News

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.

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.

Professor Arthur Mark Richards, co-senior author of the paper published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia, said, “One of our findings was the characterisation of a blood protein signature for future cognitive decline. Using advanced proteomic technologies, we profiled over a thousand blood proteins tied to neurodegeneration, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction, which are key contributors to dementia.” Prof Richards is from the Cardiovascular-Metabolic Diseases TRP at NUS Medicine.

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, which are 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.

NUS Medicine News: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/news/nus-medicine-study-finds-key-blood-proteins-which-predict-future-cognitive-decline/
Press Release: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/2025-06-16_Press-release_Plasma-proteomics-and-dementia.pdf
Research Article: https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.14577

Congratulations to Dr. Phyllis GAN Xiu Li on winning the Lilly Medal and Prize in Pharmacology 2025.

Congratulations to faculty members from the Department of Pharmacology featured in the latest Research.com global rankings of best scientists by discipline. These rankings recognise leading experts based on their research performance and contributions to their respective fields.

Notably, Professor Guillermo C. Bazan was ranked 1st in Singapore and 97th globally in Chemistry. Other distinguished faculty members, including A/P Gautam Sethi, Dr. Alan Prem Kumar, Dr. Mitchell Lai Kim Peng, A/P Gavin S. Dawe, Prof. Manjunatha Kini, Dr. Muthu Shanmugam, A/P Edward Manser, A/P Shabbir Moochhala, Prof. Phillip K. Moore, and Prof. Christopher Chen Li-Hsian, were also acknowledged across disciplines such as Medicine, Neuroscience, and Biology & Biochemistry.

These recognitions reflect the department’s commitment to excellence in biomedical research and its impact both locally and internationally.

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

👉 Apply now: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/graduatestudies/education/msc-in-medical-pharmacology/

#Pharmacology #PostgraduateStudies #MedicalScience #DrugDevelopment #GradSchool

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.

Full Article: https://hms.harvard.edu/news/masters-student-empowers-medical-educators-ai-tools

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.

Full article: https://medicine.nus.edu.sg/news/right-patient-right-dose-right-time/