Professor Yong Eu Leong

Yong Eu Leong FRCOG, PhD is a Tenured Professor, Senior Consultant, and former Head (2008-2019), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, National University of Singapore & National University Hospital. His subspecialty interests are reproductive endocrinology, polycystic ovarian syndrome, menopausal osteoporosis and ageing.

In 1985, Prof Yong joined NUH as one of the 4 pioneer O&G trainees and obtained his Membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of the United Kingdom (MRCOG) in 1987 and subsequently FRCOG in 2015. In 1989, he won and completed a NFDP Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh. He obtained his Subspecialty Certification in Reproductive Medicine from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (UK) in 1992. On returning to Singapore, he completed his PhD in the field of human granulosa cell biology in 1993. Prof Yong was appointed Senior Consultant in 1996, and NUS Full Professor in 2004. He embodies the Dept mission “… to serve, to inspire, to innovate”

Serving patients one at a time, his leadership has transformed NUH to be the preferred choice for women’s health care in Singapore. Patient volume has grown exponentially every year culminating in a doubling of the number of deliveries from 2,500 to almost 5,000 a year in 2018. Value-Driven Outcome Analysis for hysterectomies and caesarean sections has consistently shown that NUH O&G delivers best clinical quality with the lowest cost.

Increased patient volume has elevated the education mission. NUH is in the top tier for medical undergraduate training. Department has also attracted the most talented residents to O&G. The first batch of residents are now successful Associate Consultants, contributing greatly to NUHS mission.

Prof Yong is one of the first clinician scientists in Singapore with publications in high impact journals such as Lancet, Nature, Science, PNAS, EMBO and JAMA open. He has a total 7621 citations and H-index of 44 (Google scholar accessed 21 Feb 2020). His research has been supported by the wining of continuous NMRC grants since the first one in 1993, for “RNA splicing and human androgen receptor gene mutations”. This grant resulted in a paper titled: “Long Polyglutamine Tracts in the Androgen Receptor Are Associated with Reduced Trans-Activation, Impaired Sperm Production, and Male Infertility” that has been cited 595 times. For this work, he was awarded a Ministerial Citation for outstanding contribution to research on the genetics of human fertility by the National Science and Technology Board in 1999. Since 2005, he has obtained continuous salary support as Clinical Scientist from NMRC. Currently he is into his third Clinician Scientist Award (Senior Investigator) which will provide salary support till 2022.

Over a 30-year scientific career he was the main supervisor and ensured the successful graduation of 13 PhDs from NUS. Together with his research team, he has mentored a group of award-winning clinician scientists focused on women’s health. In recent years since 2014, he has pioneered the Integrated Women’s Health Programme (IWHP) dedicated to identify key health issues and pioneer innovative interventions for the mid-life woman. Publications from program illuminates issues of midlife women including osteoporosis, depression, anxiety, urinary incontinence, sleep, circadian rhythms, joint pain, insulin resistance and hypertension. These studies have garnered international attention at international meetings on menopause and osteoporosis. His work on depression anxiety was featured in a Reuters report in 19 June 2019. As part of World osteoporosis day in October 2019, his paper on Hip fractures in Singapore in the 21st century received significant press coverage in the Straits Times, CNA and radio adding to public appreciation of the condition and the impact of NUS research to health of Singaporeans.

He is currently Principal Investigator in two randomized control trials: The Smart Phone APP to restore Optimum Weight in women with GDM (SPAROW); and a phase 2 Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to examine the effectiveness of Epimedium, a Traditional Chinese Medicinal drug, for post-menopausal osteoporosis.