Dr Nicholas Syn - Department of Biomedical Informatics

Dr Nicholas Syn

Division of Biomedical Informatics

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Brief Introduction Journals & Publications

Brief Introduction

Dr. Nicholas Syn is the inaugural Dean’s Fellow at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, where he graduated from in 2021. He has published over 260 scientific manuscripts, including articles in The Lancet, The Lancet Oncology, Nature Communications, BMC Medicine, Journal of Clinical Oncology, BMJ Gut etc. He was named among the World’s Top 2% of Scientists ranking published by Stanford University and Elsevier for two consecutive years based on calendar year citations in 2022 and 2023.

Whilst in medical school, Nicholas obtained over SGD $100,000 in funding, grants, and awards, and upon graduation became the inaugural recipient of the Dean's Research and Development Award (DRDA). Professionally, he currently serves as a member of the Vanguard Committee of the International Liver Transplantation Society, and as an associate editor for several journals in the BMC and Frontiers portfolio. Dr Syn’s clinical and research interests are in regenerative hepatology and molecular pathology. He is skilled in evidence synthesis, advanced biostatistics, neural networks, and bioinformatics.

Qualifications:

MBBS (NUS)

Awards

Principal Investigator, NUHS Clinician Scientist Programme (NCSP) v2.0 2023 (S$400,000), National University Health System, Singapore
Dean’s Fellow. Recipient of Dean’s Research Development Award (DRDA) 2021 (S$60,000), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Principal Investigator, Changi Collaborative Grant 2023 (S$60,000), Clinician Scientist Development Unit, National University Health System, Singapore
Principal Investigator, Junior Research Award 2020 (S$6,000), Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, Singapore
Abbott Academic Excellence Prize (S$1,500), Abbott Laboratories (Singapore) Pte Ltd / National University of Singapore
Yeoh Seang Aun Prize (S$1,000) (in Tuberculosis and Infectious Diseases), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
SingHealth Medical Student Talent Development Award (SMSTDA)-Travel Award 2019 (S$3,000), SingHealth
SingHealth Medical Student Talent Development Award (SMSTDA)-Project Award 2018 (S$7,000), SingHealth
NUS Medical Grand Challenge (MGC) 2017 Change Maker Prize (S$5,000), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Innovation And Entrepreneurship Practicum Grant 2017 (S$10,000), NUS Enterprise
NUS Medical Grand Challenge (MGC) 2017-2019 Prototype Development Funds (Total Sum: S$2,500), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Wong Hock Boon (WHB) Society Travel Support (S$700), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Harvard Medical School – Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre (HMS-BIDMC) Electives Grant, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (S$9,000)
Wong Hock Boon (WHB) Society Research Fellowship 2017 Grant (S$2,000), Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Travel Award (¥100,000), 90^th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association
Travel Award (US$1,000), 7th Biennial Congress of the Asian-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
Top Team, Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) Innovation Class 2017
Best Free Paper (HPB Track) (S$100), 5th Asian Congress of Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery (ACRLS) 2019
Best of ILTS Travel Award (US$1,000), International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) 2023
Young Investigator Award (US$1,000), International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS) 2023
Honors with Distinction (HD), Harvard Medical School Exchange Clerkship (Clinical informatics)
Top Team Award. Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) Innovation Class 2017
Best Medical Oncology Abstract (Clinical Science Category). Jul 2016. 3^rd NCIS Annual Research Meeting
Best Oral Presentation (Runner Up). Jul 2016. 3^rd NCIS Annual Research Meeting
Junior Investigator Award. Jul 2016. 3^rd NCIS Annual Research Meeting
Best Scoring Paper (Session: Best Liver; Type: Oral Presentation), 13th Congress of the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA).
Best Poster Award, 7th Biennial Congress of the Asian-Pacific Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association
Best Free Paper Oral Presentation (HPB Track) (S$100), 5th Asian Congress of Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery (ACRLS)
Top Ten Papers. Oct 2021. International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) 25th World Congress (Top Ten General Session)
Free Paper (Session: Free Paper Session 10; Type: Oral Presentation), 14th Congress of the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), Sep 2021
Best Scoring Paper (Session: Best of the Best; Type: Oral Presentation), 14th Congress of the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), Sep 2021

