Professor Roger Foo Sik Yin, Director of the Cardiovascular Disease Translational Research Programme and Deputy Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has been appointed the inaugural Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professor in Medicine, from 1 November 2020 to 31 October 2023.

The Professorship is made possible by a gift from Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable & Humanitarian Foundation.

This gift, the first-ever from the Foundation to a tertiary institution in Singapore, will enable NUS Medicine to drive research, education and innovation in the field of endocrinology, particularly in the area of translational research in diabetes. The Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professorship in Medicine will also support research in the use of technologies and genomics to understand individuals’ pre disposition to diabetes and heart disease.

Prof Foo, who is also Assistant Dean (Research) at NUS Medicine, seeks to uncover mechanisms in heart disease, including the heart health of diabetic patients and those who are at significant risk of diabetes.

“I am deeply grateful for this honour. Metabolism exquisitely and critically regulates how the heart functions; I am excited to continue with research that could reveal genetic and epigenetic switches that can be targeted to control metabolism, and uncover ways to prevent and treat heart disease in diabetic and pre-diabetic patients,” he said.

Dean of NUS Medicine, Professor Chong Yap Seng, said, “We are looking forward to deepen research and knowledge, as well as academic exchanges, that could lead to translational breakthroughs in endocrinology that impact healthcare. On behalf of the School, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to the Foundation for their generous support.”

His Excellency Hamad Salem Bin Kardous Al Ameri, Director-General, Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, said, “I am delighted that the Zayed Professorship at the National University of Singapore will be the cornerstone and the beginning of collaborative relationship between the Zayed Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation and the School of Medicine at NUS.”

His Excellency Saeed Ahmed Ghobash, Former Chancellor, United Arab Emirates University, said, “The Zayed Professorship will undoubtedly advance the research between the United Arab Emirates University and the National University of Singapore. Indeed an important collaboration.”

The endowed professorship supported by UAE foundation will help drive research in heart disease and heart health of diabetic patients.