Congratulations to Dr. Chandra Sekhar Bhol on receiving an award under special category for his presentation titled “From Gene to Cure: Leveraging PAX9 Against Oral Cancer” at the 31st International Cell Death Society (ICDS) Meeting.
The award was presented by Professor Dhyan Chandra from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, USA, recognizing the significance of Dr. Chandra Bhol’s research contribution.
Thinking of advancing your career in Medical Pharmacology? This is your last opportunity to join our August 2025 intake!
We’ve extended the local application deadline one final time to 20 June 2025 to accommodate final submissions.
✅ Future-focused curriculum with strong industry and academic components
✅ One-year intensive programme or Two-years at your own pace
✅ Aligned with Biotech sector growth in Singapore & Asia-Pacific
On 19th May 2025, Department of Pharmacology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine hosted President Zhai Lixiang and his delegation from Guangdong Pharmaceutical University (GDPU) under an invitation by Head of Department Assoc Prof Gavin Dawe.
Assoc Prof Low Chian Ming (Deputy Head) and Assoc Prof Wang Lingzhi (MSc Admission Lead, China) extended a warm welcome to President Zhai and his team. Understanding from President Zhai that GDPU sets their mission on science-industry-education integration, the meeting involved enthusiastic and constructive discussions. It began by presentations from our department representatives Asst Prof Minh Le (research), Dr. Mitchell Lai and Dr. Mustafa (Huda) (education; SCALE short-term courses and MSc in Medical Pharmacology programme) followed by an introductory video showcasing GDPU vison and mission in education and research.
GDPU team showed strong interests in pursuing collaborations in research and education through faculty and student exchange, especially exploring plausible formats to integrate our MSc in Medical Pharmacology with their undergraduate programmes. The meeting opened exciting opportunities and strong desire to strengthen communication so as to initiate in-depth discussions between both institutions.
The Department of Pharmacology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), recently welcomed a distinguished delegation from Shanghai University (SHU), marking a vibrant exchange of ideas and the start of promising academic synergies. This visit served as a dynamic platform to deepen mutual understanding and spark new collaborative possibilities in medical science, innovation, and education.
The session began with warm welcome remarks by Assoc Prof Gavin Dawe, Head of Pharmacology at NUS Medicine, and Prof Wang Congchun, Vice President of SHU, setting an enthusiastic and collegial tone for the day. An introductory video showcasing SHU’s strengths was followed by compelling research presentations from Prof Fred Wong (NUS Medicine) and Prof Chen Liang (SHU School of Medicine). Dr Nurulhuda Mustafa also introduced our MSc in Medical Pharmacology programme, highlighting its relevance to aspiring researchers and clinicians.
Lively and forward-looking discussions explored a range of potential collaborations, from joint research grants and student exchange programmes to short-term courses for SHU undergraduates and postgraduates.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr Alan Prem Kumar (NUS Medicine) for his instrumental role in coordinating this meaningful dialogue. We look forward to translating these conversations into impactful collaborations that push the boundaries of research and education.”
A/P Judy Sng earned her PhD in neuroscience over two decades ago and has been teaching neuropharmacology at the Department of Pharmacology (NUS) since 2009. A respected leader in faculty development at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, she began developing AI-powered teaching tools in the late 2010s, advancing innovative approaches to medical education.
Recognizing that learning is a lifelong journey, A/P Sng sought to refine these tools, gain deeper insights into how artificial intelligence can transform the learning experience, and update her understanding of contemporary teaching philosophies. This pursuit led her to the Master of Medical Sciences in Medical Education program at Harvard Medical School.
Now, A/P Sng is poised to apply her new expertise by helping to create a master’s program at her home university—equipping educators with cutting-edge strategies and technologies as they prepare future medical professionals to thrive in an ever-evolving health care landscape.
Congratulations to Dr. Alan Prem Kumar on the release of his book Autophagy, Apoptosis, and Ferroptosis in oncology (co-edited with Dr. Kiavash).
Published by World Scientific, this book explores the interconnected roles of autophagy, apoptosis, and ferroptosis in cancer, revealing how tumors exploit these processes for survival. By uncovering their mechanisms and therapeutic potential, it offers a concise, research-driven guide to targeting cell death pathways for innovative and more effective cancer treatments.
One copy will be donated to the Department Library for reference.
While artificial intelligence (AI) has shown promising potential, much of its use has remained theoretical or retrospective. Turning its potential into real-world healthcare outcomes, researchers at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) have successfully utilised an AI platform to make precise recommendations for dose adjustments in 10 patients at the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS) in Singapore.
Led by Professor Dean Ho, Director of the Institute for Digital Medicine (WisDM), NUS Medicine (Joint Professor at Department of Pharmacology), the team tracked the cancer biomarkers, CEA and CA125, of 10 patients in Singapore who were diagnosed with advanced solid tumours, to create personalised ‘digital twins’ for each patient.
By analysing the changes in biomarkers in response to different drug doses, precise recommendations were made to adjust each patient’s treatment plan. Over the period from the first dosing in August 2020 to the last dosing in September 2022, clinicians accepted 97.2 per cent of the recommended doses, with some patients receiving optimal doses that were approximately 20 per cent lower on average. The research trial marks a potential shift towards personalised oncology, where drug doses are dynamically adjusted for each patient during treatment, potentially reducing costs, rather than adhering to a standard, one-size-fits-all treatment regimen.