Journals & Publications

Nicholas L. Syn, David E. Cummings, Louis Z. Wang, … Lee M. Kaplan, John B. Dixon, Asim Shabbir: Association of metabolic-bariatric surgery with long-term survival in adults with and without diabetes: a one-stage meta-analysis of matched cohort and prospective controlled studies with 174,772 participants. The Lancet 05/2021. 15;397(10287):1830-1841. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00591-2
Nicholas L. Syn, Pei Li Lim, Li Ren Kong, Ling-Zhi Wang, … Boon Cher Goh, W-S Hsieh: Pan-CDK inhibition augments cisplatin lethality in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and xenograft models. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 04/2018; 3(1)., DOI:10.1038/s41392-018-0010-0
Ser Yue Loo, Nicholas L. Syn, Angele Pei-Fern Koh, …, Gautam Sethi, Ruby Yun-Ju Huang, Kam Man Hui, Lingzhi Wang, Boon Cher Goh, Alan Prem Kumar: Epigenetic Derepression Converts PPARγ into a Druggable Target in Triple-negative and Endocrine-resistant Breast Cancers. Cell Death Discovery 09/21; DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00635-5
Nicholas L. Syn, Tousif Kabir, Ye Xin Koh, Hwee Leong Tan, Louis Z. Wang, …, Bee Choo Tai, Brian K. P. Goh: Survival Advantage of Laparoscopic Versus Open Resection For Colorectal Liver Metastases: A Meta-analysis of Individual Patient Data From Randomized Trials and Propensity-score Matched Studies. Annals of Surgery 11/2019; DOI: 1097/SLA.0000000000003672
Kosaku Mimura, Ley-Fang Kua, Jin-Fen Xiao, Bernadette Reyna Asuncion, Yuko Nakayama, Nicholas Syn, Zul Fazreen, Richie Soong, Koji Kono, Wei-Peng Yong: Combined inhibition of PD-1/PD-L1, Lag-3, and Tim-3 axes augments antitumor immunity in gastric cancer–T-cell coculture models. Gastric Cancer 02/2021. DOI:10.1007/s10120-020-01151-8
Nicholas L. Syn*, …, Guowei Kim, Jimmy Bok-Yan So: Pouch Versus No Pouch Following Total gastrectomy: Meta-analysis of Randomized and Non-randomized Studies. Annals of Surgery 10/2018; DOI:10.1097/SLA.0000000000003082
Nicholas L. Syn*, Michele W. L. Teng, Tony S. K. Mok, Ross A. Soo: De-novo and acquired resistance to immune checkpoint targeting. The Lancet Oncology 12/2017; 18(12):e731-e741., DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(17)30607-1
Cheng Han Ng, Kai En Chan, Mark Muthiah, Caitlyn Tan, Phoebe Tay, Wen Hui Lim, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Clarissa Elysia Fu, Jie Ning, Yong, Zhen Yu Wong, Benjamin Koh, Nicholas WS Chew, Nicholas Syn, Daniel Huang, Yock Young Dan, Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui, Arun J Sanyal, Mazen Noureddin: Examining the interim proposal for name change to steatotic liver disease in the united states population. Journal of Hepatology 01/2023; DOI:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000043
Nicholas L. Syn*, Andrea Li-Ann Wong, Soo-Chin Lee, Hock Luen Teoh, James Wei Luen Yip, Raymond Chee Seong Seet, …, Liam R. Brunham, Richie Soong, Bee-Choo Tai, Boon-Cher Goh: Genotype-Guided Versus Traditional Clinical Dosing of Warfarin in Patients of Asian Ancestry: A Randomized Controlled Trial. BMC Medicine 07/2018; 16(104)., DOI:10.1186/s12916-018-1093-8
Yoon-Sim Yap, Li-Lian Kwok, Nicholas Syn*, …, Han Chong Toh, Wen Hsin Koo, Marie Loh, Raymond Chee Hui Ng, Su Pin Choo, Richie Chuan Teck Soong: Predictors of Hand-Foot Syndrome and Pyridoxine for Prevention of Capecitabine–Induced Hand-Foot Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncology 07/2017; 3(11)., DOI:10.1001/jamaoncol.2017.1269
