معرفی
Associate Professor Sivakumar Thurairajasingam is an active faculty member at Monash University Malaysia, affiliated with the Jeffrey Cheah School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He holds the position of Associate Professor (Practice) in Psychiatry and serves as Deputy Head (Education) of the Clinical School Johor Bahru. He has been a lecturer at Monash since August 1, 2006, contributing to Year 3 and Year 4 medical education.
- MBBS, University of Mangalore, India (1994)
- Master in Medicine (Psychiatry), Universiti Sains Malaysia (2002)
His research focuses on addiction psychiatry and mood disorders, with a strong emphasis on clinical innovation and public health impact. He has played a pivotal role in establishing multiple specialized clinics, including the Substance Abuse Clinic, Methadone Substitution Clinic, and Mood Disorders Clinic in Johor Bahru. His work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in promoting health and well-being.
The recent publication trends highlight a growing interest in the intersection of mental health and microbiome science, particularly the role of probiotics in depression, alongside digital mental health solutions such as the MOBOT app. His research outputs are primarily high-impact review articles in journals like Nutrients, Digital Health, and Progress in Microbes and Molecular Biology.
He has been recognized with two major awards for innovation:
- Silver Medal, Malaysia Technology Expo 2023 – for "MoBOT, A Self-Help Digital Mental Health Intervention Conversational Agent"
- ITEX'24 Silver Award – for the "MOBOT" Mobile Application
Sivakumar is actively involved in research and leadership. He is a Chief Investigator in the Asia-Pacific Consortium for Advancing Clinical Psychedelic Medicine (2025), indicating future directions in psychedelic-assisted therapies. While no formal students are listed, his role in education and research coordination suggests mentorship activities. He previously led the Psychiatry Research Unit at Hospital Permai and served as State Coordinator for the National Methadone Maintenance Programme, demonstrating strong grant and program management experience.
He has established and managed key clinical units such as the Addiction Liaison Unit at Hospital Sultanah Aminah and the Johor Bahru Anti-Narcotic Agency Methadone Clinic, reflecting his leadership in translational psychiatry and harm reduction initiatives.
