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E), data management, or health systems research are an advantage
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English and Bahasa Malaysia
• Strong project management and facilitation skills
• Proactive, self-motivated, and able to work independently
• Demonstrated ability to manage complexity, multitask, and meet

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