Joseph J Zhao, Nicholas L Syn, Benjamin Kye Jyn Tan, Dominic Wei Ting Yap, Chong Boon Teo, Yiong Huak Chan, Raghav Sundar. KMSubtraction: reconstruction of unreported subgroup survival data utilizing published Kaplan-Meier survival curves. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 04/2022; DOI: 10.1186/s12874-022-01567-z.
Wei Peng Yong, Sun Young Rha, Iain Beehuat Tan, Su Pin Choo, Nicholas L. Syn*, Vivien Koh, Shi Hui TAN, Bernadette Reyna Asuncion, Raghav Sundar, Jimmy Bok Yan So, Asim Shabbir, Chee-seng Tan, Hyo Song Kim, Minkyu Jung, Hyun Cheol Chung, Matthew CH Ng, David Tai, Minghui Lee, Jeanie Wu, Khay Guan Yeoh, Patrick Tan: Real-time Tumor Gene Expression Profiling to Direct Gastric Cancer Chemotherapy: Proof-of-Concept '3G' Trial. Clinical Cancer Research 07/2018; DOI:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-0193
Anna Dorothea Wagner, Nicholas LX Syn, Markus Moehler, Wilfried Grothe, Wei Peng Yong, Bee-Choo Tai, Jingshan Ho, Susanne Unverzagt: Chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 08/2017; 8(24)., DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD004064.pub4
Ye Xin Koh, Hiang Jin Tan, Nicholas Syn, Yi Xin Liew, Jin Yao Teo, Ser Yee Lee, Brian KP. Goh, George BB. Goh, Chung Yip Chan: Liver Resection for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Journal of the American College of Surgeons 08/2019;, DOI:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2019.07.012
Cheng Han Ng, Kai En Chan, Mark Muthiah, Caitlyn Tan, Phoebe Tay, Wen Hui Lim, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Clarissa Elysia Fu, Jie Ning, Yong, Zhen Yu Wong, Benjamin Koh, Nicholas WS Chew, Nicholas Syn, Daniel Huang, Yock Young Dan, Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui, Arun J Sanyal, Mazen Noureddin: Examining the interim proposal for name change to steatotic liver disease in the united states population. Journal of Hepatology 01/2023; DOI:10.1097/HEP.0000000000000043
Li Ren Kong, Nur Afiqah Binte Mohamed Salleh, Richard Weijie Ong, Tuan Zea Tan, Nicholas L. Syn, Robby Miguel Goh, Chee Wai Fhu, Daniel S.W. Tan, N. Gopalakrishna Iyer, …, Seng Gee Lim, H. Phillip Koeffler, Soo Chin Lee, Dennis Kappei, Huynh The Hung, Boon Cher Goh: A common MET polymorphism harnesses HER2 signaling to drive aggressive squamous cell carcinoma. Nature Communications 11(1) 12/2020;, DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-15318-5
Fenggang Yu, Nicholas L Syn, Yanan Lu, Qing Yun Chong, Junyun Lai, Wei Jian Tan, Boon Cher Goh, Paul A MacAry, Lingzhi Wang, Kwok Seng Loh: Characterization and Establishment of a Novel EBV Strain Simultaneously Associated With Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and B-Cell Lymphoma. Frontiers in Oncology 04/2021;11:626659. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.626659
Lingzhi Wang, Nicholas Li-Xun Syn, Vinod Vijay Subhash, Yijia Any, Win Lwin Thuya, Esther Sok Hwee Cheow, Liren Kong, …, Paul Chi-Lui Ho, Gautam Sethi, Wei Peng Yong, Boon Cher Goh: Pan-HDAC inhibition by panobinostat mediates chemosensitization to carboplatin in non-small cell lung cancer via attenuation of EGFR signaling. Cancer Letters 01/2018; 417., DOI:10.1016/j.canlet.2017.12.030
