News

Congratulations to Dr. Alan P. Kumar on the publication of his newly edited book on CRISPR/Cas9 and cancer research.

This book brings together leading international perspectives on how CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology is transforming cancer research and redefining therapeutic possibilities. Covering advances from fundamental mechanistic insights to translational applications, the volume highlights the growing importance of genome editing as a cornerstone of next-generation oncology.

A central focus of the book is drug resistance, one of the most pressing challenges in cancer treatment. Several chapters examine how CRISPR/Cas9 is being applied to dissect genetic mechanisms underlying therapeutic resistance, offering new strategies to address treatment failure, particularly in patients who have exhausted conventional options.

For more details: https://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/14690#t=aboutBook

Assoc Prof Sng, one of the earliest to be promoted to an open-contract position in the preclinical educator track at NUS Medicine, is a strong proponent of going beyond meeting teaching requirements to actively innovating in medical education. With 16 years of teaching experience, she believes that meaningful improvement in curricula and pedagogy must be grounded in education research. Regularly reflecting on her teaching practice, she identifies gaps in effectiveness and explores new approaches and technologies, driven by the need to prepare students for a rapidly digitalising healthcare landscape where tools such as AI are increasingly embedded in clinical practice.

Coming from a science research background, Assoc Prof Sng credits education research with accelerating her growth as an educator and shaping her leadership in teaching innovation. Her commitment led her to establish the NUSMed Educator Club to support faculty development across disciplines, and to pursue a Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education at Harvard Medical School in 2023. Through the programme, she deepened her expertise, challenged her own assumptions about teaching, and built international networks with fellow medical education leaders—experiences that continue to inform her work at NUS Medicine and open doors for future collaboration.

Full Article: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/newsletters/issue57/insights/learning-to-teach-better/

Congratulations to faculty members from the Department of Pharmacology who have been featured in the latest Research.com global rankings of Best Scientists by Discipline. These prestigious rankings recognise leading experts worldwide based on their research performance, impact, and scholarly contributions.

We are especially proud to share that Professor Guillermo C. Bazan was ranked 1st in Singapore and 97th globally in Chemistry, underscoring his outstanding influence in the field.

Notably, most of the recognised faculty demonstrated improvements in their global rankings, while their national rankings remained unchanged, reflecting continued strong standing within Singapore alongside growing international research impact. Distinguished faculty members recognised across disciplines such as Medicine, Neuroscience, and Biology & Biochemistry include Associate Professor Gautam Sethi, Dr Alan Prem Kumar, Dr Mitchell Lai Kim Peng, Associate Professor Gavin S. Dawe, Professor Manjunatha Kini, Dr Muthu Shanmugam, Associate Professor Edward Manser, Associate Professor Shabbir Moochhala, Professor Phillip K. Moore, and Professor Christopher Chen Li-Hsian.

These achievements highlight the Department of Pharmacology’s sustained excellence in biomedical research and its rising global visibility, while maintaining leadership at the national level.

 

 

The Department of Pharmacology at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has taken a significant step forward in advancing regulatory science education and talent development with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Procter & Gamble (P&G). The ceremony took place at P&G’s Singapore Innovation Centre (SgIC), located in Biopolis, home to one of the company’s largest R&D hubs in Asia.

The agreement, formalised on 19 November 2025, aims to deepen collaboration in regulatory science , human safety innovation, industry-integrated learning, and talent pipeline development between one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies and Singapore’s flagship medical school.

The agreement was signed by Associate Professor Gavin Dawe, Head of the Department of Pharmacology and Yuko Nakamura, R&D Vice President, Singapore & Kobe Innovation Centers.

Building industry-ready competencies for future pharmacology leaders
Under the MOU, NUS Pharmacology and P&G will jointly explore a suite of industry-anchored initiatives that strengthen learning and professional preparation for students. These include:

1. Strategic Talent Acquisition and Knowledge Exchange Programme
2. Development of P&G Case Studies and Industry-Relevant Teaching Materials
3. Internship Recommendations for Top Students

A/Prof Gavin Dawe noted that this partnership aligns closely with the department’s strategic direction: “We aim to nurture scientifically grounded, industry-ready graduates who can navigate both the complexities of modern pharmacology and the regulatory frameworks that shape healthcare innovation. This partnership with P&G adds a strong industry dimension to our educational mission.”

