Prof. Dr. Lionel is an accomplished academic and researcher specializing in molecular oncology, cancer immunology, and vaccine development. He earned his PhD and post-doctoral fellowship from the University of Malaya (UM) before working in the Life Sciences division at Merck (Malaysia). In 2013, he transitioned to academia at UCSI University, where he has served as Head of Department, Deputy Dean, and Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. He was also the former Director of the Research Management Centre (RMC), the former Chairman of the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC), and the former Head of the Research Programme for STI (Environment & Sustainability) under the Tan Sri Omar Center for STI Policy at UCSI University. He currently serves as the Director of the International Institute of Science Diplomacy and Sustainability (IISDS).
Being an active researcher, Prof. Dr. Lionel established the Cancer Immunotherapy Research Group (CIRG) in 2015. He is also a Professional Technologist (MBOT) and a Research Fellow at the Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute (MGVI) under the Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (MOSTI). His notable accolades include the US InnoCentive Premium Challenge Award (2017), the Indonesia-Malaysia Grand Challenge initiative on personalized mRNA cancer vaccines, and consecutive National Vaccination Training Program (LPVN) Awards (2024, 2025), which included research attachments at Monash University and UNSW in Australia. He has published over 70 research articles, holds 5 patents involving cancer therapeutics and vaccines, and has also successfully secured several government and industry research grants and consultancies amounting to approximately RM3.1 million.
Prof. Dr. Lionel also plays an active role in furthering the advancement of STI in Malaysia. He is a member of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia’s Young Scientist Network, a member of the Malaysian Society for Lactic Acid Bacteria (MSLAB), a former Council member, treasurer and auditor of the Malaysian Society of Molecular Biology (MSMBB), and an Associate Editor for the Asia Pacific Journal of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. He was previously engaged in many STI activities, including the Science Integrity and Science Policy working groups at YSN, and the Science in Exile initiative in collaboration with TWAS and UNHCR.