Senthilmani Rajendran (MSc Health Informatics 2025) has been named a national finalist in the Science & Sustainability category of the British Council Study UK Alumni Awards in Malaysia.
She was recognised for her work at Cancer Research Malaysia, where she leads a multidisciplinary team applying mobile health technologies, artificial intelligence, and implementation science to improve the early detection of oral cancer and shape healthcare policy in the country.
The Study UK Alumni Awards recognise leaders in their fields who have used their experience of studying at a UK university to make a positive contribution to their communities, industries, and countries. This year, the British Council received more than 1,700 applications from around the world.
"Being selected for this award is deeply meaningful to me," said Senthilmani. "This recognition affirms the importance of research that is grounded in communities, driven by collaboration, and focused on impact. It motivates me to continue translating science into action that can improve access to care and ultimately save lives."
Senthilmani first witnessed the devastating impact of oral cancer on patients and their families as a dental student in India and later as a practicing dentist in Malaysia. Many patients presented with symptoms when the cancer was already at an advanced stage, resulting in the increased chance of negative outcomes.
Determined to make a difference, she took a bold step: "I left my secure job to pursue an MSc in Health Informatics at the University of Leeds, at a time when digital health was still unfamiliar in Malaysia." She credits Leeds as a turning point in her career, providing the skills, mentorship, and global perspective that continue to shape her work today.
"Transitioning from clinical practice into research showed me how powerful it can be when clinical insight and science intersect."
She returned to Malaysia on graduation, and developed Mobile Mouth Screening Anywhere (MeMoSA), a mobile health tool that enables healthcare volunteers to conduct oral cancer screening in underserved rural communities and transmit images to specialists – helping to ensure earlier detection. She also created the largest oral lesion image database of its kind, containing 30,000 images collected in collaboration with clinicians from five Asian countries, which can be used to support the development of artificial intelligence tools for oral lesion diagnosis.
To date, the MeMoSA programme has screened 1,870 individuals in rural Malaysia (around ten times more people than traditional screening approaches) with 95% of participants receiving oral cancer screening for the first time. The initiative has also trained 47 healthcare volunteers to safely deliver services in low-resource settings.
MeMoSA is helping inform national digital screening policy in Malaysia and has attracted interest from countries including Indonesia, Cambodia, Malta, and Italy, which are exploring how similar approaches could be adopted in their own healthcare systems.
"Looking forward, I aim to continue building community-based solutions that improve early detection and access to care, while also mentoring young researchers and contributing to regional and international collaborations."