A/Prof Judy Sng added that the collaboration complements ongoing efforts to enhance applied learning across the Master of Medical Pharmacology: “Embedding case studies, industry projects, and internship pathways helps our students see how pharmacology translates into real-world impact. It equips them with the confidence and competence needed to take on regulatory and product safety roles in Singapore and beyond.”

Advancing Singapore’s regulatory talent ecosystem
The MOU further supports the nations efforts to develop a strong talent pipeline in regulatory affairs, an area increasingly critical as Singapore strengthens its biomedical sector, consumer safety frameworks, and translational research footprint.

By bringing together academic expertise and P&G’s global regulatory leadership, the collaboration aims to:
• cultivate next-generation regulatory and pharmacovigilance professionals
• enhance industry-aligned curriculum development
• grow Singapore’s competitiveness in product safety and compliance innovation
• expand opportunities for students to engage with multinational R&D environments

Looking ahead
Over the next two years, both parties will jointly review progress, identify new opportunities, and deepen cooperation in emerging areas such as toxicology applications, human safety science, and industry-aligned regulatory training.

A/Prof. Seok (Soga) Kwon added: “This collaboration supports our mission to empower students with both scientific depth and applied regulatory insight. Partnering with P&G reinforces our commitment to preparing graduates who can serve the region’s growing healthcare and biomedical innovation needs. The NUS Biomedical Sciences Interdisciplinary Industry Academy will continue to serve as a platform for sustainable collaboration by bridging academia and industry partners.”

Yuko Nakamura added: “This partnership reinforces P&G’s and NUS Pharmacology’s commitment to building future-ready programs and fostering meaningful collaborations that benefit students, industry, and society. Through this partnership with NUS, we are accelerating innovation at P&G while nurturing the next generation of leaders who will transform our industry. Together, we are shaping a future where science and collaboration drive meaningful impact for society.”

Seema Sundaresan, Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Personal Healthcare envisions this collaboration to benefit the talents of the future – the students, she added: “P&G is excited to team up with NUS Pharmacology and together, we are here to help YOU – students, our next generation of scientists – to kickstart your career in health and safety! By blending real-world industry applications into your studies and offering hands-on projects and internships, we’re creating amazing opportunities for you to grow and make an impact. Join us in shaping the future of health—together, we can make a difference for patients and communities!”

 

The NUS Department of Pharmacology is proud to announce the publication of the new book Cutting-Edge Technologies for Constructing Advanced Organoid Models, a comprehensive volume showcasing the latest breakthroughs shaping the future of organoid science.
Co-edited by Professor GOH Boon Cher,  A/P WANG Lingzhi and A/Prof. SHEN Chongyang, the book brings together multidisciplinary expertise to advance the development, application, and ethical governance of organoid technologies.

Their collective expertise provides the scientific foundation for this timely publication, which explores advanced organoid culture systems and their applications in drug discovery and precision medicine.

Two complementary studies led by researchers from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have demonstrated a new RNA-based therapeutic strategy that effectively targets one of the most difficult-to-treat cancer genes, Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS), while stimulating the body’s immune response to fight tumours. The research was conducted in cell samples and laboratory models, with collaborators from the NUS Institute for Health Innovation and Technology (iHealthtech), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and international partners. 

KRAS is a gene that acts like a molecular switch controlling how cells grow and divide. In healthy cells, this switch turns on and off as needed. However, in many cancers, including pancreatic, lung, and colorectal cancers, the KRAS gene becomes mutated, locking the switch in the “on” position. This constant activation drives uncontrolled cell growth and helps tumours evade normal immune defences. Mutations in KRAS are among the most common drivers of human cancers and are found in over 90% of pancreatic cancers. As the KRAS protein binds tightly to its signalling molecules and lacks easy-to-target binding sites, it has long been considered “undruggable” — making it one of the toughest and most important targets in cancer research. 

The research team developed a combination therapy using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) to silence mutant KRAS genes and an immunomodulatory RNA (immRNA) that activates the Retinoic acid-Inducible Gene I (RIG-I) immune pathway. The RIG-I pathway is akin to an alarm system in our cells, where it detects viruses and then alerts our immune system to deal with
the threat. Both the ASOs and immRNA molecules were delivered safely using red blood cell-derived extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs), a natural, biocompatible carrier for nucleic acid drugs.

