Faculty Staff

Yaw-Chyn Lim

PhD
Assistant Professor
Principal Investigator
Department of Physiology, NUS

Tel: +65 6772 4309
Email:

Clinical Interest / Subspecialty

• Tumour metastasis and tumour microenvironment
• Inflammation and immunomodulation
• Lymphomas

Education

• 1988 – Dip in Medical Laboratory Technology, National University of Malaysia, Malaysia
• 1992 – MSc in Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, UK
• 1995 PhD in Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, UK

Professional / Clinical experience

• Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore (2003 – present)
• Research Fellow in Pathology (1996-2001), Instructor in Pathology (2001-2003), Harvrad Medical School, Boston MA, USA
• Research Fellow (1996-2000), Research Associate (2000-2003), Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
• Part-time Lecturer in Biomedical Sciences, University of Bradford, UK (1995-1996)

My research interests are focussed on cell-cell interactions, with particular emphasis on interactions with the endothelium. Far from being an inert physical barrier, the endothelium plays a vital role in many physiological processes. Endothelial dysfunction has been associated with a variety of diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, systemic lupus erythematosus and other inflammatory diseases. I believe that an insight into how resident/stromal cells in the tissue modulate endothelial cell functions (or dysfunction) via soluble mediators or cell contact signals will help further our understanding of the pathophysiology of many diseases.

Most of my research projects are focussed on the functions of the endothelium and the microenvironment that modulates this function. We are currently focussed on the mechanisms underlying the recruitment of (1) malignant cells to sites of metastasis; (2) T cells into lesional lymph nodes in Hodgkin's Lymphoma; (3) mesenchymal stem cell to sites of tissue injury. A fourth area of research interest is the use of nanoparticles to target dendritic cells and T cells to tumor sites.

1. Lee KY, Seow E, Zhang Y, Lim Y-C (2013) Targeting CCL-21-folic acid-upconversion nanoparticles conjugates to folate receptor-α expressing tumour cells in an endothelial-tumor cell bilayer model. Biomaterials, 34(20): 4860-4871.
2. Zhuo J, Tan EH, Yan B, Lalchhandami T, Manikandan J, Koh S, Tay HK, Maciver SK, Hooi SC, Salto-Tellez M, Kumar AP, Goh YC, Lim Y-C, Yap SMT (2012) Gelsolin induces colorectal tumor cell invasion via modulation of the urokinase plasminogen activator cascade. PLoS One 7(8): e43594. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0043594.
3. Thamboo TP, Soong R, Wong L, Baidah BA, Lim Y-C, Teh M (2011) Determination of a molecular signature of acute T-cell mediated renal allograft rejection using quantitative real-time RT-PCR of 45 genes on a low density array. Pathology 43(1): 72-75.
4. Tan J, Lee PL, Li Z, Jiang X, Lim Y-C, Hooi SC, Yu Q (2010) B55β-associated PP2A complex controls PDK-1-directed myc signaling and modulates rapamycin sensitivity in colorectal cancer. Cancer Cell 18(5): 459-471.
5. Tay PN, Tan P, Lan Y, Leung HWC, Laban M, Tan TC, Manikandan J, Bin Abdul Rashid S, Yan B, Yap SMT, Lim LHK, Lim Y-C, Hooi SC (2010) Palladin, an actin-associated protein, is required for adherens junction formation and intracellular adhesion of HCT116 colorectal cancer cells. International Journal of Oncology 37(4): 909-926.
6. Tan KS, Chen Y, Lim Y-C, Tan GYG, Liu Y, Lim YT, MacAry PA, Gan YH (2010) Suppression of host innate immune response by Burholderia pseudomallei through the virulent factor TssM. Journal of Immunology 184(9): 5160-5171.
7. Matthew S, Lim Y-C, Kishen A (2010) Immunogenic potential of Enterococcus faecalis biofilm under simulated growth conditions. Journal of Endodontics 36(5): 832-836.
8. Quek BZ, Lin JH, LIM Y-C, Tan TE, Chan KYJ, Biswas A, Schwarz H (2010) CD137 enhances monocyte-ICAM-1 interactions in an E-selectin dependent manner under flow conditions. Molecular Immunology 47(9): 1839-1847.
9. Alcaide P, Lim Y-C, Luscinskas FW, Fresno M (2010) Mucin AgC10 from Trypanosoma cruzi interferes with L-selectin-mediated monocyte adhesion. Infection and Immunity 78(3): 1260-1268.

Research Assistant:

1. Dulani Chandima Wimalachandra

Graduate Students:

1. Fhu Chee Wai
2. Low Pin Yan
3. Joan Yang (co-supervise)

Honours Year Students:

1. Cassandra Leow
2. Ong Yujing
3. Lee Pei Hoon
4. Gurshireen Kaur Gill (co-supervise)