Neuroscience expert shares insight on Alzheimer's disease
Published: 17 Jul 2012
At the NUS public lecture titled “Why is it so hard to develop effective treatments for Alzheimer’s disease?” on 26 July, Professor Edward Koo, Professor of Neuroscience from the University of California, San Diego observed: “The decline in cognitive ability is evident with increasing age. However, this is an exception to Dr Oon Chiew Seng, Class of 1948, who is still remarkably active today.”
The audience applauded Prof Koo’s remark on Dr Oon, who contributed to the Oon Chiew Seng Distinguished Visitor Programme that brought him here. The programme was established through a generous donation by Dr Oon, a retired gynaecologist who at the age of 95 is still actively raising awareness of dementia in Singapore. She initiated the groundwork for the first nursing home for dementia patients in 1995.
Dr Oon wished that her gift to the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine) can be used to bring worldrenowned experts here to share their knowledge through lectures with the academic community and members of the public. Other distinguished visitors expected to come under this programme are Professor John O’Keefe, a leading cognitive neuroscientist from the University College London, and Professor Ricardo Uauy, an expert in public health nutrition from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
At the inaugural public lecture, Prof Koo spoke about the difficulty of discovering drugs for Alzheimer’s disease and the recipe for effective treatment of this complex disease. The audience included NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, Dean of NUS Medicine, Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan, Dr Oon and her nephew, Dr Oon Chong Hau. Other attendees comprised students and staff from hospitals and healthcare-related organisations.
Prof Koo also delivered a scientific lecture on 25 July that explored neuroscience research.
Click here to view the webcast for the Lunchtime Scientific Lecture on 25 July 2012.
Click here to view the webcast for the Public Lecture on 26 July 2012.
(First row, left to right) Prof Tan Chorh Chuan, A/Prof Yeoh Khay Guan, Dr Oon Chiew Seng, Dr Oon Chong Hau and Prof John Eu-Li Wong listening to Prof Koo’s elaboration of the difficulty in discovering drugs against Alzheimer’s disease
Dr Oon Chiew Seng (left) and Dr Oon Chong Hau (right) presenting a token of appreciation, a mini size Hippocratic Oath, to Prof Koo at the public lecture
