Congratulations to the new Department Heads!
Published: 01 Apr 2022
Associate Professor Yew Wen Shan and Associate Professor Yip Wai Cheong, George have been appointed Head of Biochemistry and Head of Anatomy respectively at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS) with effect from 1 April 2022.
Assoc Prof Yew Wen Shan is Deputy Director and Research Director of the NUS Medicine Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme (SynBio TRP), Deputy Director of the NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), and Director of the HH@NUS SINERGY Joint Laboratory. He is also the President of the Singapore Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a Council Member of the Singapore National Academy of Science and the Society for Synthetic Biology Singapore.
An NUS Biochemistry alumnus, Assoc Prof Yew obtained his PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His passion for teaching has been recognised with the University Annual Teaching Excellence Awards (AY2011/2012 and AY2015/2016), Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards (AY2011/2012 and AY2015/2016), and the NUS Medicine Educator of the Year Award (AY2015/2016). A synthetic enzymologist, Assoc Prof Yew is passionate about improving Human Health outcomes and contributing towards Planetary Health. In particular, his research is focused on the use of structural and mechanistic enzymological knowledge for protein engineering, biocatalysis, biotransformation, therapeutic development and urban sustainability, and is closely aligned with industrial needs and green solutions. He is leading Singapore’s Synthetic Cannabinoid Biology research under the National Research Foundation’s Synthetic Biology Research and Development Programme.
We would like to thank Prof Markus Rene Wenk for his dedicated leadership of the Department of Biochemistry from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2022.
Assoc Prof George Yip has a strong passion for medical education and has received several teaching and mentoring awards in recognition of his contributions and achievements. His research focuses on the biological significance of proteoglycans in breast cancer and other cancer types. The work is currently funded by a National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Clinician Scientist Award. He joined the Department of Anatomy in 1996, chaired the departmental safety and various other committees for several years before taking on additional responsibilities as Deputy Head in 2020. Assoc Prof Yip has also served as Assistant Dean (Research) and Deputy Director of the NUHS Research Office.
We would like to thank Assoc Prof Shaikali Thameem Dheen for his dedicated leadership of the Department of Anatomy from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2022.
Please join us in congratulating the two new Heads on their new appointments. We look forward to their leadership in taking the Departments of Biochemistry and Anatomy forward and onward.
