Press Releases

20 Feb 2018

Partnership formed to train community health volunteers for the elderly

Community health volunteers will be trained through online courses as well as classroom sessions taught by experts in a new programme that is being developed by a consortium of agencies and headed by the NUS Mind-Science Centre (NMSC).

12 Feb 2018

Identified: A Host Protein Involved in Enterovirus 71 Infection of the brain in Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Infection with enterovirus 71 (EV71) causes hand, foot and mouth disease, a highly contagious disease that usually affects children younger than five years of age. An NUS research team has identified a host protein, prohibitin (PHB), that is used by EV71 to attack and infect brain cells.

25 Jan 2018

Engineered bacteria and broccoli extract kills colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world, especially the developed world. Although the five-year survival rates for earlier stages of this cancer are relatively good, at later stages survival goes down and the risk of cancer recurrence goes up considerably. To help address this problem, a team of researchers have found a way to turn a humble cocktail of bacteria and vegetables into a targeted system that seeks out and kills colorectal cancer cells.

24 Jan 2018

Mother’s antibodies may worsen dengue infection in children

A dengue vaccine that stimulates a strong T cell response in babies has been found to provide better and broader protection than vaccines which induce the production of mainly antibodies. An NUS research team that made this finding also found that a mother’s antibodies which help to protect her babies against dengue virus infection can also be detrimental in some situations, as these maternal antibodies can enhance the severity of dengue infection in babies or interfere with their immunisation.

13 Nov 2017

It’s in the blood

Giving a literal expression to the idiom, researchers from National University of Singapore (NUS) have uncovered the secret behind how blood cells release a vital biological substance involved in essential processes like immune and blood vessel functions. This knowledge of the pathway by which blood cells release sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) carries broad implications for the treatment of various immune and vascular diseases.

21 Oct 2017

NUS Medicine students provide free health and dental screening services in Jurong

New screening components include mental health screening for dementia and depression for people age 60 years old and above and a social support booth.

17 Oct 2017

Counting our days and making our days count

NUS Medicine students organise palliative care exhibition to encourage conversations about end-of-life.

08 Oct 2017

NUS students organise upscaled free health screening for HDB residents (2nd Press Release)

Elderly residents of Kampong Glam will be assessed for frailty and mental health issues as well as chronic illnesses at free health screenings in October.

09 Sep 2017

NUS students organise upscaled free health screening for HDB residents (1st Press Release)

Elderly residents of Eunos Crescent and Kampong Glam will be screened for frailty and mental health issues as well as chronic illnesses when medical, nursing and social work students from the National University of Singapore conduct free health screenings at these constituencies in September.

23 Aug 2017

NUS study shows more than a third of Bukit Panjang older adults on verge of becoming frail

A recent study of 1051 older adults in Bukit Panjang by Associate Professor Reshma Merchant, Division Head of Geriatric Medicine at the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, revealed that 37 per cent of the cohort were on the edge of becoming frail. Of this group, 6 per cent were found to be frail, while another 8 per cent suffered from cognitive impairment.