Researchers in our universities are at the forefront of pushing our boundaries of knowledge. However the public catches only glimpses of their challenges through media reports, for example of funding difficulties, a competitive "publish or perish" culture, and ethical concerns in research. We speak with Dr. Adil Johan, Research Fellow at the Institute of Ethnic Studies at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; as well as Professor Dr. Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at University of Malaya.