For more details: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-17-Press-release-Discovery-in-RNA-therapy-for-mutated-cancer-gene-UCO.pdf

A/Prof. Judy Sng, from the Department of Pharmacology (National University of Singapore), delivered one of the most anticipated sessions at the Internal Medicine Summit 2025: Advancing Through Simulation Learning (IMS 2025), hosted by the Asian Medical Students’ Association (AMSA) Newcastle Chapter at Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia (NUMed).

Renowned for her work at the intersection of neuroscience, education, and healthcare innovation, Prof. Sng’s keynote address captured the attention of students, clinicians, and educators from across Malaysia. Her talk, titled “AI in Healthcare, Neuroscience and Medical Education”, offered a forward-looking perspective on how technology is redefining clinical teaching and patient care.

A central highlight of her presentation was the introduction of the Virtual Integrated Patient (VIP) platform, an AI-powered simulation tool designed to transform bedside learning. Prof. Sng demonstrated how VIP enables learners to engage with complex patient scenarios in a scalable, immersive environment—bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical application. The platform’s ability to mimic real-world variability in patient conditions sparked deep interest among attendees, many of whom noted its potential to revolutionise medical training.

Her insights resonated strongly with the summit’s theme of advancing clinical competence through innovative simulation. Participants praised Prof. Sng’s ability to simplify complex concepts while inspiring them to think critically about the evolving role of AI in future healthcare delivery.

As NUMed continues to champion simulation-based education, Prof. Sng’s thought-provoking session stands out as a catalyst for ongoing exploration at the crossroads of medicine, technology and education.

The Department of Pharmacology congratulates Dr. Eugene Ho Wanxing on receiving the <Asia-Pacific In-house IP Leader of the Year> award at Asia Law Award 2025 held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

This prestigious award recognizes outstanding leadership and excellence in intellectual property management across the region. It celebrates individuals who have demonstrated vision, strategic acumen, and dedication in shaping the IP landscape to support innovation and growth.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Eugene HO for this well-deserved recognition!

For more details: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wanxing-eugene-ho_vietnam-intellectualproperty-patents-activity-7392777310233534465-t5r4/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAM27cQBWJWWAXN-iYEEsltTXmfMxLN6YGU

The biohacking community embraces methods that vary widely. Some focus on very precise tweaks to their diet, sleep and exercise, while others turn to technology, embracing treatments such as red light therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

For Professor Dean Ho, it began with a blood testing kit he bought as a birthday gift to himself in 2021 – a simple tool to track his glucose levels as he practised a daily fast. That small step soon set him on a path to optimise lifestyle interventions, exploring how science and data could improve health, drive change and enhance everything from human performance to ageing.

For more details: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/big-read/biohacking-longevity-supplements-technology-diet-sleep-5434936

In a study that holds significance for individuals with cerebrovascular disease, scientists from the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), have found proteins in the blood that predict future cognitive decline and dementia. The study is the first of its kind in Singapore and involved detailed proteomic profiling of local patients. The findings point to a powerful new method for early diagnosis through blood-based biomarkers combined with clinical assessments.

Led by Professor Christopher Chen, Deputy Chair of the Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme (TRP) at NUS Medicine, this first-of-its-kind study in Singapore analysed more than 1,000 proteins in the blood of a local patient cohort. The study was conducted on 528 patients from memory clinics at the National University Hospital (NUH) and St Luke’s Hospital in Singapore.

The team found that people with dysregulated levels of these proteins were more likely to develop future dementia and cognitive deterioration, even after accounting for age and other health conditions. These proteins are also linked to changes in brain structure, such as shrinkage in brain volume and signs of small vessel disease—early warning signs of dementia. When these biomarkers were combined with clinical risk factors, prognosis of cognitive decline was significantly enhanced, highlighting the potential of integrating blood-based tests with routine clinical assessments for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. The team further validated these findings in a separate group of patients of Caucasian descent, using cerebrospinal fluid—which refers to fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The replicated protein markers remained strong predictors of cognitive decline, suggesting these biomarkers may be reliable across different biological fluids and diverse populations.

Prof Chen said, “The objective of our research was to identify better ways to detect and predict dementia, especially in Southeast Asian populations, who may present with unique risk profiles due to higher rates of co-existing conditions such as cerebrovascular disease.” Prof Chen is also from the Department of Pharmacology at NUS Medicine, and is the Director of the Memory, Ageing and Cognition Centre at the National University Health System (NUHS).

For more details: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/newsletters/issue56/science-of-life/its-in-the-blood-nus-medicine-study-finds-proteins-which-indicate-future-cognitive-decline/