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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/

Congratulations to our colleagues (Loi Choo, Faye and Evelyn) at Department of Pharmacology for winning 3rd Place at Public Service 9-pin Tap Bowling Tournament 2025!

Their dedication, teamwork and sporting spirit have brought pride to the department and NUS community.

 

 

The research team from NUS Medicine’s Dept of Pharmacology, from L to R: Dr Lam Hiu Yan, Mr Donavan Tan, and Asst Prof Alan Prem Kumar.

Researchers from NUS Medicine have published a landmark review on BH3 mimetics—a new class of drugs that are reshaping the treatment landscape for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), one of the most aggressive and treatment-resistant blood cancers.

AML has long challenged clinicians because leukaemia cells evade cell death by overexpressing proteins from the BCL-2 family. In healthy cells, they have a built-in self-destruct programme called apoptosis, which is controlled by a family of proteins called BCL-2 proteins. AML survives through suppressing apoptosis, enabling malignant cells to resist standard chemotherapy. BH3 mimetics are small-molecule inhibitors that directly target these pro-survival proteins, restoring the balance of the apoptotic pathway and allowing cancer cells to die.

The most successful of these drugs to date is venetoclax, a highly selective BCL-2 inhibitor. Clinical trials have shown that when combined with standard-of-care therapies such as hypomethylating agents (HMAs) or low-dose cytarabine (LDAC), venetoclax achieves significantly better remission and survival outcomes. These combinations are already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for newly diagnosed AML patients aged 75 and older, or those deemed unfit for intensive chemotherapy.

Assistant Professor Alan Prem Kumar from the Department of Pharmacology, and NUS Centre for Cancer Research at NUS Medicine, who co-led the study with Assistant Professor Courtney DiNardo, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA, said, “Venetoclax has transformed the treatment landscape for AML. For the first time, patients who were previously considered too frail for intensive chemotherapy have access to a treatment that significantly improves their chances of remission and survival.”

The team’s findings, published in Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical impact of BH3 mimetics and chart future directions for optimising their use. To reach their conclusions, the research team conducted an extensive review of over 1,000 peer-reviewed articles, evaluating 236 high-quality publications. The analysis examined mechanisms of drug resistance, the therapeutic impact of BH3 mimetics, advances in profiling techniques, and the development of next-generation treatment strategies.

The review highlights several important findings about BH3 mimetics and their role in treating acute myeloid leukaemia. These drugs demonstrate potent anti-cancer activity, effectively inhibiting pro-survival BCL-2 proteins and proving capable of eradicating even non-dividing leukaemia cells with complex mutations.

Clinically, venetoclax has already transformed therapy, particularly for older or unfit patients who were once considered too frail for intensive chemotherapy. Its success has also spurred the development of multiple new drug combinations designed to improve outcomes further. However, venetoclax is not a cure-all. Many patients relapse as cancer cells switch their survival dependence to other proteins such as MCL-1 or BCL-xL, or develop mutations in genes such as TP53, KRAS, and FLT3.

“Cancer cells are highly adaptable, and resistance to therapy remains the biggest hurdle in AML treatment,” explained Donavan Jia Jie Tan, first-year medical student at NUS Medicine and a co-author of the study. “By targeting multiple pathways simultaneously—through new drugs, combination regimens, or advanced drug delivery systems—we can close off escape routes and improve the durability of treatment responses.”

“Tools such as BH3 and mitochondrial profiling are now paving the way for treatment strategies tailored to each patient’s cancer biology, allowing clinicians to predict responses and refine care on an individual basis” said Dr Lam Hiu Yan, research fellow with Dr Kumar’s group and another co-author in the study. “This information can help clinicians predict whether venetoclax will be effective or whether alternative BH3 mimetics targeting MCL-1 or BCL-xL should be used”.

“The future of AML treatment lies in personalisation,” said Asst Prof Kumar. “Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, we can now tailor therapy to each patient’s biology, improving effectiveness and reducing unnecessary toxicity.”

Professor Chng Wee Joo, Yong Loo Lin Professor in Medical Oncology, NUS Medicine, and Senior Consultant at the Division of Haematology, Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore, who is not involved in the study, added, “We are now able to offer AML patients, especially older adults and those with other medical conditions, a therapy that is both tolerable and effective. The improvements in remission and survival we are seeing would have been unthinkable just a decade ago. The next step is to refine these treatments further, making them more precise and accessible for patients worldwide. With ongoing research, we hope to turn what was once a rapidly fatal disease into a more manageable, chronic condition.” Prof Chng is also Vice President (Biomedical Sciences Research), Office of the Deputy President (Research and Technology), NUS, and Senior Principle Investigator, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, NUS.

Ongoing clinical trials are exploring venetoclax in combination with novel agents such as FLT3 inhibitors and CD47-targeting drugs, with the potential to extend benefits to more patient groups. Other BH3 mimetics targeting MCL-1 and BCL-xL are also under investigation, supported by technological advances in drug design.

View the press release here.

To strengthen MSc students’ understanding of LC-MS/MS applications in drug analysis and pharmacokinetics, the Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), jointly organized a hands-on workshop with SCIEX.

In his opening remarks, Associate Professor Gavin Dawe emphasized that such initiatives aim to enhance students’ competitiveness for PhD studies and careers in the pharmaceutical industry.

The workshop featured speakers from both academia and industry, including Mr. See Chung Yip (SCIEX), Dr. Ziteng Wang, and Associate Professor Lingzhi Wang. Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with most rating the experience as “Very satisfied” or “Extremely satisfied.” Students appreciated the clear guidance and practical components, while also suggesting improvements such as more beginner-friendly content and enhanced visibility during demonstrations.

Building on the success of this workshop, the Department of Pharmacology plans to expand Capstone project opportunities to further enrich the MSc (Medical Pharmacology) programme.