Winners of the NUS Medicine Outstanding Research Fellow Award 2021
The Outstanding Research Fellow award recognises the efforts and achievements of our research fellows who have demonstrated excellence in all areas of research, service, mentoring, and leadership at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
We are pleased to announce that the following candidates have been selected to receive the NUS Medicine – 2021 Outstanding Research Fellow Award.
Winner Dr Daniel Teh Boon Loong
Department of Biochemistry
Dr Teh is an inter-disciplinary scientist focusing on nanotechnology applications in cancer, neuroscience, and reproductive longevity research. Concurrently, he is also investigating interventions to extend reproductive longevity in pre-clinical rodent model. Dr Teh is the recipient of the 2021 NMRC Open-Fund Young Individual Grant and GAP GRANT - RIE2025 (IEO Decentralised Funding), both as Principal Investigator. In total, he has been awarded S$890,000 in research grants. He has also led his market translational team to the “Best Teamwork” award at 2021 Singapore’s LeanLaunch Pad program.
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Teh’s mentees have shared about him:
“I was inspired by Dr Teh’s passion for research and willingness to share knowledge. His attitude and enthusiasm have inspired me to pursue research as a career.”
“Dr Teh helped me to clearly understand the technology and process behind this new novel treatment of cancer. This understanding really gave me an integrated approach in which I was able to focus on such aspects as the business model and value proposition of the technology.”
First Runner Up Dr Nikhil Kumar Tulsian
Department of Biochemistry
Dr Nikhil Tulsian obtained his PhD at NUS in 2017 and is currently working as Research Fellow in Professor Markus Wenk’s laboratory at the Department of Biochemistry. His primary interests are monitoring different shapes/forms of proteins and their interactions with other biomolecules. His work on protein-protein characterization using a range of biophysical methods such as mass spectrometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, and cryo-electron microscopy has led to many publications. Dr Nikhil has established active collaborations with academia and industry, both locally and globally. His current work focuses on translating his expertise into various aspects of infectious diseases, protein-lipid interactions, and elucidating antigen-antibody complexes.
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Nikhil’s mentees have shared about him:
“Dr Nikhil is an exceptional and dedicated scientist whose valued guidance has motivated me to further contribute to the scientific community. He also developed me to be a young scientist capable of critical yet independent thinking.”
“He was always brainstorming new ideas to drive his projects forward and had a never-say-die attitude when things do not go as planned. He also displayed strong analytical and critical thinking skills when troubleshooting failed experiments and can think quickly on his feet.”
Second Runner Up Dr Deng Shuo
Department of Physiology
Dr Deng’s research work involves identifying novel strategies and mechanisms for cancer treatment, to counter therapy resistance and metastasis. She has published in high-impact journals, and serves as a reviewer for several international peer-reviewed journals. She is a recipient of the NUSMed Postdoctoral Fellowship Award and Swee Liew-Wadsworth Grant Award. Dr Deng has contributed extensively to the postdoctoral and young researchers’ community, where she served as Vice President of the NUSMed Postdoctoral Association and as member of the Organizing Committee for keynote events and symposiums. She has also mentored many postgraduate and undergraduate students.
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Deng’s mentees have shared about her:
“She always takes time to discuss the direction of my project and to deliberate about future experiments to determine what would be best suited to meet the project’s objectives.”
“Dr Deng would often sit down with me to explain difficult concepts, accompany me through all experimental steps to make sure I am getting the steps right. In times of failure, she would also encourage me, provide me with feedback and troubleshoot together with me”.
Winners of the NUS Medicine Outstanding Mentor Award for Research Fellows 2021
The Outstanding Mentor Award recognises outstanding research fellows who have demonstrated excellence in mentorship and actively contributed to the personal and professional development of students and research staff at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
We are pleased to announce that the following candidates have been selected to receive the NUS Medicine – 2021 Outstanding Mentor Award for Research Fellows.
Dr MD Faizus Sazzad
Department of Surgery
Dr Faizus Sazzad is an academic cardiac surgeon with extensive research and clinical experience of about 15 years that spans across Singapore and overseas. His work on cardiovascular innovation and MedTech has resulted in multiple first-author articles, six book chapters, and one intellectual property and had won him multiple national and international recognition. His research has now expanded to class III cardiovascular device development with Associate Professor Theodoros Kofidis at the Department of Surgery (Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery), NUS. Recently, they were awarded the prestigious Central Gap Fund from NRF for further development of a "Bespoke, Stentless, Heart Valve Bioprosthesis".
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Faizus’ mentees have shared about him:
“As a mentor, it is amazing how he works tirelessly throughout the day but has the energy, patience and nurturing attitude towards our queries and projects. He entrusts multiple important tasks and allowed me to work independently on projects with minimal guidance.”
“Dr Sazzad goes above and beyond his duties as a research fellow. He believes that mentoring students extends beyond just teaching and developing professional skills, but also involves helping one maximise their potential and be a better person.”
Dr Song Yuan
Department of Microbiology & Immunology
Dr Song Yuan is a Research Fellow from the Immunology Translational Research Programme and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology. Her research focuses on T cell-based immunotherapy in cancer, both in solid tumor and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation settings. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as European Journal of Immunology, Frontiers in Immunology, Cellular & Molecular Immunology. Her love for science motivates and keeps her going when facing challenges. Sharing her passion and helping others succeed also gives her satisfaction in her career.
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Song’s mentees have shared about her:
“Dr Song is a role model for me in several aspects: she is a very hardworking researcher who is passionate in her research. Seeing her passion in scientific research motivates me to be passionate in my research and also to work hard”
“She is very willing to guide and monitor when you are doing the experiments for the first few times and gradually giving you freedom once she knew that you are capable of performing the experiments on your own. Her way of teaching has trained me to be an independent researcher”
Dr Tai Yee Kit
Department of Surgery
Dr Tai is a Research Fellow at the Department of Surgery and Institute of Health and Technology (IHT). His research focuses on exploring the therapeutic benefits of magnetic fields in health and disease. He has published several articles, highlighting the responsiveness of skeletal muscle and stem cells to magnetic fields. He takes joy in mentoring staff and students, and one of his students won the Gold Award at the Singapore Science and Engineering Fair (SSEF). He believes that mentors should not just share their riches with mentees, but also guide and direct them to discover their own.
Here are some excerpts of what Dr Tai’s mentees have shared about him:
“Dr Tai has shown sensitivity to my academic goals and helped to nurture me to achieve them. He also pushes me to come up with my own ideas on how I could further my experimental work in high standard as well as plans to improve myself.”
“My overall development has vastly improved over the time I have known him due to his mentoring. With his aid, my research has also displayed much higher standard through his teachings.”
