Associate Professor Thai Tran and Assistant Professor Ling Shuo Chien have taken over the role of Education Director and Deputy Education Director (Life Sciences) respectively from 1 January 2022. A/Prof Tran and Dr Ling will also be overseeing graduate student matters in the department.

Associate Professor Chen Zhi Xiong has been appointed as Master-Designate of LightHouse. He will assume the role as master on 1 July 2022.

Research Assistant Professor Karen Crasta Carmelina has been invited as Judging Evaluation Panel Member of Singapore Global Young Scientists Summit 2022 Video Contest.
Summit Weblink

Associate Professor Manoor Prakash Hande has served as a Member of the Expert committee of United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) from 2017 - 2021 which produced the following Annex C report on Biological Mechanisms relevant for the inference of cancer risks from low-dose and low-dose-rate radiation as part of UNSCEAR reports.

Weblink
Document in Publication

Research Associate Professor Jason Lee has been appointed as Director of Heat Resilience and Performance Centre, Co-Lead of Urban Heat Resilience Programme in National University of Singapore, and Member of Global Heat Health Information Network Management Committee.

A new display TV has been installed at MD9 level 1 to showcase upcoming events. Do keep a lookout.

Congratulations to Cheng Man Si on her newborn child. Wishing Man Si and her newborn many years of good health, love, and happiness.

Congratulations to winners of Swee Liew-Wadsworth Research Publication Awards [1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021] - Gold Award

1. Yoon J*, Grinchuk OV*, Kannan S, Ang MJY, Li Z, Tay EXY, Lok KZ, Lee BWL, Chuah YH, Chia K, Tirado Magallanes R, Liu C, Zhao H, Hor JH, Lim JJ, Benoukraf T, Toh TB, Chow EK, Kovalik JP, Ching J, Ng SY, Koh MJ, Liu X, Verma CS, Ong DST.
A chemical biology approach reveals a dependency of glioblastoma on biotin distribution
Science Advances, 2021 Sep 3; 7(36):eabf6033.
*Co-first Authors

2. Wu X, Tay JK, Goh CK, Chan C, Lee YH, Springs SL, Wang Y, Loh KS, Lu TK, Yu H.
Digital CRISPR-based method for the rapid detection and absolute quantification of nucleic acids
Biomaterials, 2021 Jul; 274:120876.

3. Raman D, Tay P, Hirpara JL, Liu D, Pervaiz S.
TRAIL sensitivity of nasopharyngeal cancer cells involves redox dependent upregulation of TMTC2 and its interaction with membrane caspase-3
Redox Biology, 2021 Nov 20; 48:102193.

4. Yee YH, Chong SJF, Kong LR, Goh BC, Pervaiz S.
Sustained IKK? phosphorylation and NF-?B activation by superoxide-induced peroxynitrite-mediated nitrotyrosine modification of B56?3 and PP2A inactivation
Redox Biology, 2021 May; 41:101834.

5. Ho WY, Chang JC, Lim K, Cazenave-Gassiot A, Nguyen AT, Foo JC, Muralidharan S, Viera-Ortiz A, Ong SJM, Hor JH, Agrawal I, Hoon S, Arogundade OA, Rodriguez MJ, Lim SM, Kim SH, Ravits J, Ng SY, Wenk MR, Lee EB, Tucker-Kellogg G, Ling SC.
TDP-43 mediates SREBF2-regulated gene expression required for oligodendrocyte myelination
J Cell Biol, 2021 Sep 6; 220(9):e201910213.

6. Prasad M, Lin JL, Gu Y, Gupta R, Macary P, Schwarz H.
No crossreactivity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibodies with Syncytin-1
Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 2021 Nov; 18(11):2566-2568.

Congratulations to winners of Swee Liew-Wadsworth Research Publication Awards [1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2021] - Silver Award

1. Wong LW, Chong YS, Lin W, Kisiswa L, Sim E, Ibanez CF, Sajikumar S.
Age-related changes in hippocampal-dependent synaptic plasticity and memory mediated by p75 neurotrophin receptor
Aging Cell, 2021 Feb; 20(2):e13305.