This approach to patient care is enabled by the CURATE.AI platform—developed by Prof Ho and team—an optimisation platform which harnesses a patient’s clinical data, such as drug type, drug dose and cancer biomarkers, to generate an individualised digital profile to determine a customised optimal dose during chemotherapy treatment.
Ready to lead the charge in pharmacology innovation?
The MSc PHC at NUS Yong Loo Lin School empowers you with mastery in drug development through cutting-edge pharmacology, toxicology, and regulatory sciences.
Flexible options: full-time (1 year) or part-time (2 years).
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗦𝗰 𝗣𝗛𝗖?
• 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Specialise in Clinical Pharmacology, Translational Pharmacology, or Pharmacology Education to align with career aspirations
• 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀-𝗢𝗻𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Combine academic and practical experience for a competitive edge
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Collaborate on projects with mentors from industry, academia, and clinics
Ideal for graduates, professionals, and researchers, prepare for roles like Drug Development Specialist, Pharmacovigilance Professional and Pharmaceuticals Patient Educator.
A study in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, a leading journal in dementia research, has demonstrated the high accuracy of plasma p-tau217 as a blood-based biomarker for detecting abnormal brain beta-amyloid (Aβ) pathology, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). More significantly, the study validates its effectiveness even in individuals with cerebrovascular disease (CeVD), which is highly prevalent in Asian populations. This finding can enhance early diagnosis, improve patient risk stratification, and facilitate better clinical management of AD in diverse populations.
The study was led by Dr Mitchell Lai, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), in collaboration with local and international experts from the National University Health System (NUHS), University of Gothenburg, Institute of Neurology at University College London, and Banner Sun Health Research Institute.
While blood biomarkers like p-tau217 have been extensively studied in Western populations—where CeVD is less common—this study uniquely focuses on a Singapore-based cohort, reflective of broader Asian demographics with a high CeVD burden. The results confirm that higher plasma p-tau217 levels correlate with faster cognitive decline, reinforcing its role not just as a diagnostic tool but also as a potential predictor of disease progression.
Potential clinical applications include:
Earlier and more precise detection: Plasma p-tau217 provides a highly sensitive and specific method for identifying Alzheimer’s pathology before severe cognitive decline occurs, potentially enabling earlier intervention and monitoring.
A simpler, minimally invasive diagnostic tool: Unlike costly and invasive positron emission tomography (PET) scans and cerebrospinal fluid tests, a blood-based biomarker could be easily integrated into routine clinical practice, making Alzheimer’s screening more accessible and scalable.
Patient risk stratification for optimised, personalised care: Adding plasma p-tau217 to routine clinical assessments allows doctors to efficiently categorise individuals into low, intermediate, and high-risk groups for Aβ pathology, enabling tailored follow-up strategies and potential early therapeutic interventions for patients.
Professor Christopher Chen, Director of the Memory, Ageing and Cognition Centre at NUHS and co-author of the study, said “This study provides strong evidence that plasma p-tau217 could be a game-changer for early detection of AD brain changes in Asian populations with high CeVD burden. A blood-based biomarker like p-tau217 brings us closer to a more accessible approach to diagnosing and managing AD in Singapore and beyond”.
Dr Joyce Chong, a Research Fellow with the Department of Pharmacology, NUS Medicine, and first author of the study, added “Although blood biomarkers are not expected to replace the current gold standard in clinical measures such as amyloid PET, their greatest value may lie in providing a cost-effective, minimally-invasive screening and risk-stratification tool to help reduce the proportion of individuals requiring confirmatory PET scans.”
Looking forward, the team hopes to expand the study both in the length of follow-up, as well as the diversity of investigated biomarkers. Dr Lai said, “There is increasing awareness that dementia is a chronic condition arising from complex, interacting processes, especially in our population where CeVD is likely to be an important contributor to the cognitive impairments associated with AD. Our long-term goal is to be able to produce a panel of multi-modal, clinically useful biomarkers which can both suggest novel therapeutic targets as well as help in the diagnosis and prognosis of this debilitating condition.”
The field of pharmacology is on the brink of incredible breakthroughs—gene and cell therapies, RNA-based treatments, and next-generation biologics are reshaping healthcare, opening doors to treat diseases once deemed untreatable. Be a part of this groundbreaking revolution and drive the future of medicine!
🎓 Join our MSc in Medical Pharmacology at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine:
Gain cutting-edge expertise in drug discovery, development, clinical translation, and pharmacology education.
🗓 Join us for our last Virtual Info Session on 24 April 2025 from 7pm to 8pm (UTC+8):
Insightful Sharing Session: Dive into our comprehensive curriculum and hands-on project opportunities.
Meet the Experts: Connect with our esteemed faculty and industry partners.
Live Q&A Session: Get answers to all your questions on admissions, coursework, and career prospects!
🌍 Special Offers:
International Students: Enjoy a 7% Early Bird Discount for the first 30 successful applicants.
Singaporeans and PR: Take advantage of a 40% rebate.
NUS Alumni: Benefit from a 20% rebate.
Elevate your career and make a transformative impact in healthcare!
