Our People
Vincenzo Sorrentino
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry
Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Vincenzo Sorrentino is an Italian-born scientist in the fields of aging, mitochondrial biology and neuromuscular degeneration. After his PhD with honors obtained at the University of Amsterdam in medical biochemistry, he carried his postdoctoral research in Prof. Johan Auwerx’s lab at the EPFL in Switzerland. From 2019 till 2022, he took a role as Group Leader at the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences in Switzerland, to lead research focused on integrating basic discoveries on natural bioactives that modulate NAD+, mitochondria and protein homeostasis with their possible translation into clinical applications. Currently, he is Assistant Professor and launched his research lab at the NUS with the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Program, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Amsterdam. His work on mitochondria and NAD+ metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease and muscle aging has resulted in his discoveries appearing in Nature (2017), Cell Reports (2021) and just recently with the discovery of trigonelline as a novel NAD+ precursor, in Nature Metabolism (2024).
Current Lab Members
Research Fellow
Sanjay graduated from Regional Center for Biotechnology (India) with Ph.D. in Biotechnology with a bachelor’s and master’s in Botany and Biotechnology. Following his PhD, he joined Mayo Clinic, Florida as a Research fellow in 2021 and where he explored the role of selective autophagy in neurodegenerative diseases. In 2022-2023, he served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at UMass Chan Medical School, Massachusetts. Currently, he works as a research fellow at Prof. Vincenzo’s lab, where he works to understand the complexity of proteostasis in the context of aging and related disorders utilizing cellular and animal models. Beyond the lab, he enjoys badminton and cooking spicy cuisine.
Khalisah Yusri
Research Assistant
Khalishah graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry in 2016. After working in a biotechnology company for 3 years in Malaysia, she pursued her Masters of Medical Science in Universiti Malaya, investigating hypoxia and lung cancer. In 2023 she joined VS Lab as a Research Assistant, focusing on NAD+ precursors to combat liver aging. Khalishah aims to continue her academic career through pursuing a PhD at VS Lab. Beyond the lab, she loves bodybuilding and hiking.
Sandra Jose
Ph.D. Candidate
Sandra graduated from Vel’s University, India with a bachelor’s in technology in Biotechnology in 2021. During her bachelor’s she started exploring the possibilities of computational biology in the field of drug discovery and worked as a project assistant in bioinformatics at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati and IIT Roorkee for the subsequent years. Presently, she is a doctoral student at Prof. Vincenzo’s lab, striving to innovate targeted proteolysis approaches that can enhance overall lifespan and well-being. In addition to her lab works, she has a passion for public speaking and diary writing.
Wang Qingyun
Ph.D. Student
Qingyun graduated from Southwest Medical University with a bachelor’s degree in medicine, then obtained his medical master’s degree from Nanjing Medical University. During that time, he joined Professor Chen’s group at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), studying the mechanisms of aging-related diseases such as osteoarthritis and spinal degeneration. Currently, he is a doctoral student under the supervision of Professors Jan Gruber and Vincenzo, exploring novel drugs and longevity genes in multiple animal models. He likes spicy food; Mala hot pot is his favourite.
Karen Vermeulen
Ph.D. Student
Karen graduated from Leiden University and Delft University of Technology with a joint BSc degree in Life Science and Technology, then she obtained her MSc degree in Life Science & Technology from Leiden University in 2024. Currently, she is a doctoral student under the supervision of Professors Noam Zelcer and Vincenzo via his VIDI NOW grant. Based in the group of Medical Biochemistry the Amsterdam UMC (The Netherlands), she is exploring mitochondria homeostasis in Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond the lab, she loves reading and hiking.
Qing Zhang
Ph.D. Candidate
Qing graduated from Zhejiang University with a bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Throughout her academic journey, she explored a wide range of research areas, including cancer development and cancer immunotherapy. She directly started her PhD study after BSc and currently she is a doctoral student in Prof. Vincenzo’s lab, exploring the additional regulation mechanisms of NAD+ metabolism in mitochondrial bioenergetics using bioinformatics and wet lab techniques.
Trina Tan
Ph.D. Student
Trina graduated from the National University of Singapore with a BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences in 2024. In her undergraduate years, Trina explored various research labs in different fields such as microbiology and synthetic biology. She was inspired in the labs she worked in to pursue research. She is now a doctoral student supervised by Vincenzo characterizing a novel NAD+ metabolite and its possible applications in aging bioloy. Outside of the lab, she enjoys looking at flowers and being in nature.