2. Navakkode S, Gaunt JR, Pavon MV, Bansal VA, Abraham RP, Chong YS, Ch'ng TH, Sajikumar S.
Sex-specific accelerated decay in time/activity-dependent plasticity and associative memory in an animal model of Alzheimer's disease
Aging Cell, 2021 Dec; 20(12):e13502.

3. Han JLT, Pang KKL, Ang SRX, Sharma M, Sajikumar S.
Inhibition of lysine methyltransferase G9a/GLP reinstates long-term synaptic plasticity and synaptic tagging/capture by facilitating protein synthesis in the hippocampal CA1 area of APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease
Transl Neurodegener. 2021 Jun 29; 10(1):23.

4. Ho WY, Agrawal I, Tyan SH, Sanford E, Chang WT, Lim K, Ong J, Tan BSY, Moe AAK, Yu R, Wong P, Tucker-Kellogg G, Koo E, Chuang KH, Ling SC.
Dysfunction in nonsense-mediated decay, protein homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and brain connectivity in ALS-FUS mice with cognitive deficits
Acta Neuropathol Commun. 2021 Jan 6; 9(1):9.

5. Lee KY, Wong HY, Zeng Q, Le Lin J, Cheng MS, Kuick CH, Chang KTE, Loh AHP, Schwarz H.
Ectopic CD137 expression by rhabdomyosarcoma provides selection advantages but allows immunotherapeutic targeting
OncoImmunology, 2021 Feb 4; 10(1):1877459.

6. Benoy A, Bin Ibrahim MZ, Behnisch T, Sajikumar S.
Metaplastic reinforcement of long-term potentiation in hippocampal area CA2 by cholinergic receptor activation
J Neurosci. 2021 Nov 3; 41(44):9082-9098.

Thank you N Rathnambal, Chong Oi Khuan, Michelle Chan, Nurulhuda Binte Mohamed Nassir, and Lee Suk Yin for your contribution and dedication to Physiology.

Lecturer Ivan Low, Ong Yeong Bing, Chong Pey Rou, Joo Wei Bing and Charmaine Tan have received 2021 Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Digital Education Award (Team). Well Done and Congratulations to the team.

Warm welcome Stella Pang to the Physiology family from 1 January 2022. Stella joined as a Senior Manager overseeing finance and human resources.

Dr Amanda Wong has been appointed as Instructor with effect from 1 January 2022. Dr Wong will be involved in medical education. Warm welcome Dr Wong to the Physiology family.

Dr Wong Lik Wei has been appointed as Instructor with effect from 1 January 2022. Dr Wong will be involved in medical education. Warm welcome Dr Wong to the Physiology family.

Professor Hanry Yu and his research team were featured in Faces of A*STAR for their multidisciplinary and cross border research.
Read Full Article

Research Associate Professor Jason Lee Kai Wei will start a new study to investigate how susceptible construction workers are to heat stress at their worksites and dormitories in April 2022.

For this year's Chinese New Year Celebration, Physiology held Deco-It-Up group decoration competition and Pick-It-Up individual video competition. During a zoom gathering, audience voted for the most creative submission and the winners for Deco-It-Up competition were Prof Hanry Yu's lab, Prof Shazib Pervaiz's lab, Cheryl & Admin Office Staff, and Shu Wen & LTs. Thank you Koh Kang Sheing Phoebe, Nurulhuda Mohd Nassir, Ong Yeong Bing, Tan Shu Yi and Lee Suk Yin Penny for organizing the competitions, zoom gathering, snack distribution and MD9 decorations.

