Prof Chong Yap Seng

Prof Chong Yap Seng

ORCID: 0000-0002-7232-8473

Appointment(s)

Lien Ying Chow Professor in Medicine Dean

National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine

Deputy Chief Executive (Education & Research), National University Health System



Biography

Professor Chong Yap Seng is the Dean of the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine), Singapore’s first institute of higher learning and one of the leading medical schools in Asia. Since Professor Chong assumed the role of Dean in 2019, NUS Medicine has risen to rank 16th on the 2024 Times Higher Education World University rankings and 20th on the 2023 QS World University Rankings for Medicine.

In his recently appointed role as Deputy Chief Executive (Education and Research) of the National University Health System (NUHS), Professor Chong will be furthering NUHS’ academic mission and augmenting the Academic Health System through his oversight of the academic and research development at all NUHS institutions.

As the former Executive Director (2015-2021) and now the Chief Clinical Officer at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Professor Chong oversees clinical programmes that seek to promote health and human capacity in Singapore and the world. These programmes include the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) and the Singapore Preconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) longitudinal studies that examine how conditions in pregnancy and early childhood influence the health and development of women and children.

In addition to his special research interest in the developmental origins of health and disease, Professor Chong has co-authored more than 500 research publications in top journals including The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the British Medical Journal (BMJ). He received the National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award from Singapore’s Ministry of Health in 2017 for his research efforts in early human development and nutrition, and was recently conferred the Public Administration Medal (Sliver) at the 2022 Singapore National Day Awards.

For the past few years, his energies have been focused on helping develop national strategies to advance child and maternal health and well-being, promoting healthy living for families, and improving health resources equity in Singapore.

Professor Chong continues to care for mothers and babies in his role as a Senior Consultant in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the National University Hospital (NUH) under the NUHS and, till today, still looks forward to welcoming newborn babies into the world.


Selected Publications

Prevalence and incidence of postpartum depression among healthy mothers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sep 2018 JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH104:235-248 (14 pages) PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD Co-authors: Shorey S, Chee CYI, Ng ED, Chan YH, Tam WWS, Chong YS

Prenatal maternal depression alters amygdala functional connectivity in 6-month-old infants

17 Feb 2015 TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY5:7 pages NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP Co-authors: Qiu A, Anh TT, Li Y, Chen H, Rifkin-Graboi A, Broekman BFP, Kwek K, Saw S-M, Chong Y-S, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Meaney M

Cohort Profile: Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort study

Oct 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY43(5):1401-1409 (9 pages) OXFORD UNIV PRESS Co-authors: Soh S-E, Tint MT, Gluckman PD, Godfrey KM, Rifkin-Graboi A, Chan YH, Stuenkel W, Holbrook JD, Kwek K, Chong Y-S, Saw SM

The effect of genotype and in utero environment on interindividual variation in neonate DNA methylomes

Jul 2014 GENOME RESEARCH24(7):1064-1074 (11 pages) COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB PRESS, PUBLICATIONS DEPT Co-authors: Ai LT, Pan H, Chen L, Ong M-L, Dogra S, Wong J, MacIsaac JL, Mah SM, McEwen LM, Saw S-M, Godfrey KM, Chong Y-S, Kwek K, Kwoh C-K, Soh S-E, Chong MFF, Barton S, Karnani N, Cheong CY, Buschdorf JP, Stunkel W, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Gluckman PD, Holbrook JD

Prenatal Maternal Depression Associates with Microstructure of Right Amygdala in Neonates at Birth

1 Dec 2013 BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY74(11):837-844 (8 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC Co-authors: Rifkin-Graboi A, Bai J, Chen H, Hameed WB, Sim LW, Tint MT, Leutscher-Broekman B, Chong Y-S, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Meaney MJ, Qiu A

Safer childbirth: avoiding medical interventions for non-medical reasons

6 Feb 2010 LANCET375(9713):440-442 (3 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC Co-authorsChong Y-S, Kwek KYC

Carbetocin versus syntometrine for the third stage of labour following vaginal delivery-a double-blind randomised controlled trial

Oct 2009 BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY116(11):1461-1466 (6 pages) WILEY Co-authors: Su LL, Rauff M, Chan YH, Suphan NM, Lau TP, Biswas A, Chong YS

Antenatal education and postnatal support strategies for improving rates of exclusive breast feeding: randomised controlled trial

22 Sep 2007BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL335(7620):596-599 (6 pages) BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP Co-authors: Su L-L, Chong Y-S, Chan Y-H, Chan Y-S, Fok D, Tun K-T, Ng FSP, Rauff M

Identification of nestin-positive putative mammary stem cells in human breastmilk

Jul 2007 CELL AND TISSUE RESEARCH329(1):129-136 (8 pages) SPRINGER Co-authors: Cregan MD, Fan Y, Appelbee A, Brown ML, Klopcic B, Koppen J, Mitoulas LR, Piper KME, Choolani MA, Chong Y-S, Hartmann PE

Simple antenatal preparation to improve breastfeeding practice - A randomized controlled trial

Jan 2007 Conference of the NATO-Advanced-Study-Institute on Optimising Detectors, Imaging and Computing Technologies form Nuclear Physics in General and Security Applications OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY109(1):73-80 (8 pages) LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS Co-authors: Mattar CN, Chong Y-S, Chan Y-S, Chew A, Tan P, Chan Y-H, Rauff MH-J

Misoprostol for preventing PPH: some lessons learned

7 Oct 2006LANCET368(9543):1216-1218 (3 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC Co-authors:Chong Y-S, Su L-L

Association between breastfeeding and likelihood of myopia in children

22 Jun 2005 JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION293(24):3001-3002 (2 pages) AMER MEDICAL ASSOC Co-authors: Chong YS, Liang Y, Tan D, Gazzard G, Stone RA, Saw SM

Dynamics of Infant Gut Microbiota Are Influenced by Delivery Mode and Gestational Duration and Are Associated with Subsequent Adiposity

MBIO6(1):9 pages AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY Co-authors: Dogra S, Sakwinska O, Soh S-E, Ngom-Bru C, Brueck WM, Berger B, Bruessow H, Lee YS, Yap F, Chong Y-S, Godfrey KM, Holbrook JD

Low birthweight and subsequent obesity in Japan

LANCET369 (9567):1081-1082 (2 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC Co-authors: Gluckman PD, Chong YS, Fukuoka H, Beedle AS, Hanson MA