Ashley Chow
Research Assistant
Ashley graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2022 with a BSc (Hons) in Life Sciences, and a Minor in Forensic Science. Initially considering a career in the Police Force, her interest shifted to research after a seven-month long internship at MSD Animal Health Pte Ltd, where she worked with a team to develop fish vaccines. With a referral from MSD, she spent a year as a Research Assistant at Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, optimising and developing qPCR assays for detecting pathogens in Asian Sea Bass. Presently, she obtained a Master of science in research in Prof. Vincenzo’s lab, investigating combinatorial approaches to increase NAD+ precursors stability. Outside the lab, she is an active member of the NUS Korean Cultural Interest Group Dance Team. Cartooning and vlogging are her hobbies.
Jiang Nian
Visiting Scholar
Jiang Nian comes from Zunyi Medical University, China. Her research began with studies on the anti-cancer properties of natural substances and has since expanded to investigate their effects on aging, leading to a growing interest in aging biology and health. In 2025, she joined the Vincenzo’s Lab as a visiting researcher for 1 year with a prestigious CSC scholarship. Beyond the lab, she enjoys hiking and has a fondness for spicy food.
Zheng Yujie
MSc Student
Yujie graduated from Zhejiang University with a bachelor’s degree in Basic Medical Sciences. During her undergraduate years, she explored the role of the gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease and the effects of specific gut microbiota. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science by Research in Prof. Vincenzo’s lab, investigating mitochondrial energy deficit models in Caenorhabditis elegans. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading and hiking.
Christopher Bong
UROPS Student
Christopher is a third-year undergraduate at the National University of Singapore pursuing a BSc in Life Sciences. Prior to his Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS) project, he explored research areas including skin aging in Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome, therapy-induced senescence, and wound healing. Through these experiences, he has developed a strong interest in longevity research and is now investigating longevity mechanisms using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism under the supervision of Wang Qingyun and Vincenzo. Outside the lab, he enjoys running.
Yu Zitong
UROPS Student
Yu Zitong is a second-year undergraduate at the National University of Singapore majored in Life Science. Prior to this Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS) project, he investigated interplay between TFEB nuclear translocation and cellular metabolism under nutrient stress in mammalian cell lines. This experience helped him develop a strong interest in cellular metabolism and ageing and carry his internship under the supervision of Ashley Chow and Vincenzo. Outside the lab, he enjoys reading and playing card games.
Ryan Singh
UROPS Student
Ryan Singh is a second-year undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, majoring in Life Sciences. He is currently working on his Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS) project which involves conducting in silico research using molecular dynamics simulation and virtual screenings for different proteins related to aging, done under the supervision of Sandra Jose and Vincenzo. Beyond the lab, Ryan enjoys running and reading.
Syakirah Binti Jamaludin
FYP Student
Syakirah is a fourth-year Life Sciences major with a minor in Management at the National University of Singapore. She is currently conducting her honours thesis under the supervision of Ms Khalishah Yusri, investigating the therapeutic potential of NAD⁺ modulation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using cell culture models. Through her project, she is gaining experience in experimental design, cellular assay optimisation, and data analysis related to metabolic dysfunction and ageing. She is interested in healthy ageing and longevity research and is motivated by the translational potential of therapeutics aimed at improving metabolic health and healthspan. Beyond the lab, she enjoys creating and selling her art, scuba diving, and immersing herself in nature.
Rory Moore
FYP Student
Rory is a fourth-year undergraduate completing his bachelor’s in Biological and Biomedical Sciences at the National University of Singapore as a part of the joint degree program with the University of Dundee. He is currently conducting his honours project, under the mentorship of Khalishah Yusri, investigating the therapeutic potential of NAD⁺ precursors on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in vivo with mice. Through his project, he has developed a strong interest in health and longevity research and its potential to improve lives in the future. Beyond the lab, he enjoys working out and reading.
Previous Members
Lim Yu Xin
FYP Student
Yu Xin graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2024 with a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science. During her final year project in VS Lab, she explored the effects and possible underlying mechanisms of trigonelline treatment on ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Beyond the lab, Yu Xin loves listening to and playing music of various genres and languages and is particularly devoted to expanding her postage stamp collection during her travels.
Sarah Qistina
UROPS Student
Sarah Qistina is a third-year undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, pursuing her BSc in Life Sciences with a second major in Public Health. During her third year, Sarah joined Professor Vincenzo’s lab as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROPS). Her project under Professor Vincenzo strived to induce and characterize senescence-like hallmarks in mouse embryonic fibroblasts using anticancer drugs bleomycin, palbociclib, and doxorubicin. Beyond the lab, Sarah serves as the NUS Public Health Club president and actively participates in and organizes initiatives that advocate for and contribute to better health outcomes among diverse populations. She also enjoys spending time with her two cats.
Fan Binqian
UROPS Student
Binqian is a third-year undergraduate student at the National University of Singapore, pursuing a BSc in Life sciences with a minor in pharmaceutical science. She joined Professor Vincenzo’s lab during her third year as part of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in Science (UROPS), studying NAD+ metabolism and assisting in establishing an in vitro cellular senescence model using mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Beyond the lab, she enjoys watching musicals and playing table tennis.