Professor Reshma Taneja, Associate Professor Takaomi Sanda, President's Assistant Professor Sek Tong, Derrick Ong, Assistant Professor Shih-Yin Tsai, and Assistant Professor Shuo-Chien Ling have successfully organized The 4th NUS-CMU Joint Symposium 2022 on 24-25 February 2022. Across a span of two days, a total of 784 participants from 12 countries participated in the webinar. Professor Shazib Pervaiz, Joint Professor Brian Kennedy, Associate Professor Herbert Schwarz, President's Assistant Professor Sek Tong, Derrick Ong, Assistant Professor Shih-Yin Tsai, Assistant Professor Shuo-Chien Ling, Research Assistant Professor Karen Crasta, Joint Assistant Professor Wee Wei Tee, and Adjunct Assistant Professor Shi-Yan Ng delivered talks at this symposium. Special thanks to Tan Shu Yi, Koh Shu Wen, Koh Kang Sheing Phoebe, Nurul Arifah Binte Abdul Latiff, and Hong Jian Hui Cedric for their administrative, logistics and technical support.
Symposium Website

Research Associate Professor Jason Lee Kai Wei participated in launch of SS 681: 2022 Code of Practice for Sport Safety held on 15 March 2022.
Video Recording Link
Media Release

BHLHE40 Regulates the T-Cell Effector Function Required for Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling and Immune Checkpoint-Therapy Efficacy
Avery J Salmon, Alexander S Shavkunov, Qi Miao, Nicholas N Jarjour, Sunita Keshari, Ekaterina Esaulova, Charmelle D Williams, Jeffrey P Ward, Anna M Highsmith, Josue E Pineda, Reshma Taneja, Ken Chen, Brian T Edelson, Matthew M Gubin
Cancer Immunol Res. 2022 Feb 18;canimm.0129.2021. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-21-0129.
Full Text

PI3K/AKT Signaling Tips the Balance of Cytoskeletal Forces for Cancer Progression
Shuo Deng, Hin Chong Leong, Arpita Datta, Vennila Gopal, Alan Prem Kumar and Celestial T. Yap
Cancers 2022, 14(7), 1652. doi: 10.3390/cancers14071652.
Full Text

The use of sun-shade on safe heat exposure limit on a sunny summer day: a modelling study in Japan
Hidenori Otani, Jason K W Lee
Int J Biometeorol. 2022 Jan 18. doi: 10.1007/s00484-021-02232-8.
Abstract

PLK1 inhibition selectively induces apoptosis in ARID1A deficient cells through uncoupling of oxygen consumption from ATP production
Upadhyayula S Srinivas #, Norbert S C Tay #, Patrick Jaynes #, Akshaya Anbuselvan, Gokula K Ramachandran, Joanna D Wardyn, Michal M Hoppe, Phuong Mai Hoang, Yanfen Peng, Sherlly Lim, May Yin Lee, Praveen C Peethala, Omer An, Akshay Shendre, Bryce W Q Tan, Sherlyn Jemimah, Manikandan Lakshmanan, Longyu Hu, Rekha Jakhar, Karishma Sachaphibulkij, Lina H K Lim, Shazib Pervaiz, Karen Crasta, Henry Yang, Patrick Tan, Chao Liang, Lena Ho, Vartika Khanchandani, Dennis Kappei, Wei Peng Yong, David S P Tan, Matteo Bordi, Silvia Campello, Wai Leong Tam, Christian Frezza, Anand D Jeyasekharan
Oncogene. 2022 Mar 2. doi: 10.1038/s41388-022-02219-8.
Abstract

Educational dialogue on public perception of nuclear radiation
Varsha Hande, Karthik Prathaban, M. Prakash Hande
Int J Radiat Biol. 2022;98(2):158-172. doi: 10.1080/09553002.2022.2009147.
Full Text

Alpha-Ketoglutarate dietary supplementation to improve health in humans
Bibek Gyanwali, Zi Xiang Lim, Janjira Soh, Clarissa Lim, Shou Ping Guan, Jorming Goh, Andrea B Maier, Brian K Kennedy
Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2022 Feb;33(2):136-146. doi: 10.1016/j.tem.2021.11.003. Epub 2021 Dec 21.
Full Text

Pharmacological perturbation of CXCL1 signaling alleviates neuropathogenesis in a model of HEVA71 infection
Saravanan Gunaseelan, Mohammed Zacky Ariffin, Sanjay Khanna, Mong How Ooi, David Perera, Justin Jang Hann Chu, John Jia En Chua
Nat Commun. 2022 Feb 16;13(1):890. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-28533-z.
Full Text

