Our Leadership
Director
Director
Dr Koh is Professor in Healthy Longevity Translational Research Programme at Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUSMed), and Joint-Professor at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health at the National University of Singapore. She is also Senior Principal Investigator, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore. She received her MBBS (Honours) from NUS, her PhD in immunology from the University of Sydney, Australia, and postdoctoral training in epidemiology from the University of Southern California in USA.
Being a population health scientist, Prof Koh’s research is in unravelling the epidemiology of chronic diseases of importance to Singapore, such as cancer, cardio-metabolic, musculoskeletal and neurodegenerative diseases. Beyond establishing associations between exposures and risk of disease, her research uses molecular and genetic tools to identify modifiable factors that could be applicable to disease prevention, or biomarkers that could be developed for early detection or screening of disease.
Prof Koh is the Principal Investigator of the Singapore Chinese Health Study, a 63,257-strong cohort of middle-aged and elderly Chinese Singaporeans established for the long-term study of dietary and environmental determinants of chronic diseases among Singaporeans. She has co-authored over 450 scientific papers on diet, lifestyle and genes in relation to risk of diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, gout, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and ageing outcomes. She has received over $34 million dollars in research funding from NIH (USA), NMRC and NUS, and is a recipient of the Ministry of Health NMRC Clinician Scientist Award (Senior Investigator) (2020-2025).
In her role as Assistant Dean (Faculty Development) and Founding Director for the NUSMed Clinician-Scientist Development Unit, she mentors budding clinician-scientists and provides career guidance for each of them. For her contribution to education and research in NUS, she received the National Day Public Administration Medal (Bronze) in 2019. She is also a recipient of The Nature Awards for Mentoring in Science in Singapore (2023) in recognition for her commitment and achievement in mentoring clinician-scientists and scientists in the early stages of their careers.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8zIAmXEAAAAJ&hl=en
Deputy Director
Deputy Director
Dr Raghav Sundar, is a clinician-scientist specializing in gastrointestinal oncology. He holds the position of Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore and serves as Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist and Research Director at the Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore.
With a focus on treating patients with gastrointestinal malignancies, encompassing gastroesophageal, hepatobiliary, and colorectal cancers, Dr Raghav brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his practice. As a translational clinician-scientist, Dr Raghav fosters collaborative partnerships with laboratory scientists, bioinformaticians, engineers, and industry stakeholders, bridging the gap between bench and bedside. His prolific contributions to the field are underscored by the publication of over 100 manuscripts in top journals, including The Lancet, Cancer Discovery, Journal of Clinical Oncology, British Medical Journal, JAMA Oncology, and Gut.
Deputy Director
Deputy Director
Dr Sia Ching Hui is a Consultant Cardiologist in the Department of Cardiology at the National University Heart Centre, Singapore. Concurrently, he holds an academic appointment as a Junior Academic Fellow in the Department of Medicine at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. His clinical and research interests converge on the innovative utilization of multi-modality cardiac imaging to elucidate disease mechanisms, facilitate accurate diagnosis, predict outcomes, and guide optimal patient management.
He also has an interest in Cardio-Neurology and cardiomyopathies. He is currently supported by the National Medical Research Council Transition Award. He has published over 240 papers in peer-reviewed journals. He serves on the executive committee of the Cardiovascular Disease National Collaborative Enterprise (CADENCE), being the lead of an artificial intelligence-powered echocardiographic solution for the detection of cardiotoxicity.
Programme supported by the deputy directors of Clinician-Scientist Development Unit
1.Dean’s Research Development Award (DRDA)
The Dean’s Research Development Award (DRDA) recognizes candidates with promising research trajectories and signifies the school’s commitment to supporting their future success as clinician scientists. Each awardee receives funding and personalized mentorship with CSDU for a duration of three years. This type of mentorship goes beyond generic advice and instead focuses on understanding the mentee’s specific circumstances and challenges, offering personalized strategies, feedback, and resources to help them succeed in their personal and professional endeavors. On top of that, awardees will be provided with NUS e-mail access, library privileges, and software licenses to support their professional growth. Since 2021, there are 14 Dean’s Fellows who have benefitted from this program. The application period for the DRDA occurs annually in October and is open to final year medical students.
2. NUS Medicine Student Research Mentorship Program (SRMP)
The NUS Medicine Student Research Mentorship Program (SRMP) is tailored for eligible second to fourth-year medical students. It aims to identify and support talented individuals showcasing research aptitude. Through SRMP, students receive mentorship opportunities to engage in innovative research alongside NUHS faculty, seamlessly integrated into the NUHS research program. Highly qualified candidates who are shortlisted will have the opportunity to present their project and request funding in a competitive “Dragon’s Den” style format before a panel of judges.
3. Undergraduate Medical Student Conference Travel Award (CTA)
Established for outstanding undergraduate students who receive invitations to present oral presentations at competitive and prestigious conferences overseas. The award offers funding of up to a maximum of S$5,000 per student and is available only once during their five-year enrollment period.