Win Lwin Thuya*, Li Ren Kong*, Nicholas L. Syn*, Ling-Wen Ding*, …, Gautam Sethi, Huynh The Hung, Paul Chi-Lui Ho, Jean-Paul Thiery, Siu Kwan Sze9, Tiannan Guo, Ross A. Soo, Henry Yang, Yaw Chyn Lim, Lingzhi Wang, Boon-Cher Goh. FAM3C in circulating tumor-derived extracellular vesicles promotes non-small cell lung cancer growth in secondary sites. Theranostics 02/2023 (advance manuscript in-press); 13(2): 621-638. DOI: 10.7150/thno.72297
Darren Jun Hao Tan, Cheng Han Ng, Snow Yunni Lin, Xin Hui Pan, Phoebe Tay, Wen Hui Lim, Margaret Teng, Nicholas Syn, Grace Lim, Jie Ning Yong, Jingxuan Quek, Jieling Xiao, Yock Young Dan, Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui, Arun J Sanyal, Mark D Muthiah, Rohit Loomba, Daniel Q Huang. Clinical characteristics, surveillance, treatment allocation, and outcomes of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related hepatocellular carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Oncology. 04/2022; DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00078-X
Wen Hui Lim, Cheng Han Ng, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Michael Tseng, Jieling Xiao, Jie Ning Yong, Rebecca Wenling Zeng, Elina Cho, Phoebe Tay, Chong Zhe Ang, Jia Hong Koh, Margaret Teng, Nicholas Syn, Alfred Kow, Daniel Q Huang, Eunice XX Tan, Mary E Rinella, Arun Sanyal, Mark Muthiah, Mohammad Shadab Siddiqui. Natural history of NASH cirrhosis in liver transplant waitlist registrants. Journal of Hepatology. 06/2023:S0168-8278(23)00412-9. doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2023.05.034.
Elina En Li Cho, Chong Zhe Ang, Jingxuan Quek, Clarissa Elysia Fu, Lincoln Kai En Lim, Zane En Qi Heng, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Wen Hui Lim, Jie Ning Yong, Rebecca Zeng, Douglas Chee, Benjamin Nah, Cosmas Rinaldi Adithya Lesmana, Aung Hlaing Bwa, Khin Maung Win, Claire Faulkner, Majd B Aboona, Mei Chin Lim, Nicholas Syn, Anand V Kulkarni, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Hirokazu Takahashi, Nobuharu Tamaki, Karn Wijarnpreecha, Daniel Q Huang, Mark Muthiah, Cheng Han Ng, Rohit Loomba: Global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Gut 07/23. gutjnl-2023-330110. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2023-330110
Joseph J Zhao, Dominic Wei Ting Yap, Yiong Huak Chan, Benjamin Kye Jyn Tan, Chong Boon Teo, Nicholas L Syn, Elizabeth C Smyth, Yu Yang Soon, Raghav Sundar: Low Programmed Death-Ligand 1-Expressing Subgroup Outcomes of First-Line Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Gastric or Esophageal Adenocarcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology 12/2021; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.01862
Tira J Tan, W X Gladys Ang, Who-Whong Wang, Hui-Shan Chong, Sze Huey Tan, Rachael Cheong, John Whay-Kuang Chia, Nicholas L Syn, Wai Ho Shuen, Rebecca Ba, Nivashini Kaliaperumal, Bijin Au, Richard Hopkins, Xinhua Li, Aaron C Tan, Amanda O L Seet, John E Connolly, Thaschawee Arkachaisri, Valerie Chew, Ahmad Bin Mohamed Lajam, Dianyan Guo, Marvin Z W Chew, Martin Wasser, Pavanish Kumar, Salvatore Albani, Han Chong Toh: A phase I study of an adenoviral vector delivering a MUC1/CD40-ligand fusion protein in patients with advanced adenocarcinoma. Nature Communications. 10/2022;13(1):6453. DOI:10.1038/s41467-022-33834-4
Cheng Han Ng, Nicholas WS Chew, Gwyneth Kong, Yip Han Chin, Darren Jun Hao Tan, Wen Hui Lim, Nicholas Syn, Roger Foo, Mark Y Chan, Mark Muthiah. The Global Burden of Metabolic Disease: Data from 2000-2019. Cell Metabolism 02/2023; 13(2): 621-638. DOI: S1550-4131(23)00039-6