EHMT1 promotes tumor progression and maintains stemness by regulating ALDH1A1 expression in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
Alamelu Nachiyappan, Joshua Ling Jun Soon, Huey Jin Lim, Victor Km Lee, Reshma Taneja
J Pathol. 2022 Mar;256(3):349-362. doi: 10.1002/path.5848. Epub 2022 Jan 10.
Full Text

Calcium Channel Splice Variants and Their Effects in Brain and Cardiovascular Function
Sean Qing Zhang Yeow, Kelvin Wei Zhern Loh, Tuck Wah Soong
Adv Exp Med Biol. 2021;1349:67-86. doi: 10.1007/978-981-16-4254-8_5.
Full Text

Targeting the molecular & cellular pillars of human aging with exercise
Jorming Goh, Esther Wong, Janjira Soh, Andrea Britta Maier, Brian Keith Kennedy
FEBS J. 2021 Dec 30. doi: 10.1111/febs.16337. Online ahead of print.
Full Text

Shape-Anisotropic Microembolics Generated by Microfluidic Synthesis for Transarterial Embolization Treatment
Yucheng Luo, Yutao Ma, Zijian Chen, Yanan Gao, Yuping Zhou, Xiaoya Liu, Xuezhe Liu, Xu Gao, Zhihua Li, Chuang Liu, Hwa Liang Leo, Hanry Yu, Qiongyu Guo
Adv Healthc Mater. 2022 Feb 2;e2102281. doi: 10.1002/adhm.202102281. Online ahead of print.
Abstract

Shape memory micro-anchors with magnetic guidance for precision micro-vascular deployment
Zhihua Li, Zijian Chen, Yanan Gao, Yi Xing, Yuping Zhou, Yucheng Luo, Weihong Xu, Zhengchang Chen, Xu Gao, Kapish Gupta, Karthic Anbalakan, Lei Chen, Chuang Liu, Jian Kong, Hwa Liang Leo, Chengzhi Hu, Hanry Yu, Qiongyu Guo
Biomaterials. 2022 Feb 22;283:121426. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121426. Online ahead of print.
Abstract

Modulated TRPC1 Expression Predicts Sensitivity of Breast Cancer to Doxorubicin and Magnetic Field Therapy: Segue Towards a Precision Medicine Approach
Yee Kit Tai, Karen Ka Wing Chan, Charlene Hui Hua Fong, Sharanya Ramanan, Jasmine Lye Yee Yap, Jocelyn Naixin Yin, Yun Sheng Yip, Wei Ren Tan, Angele Pei Fern Koh, Nguan Soon Tan, Ching Wan Chan, Ruby Yun Ju Huang, Jing Ze Li, Jurg Frohlich and Alfredo Franco-Obregon
2022 Jan 24;11:783803. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2021.783803.
Full Text

E2F and STAT3 provide transcriptional synergy for histone variant H2AZ activation to sustain glioblastoma chromatin accessibility and tumorigenicity
Jeehyun Yoon, Oleg V. Grinchuk, Roberto Tirado-Magallanes, Zhen Kai Ngian, Emmy Xue Yun Tay, You Heng Chuah, Bernice Woon Li Lee, Jia Feng, Karen Carmelina Crasta, Chin Tong Ong, Touati Benoukraf & Derrick Sek Tong Ong
Cell Death Differ (2022). doi: 10.1038/s41418-021-00926-5
Full Text

EHMT1/EHMT2 in EMT, cancer stemness and drug resistance: emerging evidence and mechanisms
Alamelu Nachiyappan, Neelima Gupta, Reshma Taneja
FEBS J. 2022 Mar;289(5):1329-1351. doi: 10.1111/febs.16334. Epub 2022 Jan 8.
Full Text

Occupational Periodisation & Heat Stress Management CET
11-13 May 2022
Lecturer: Assoc Prof Jason Lee and Dr Ivan Low

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