Professor Dr. Vilasini Pillai joined Quest International University, Malaysia in 2016 and is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Integrated Life Sciences and the Director of the Centre of Research and Innovation.
Dr. V Pillai started her career at the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi) as a plant scientist after completing her Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Genetics from the University of Malaya, Malaysia. She obtained her PhD from the University of Nottingham, UK specializing in plant genetic manipulation. She has published numerous papers during her 25 years as a hands-on bench scientist and won numerous national and international awards for her research and innovations.
Dr. Vilasini Pillai expertise in transgenic crops led to her being seconded to the Ministry of Natural Resources to coordinate activities for the implementation of the Biosafety law in Malaysia under a grant from UNDP. Subsequently she joined the Ministry of Science and Technology to first serve as the under secretary to the National Science Advisor’s office and then to Head the Secretariat of the National Science and Research Council. Following her retirement from the civil service, Dr Vilasini joined the Asia Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions (APAARI) as the coordinator for biotechnological activities under the Asia Pacific Consortium on Agricultural Biotechnology (APCoAB) in 2015 -2016 based in Bangkok. It was upon her return to Malaysia that she entered the world of academia at Quest International University.