Appointment(s)
Lien Ying Chow Professor in Medicine Dean
Dean, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine)
Deputy Chief Executive (Education & Research), National University Health System
Biography
Professor Chong Yap Seng, a renowned gynaecologist and obstetrician, maternal health expert, and early childhood researcher, is the Dean of NUS Medicine, Singapore’s first institute of higher learning and one of the leading medical schools in Asia. Since Professor Chong assumed the role of Dean in 2019, NUS Medicine has risen to rank 16th on the 2024 Times Higher Education World University rankings and 18th on the 2024 QS World University Rankings for Medicine.
In his recently appointed role as Deputy Chief Executive (Education and Research) of the National University Health System (NUHS), Professor Chong will be furthering NUHS’ academic mission and augmenting the Academic Health System through his oversight of the academic and research development at all NUHS institutions.
As the former Executive Director (2015-2021) and now the Chief Clinical Officer at the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Professor Chong oversees clinical programmes that seek to promote health and human capacity in Singapore and the world. These programmes include the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) and the Singapore Preconception Study of long-Term maternal and child Outcomes (S-PRESTO) longitudinal studies that examine how conditions in pregnancy and early childhood influence the health and development of women and children.
In addition to his special research interest in the developmental origins of health and disease, Professor Chong has co-authored more than 500 research publications in top journals including The Lancet, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and the British Medical Journal (BMJ). He received the National Outstanding Clinician Scientist Award from Singapore’s Ministry of Health in 2017 for his research efforts in early human development and nutrition, and was recently conferred the Public Administration Medal (Sliver) at the 2022 Singapore National Day Awards.
In recent years, Professor Chong, has dedicated efforts to developing national strategies to advance child and maternal health and well-being, promoting healthy living for families, and improving health resources equity in Singapore.
Professor Chong continues to care for mothers and babies in his role as a Senior Consultant in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the National University Hospital (NUH) under the NUHS. As a dedicated gynaecologist and obstetrician, he still looks forward to welcoming newborn babies into the world.
Prevalence and incidence of postpartum depression among healthy mothers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Sep 2018 JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH104:235-248 (14 pages) PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Co-authors: Shorey S, Chee CYI, Ng ED, Chan YH, Tam WWS, Chong YS
Prenatal maternal depression alters amygdala functional connectivity in 6-month-old infants
17 Feb 2015 TRANSLATIONAL PSYCHIATRY5:7 pages
NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
Co-authors: Qiu A, Anh TT, Li Y, Chen H, Rifkin-Graboi A, Broekman BFP, Kwek K, Saw S-M, Chong Y-S, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Meaney M
Cohort Profile: Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) birth cohort study
Oct 2014 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY43(5):1401-1409 (9 pages) OXFORD UNIV PRESS
Co-authors: Soh S-E, Tint MT, Gluckman PD, Godfrey KM, Rifkin-Graboi A, Chan YH, Stuenkel W, Holbrook JD, Kwek K, Chong Y-S, Saw SM
The effect of genotype and in utero environment on interindividual variation in neonate DNA methylomes
Jul 2014 GENOME RESEARCH24(7):1064-1074 (11 pages) COLD SPRING HARBOR LAB PRESS, PUBLICATIONS DEPT
Co-authors: Ai LT, Pan H, Chen L, Ong M-L, Dogra S, Wong J, MacIsaac JL, Mah SM, McEwen LM, Saw S-M, Godfrey KM, Chong Y-S, Kwek K, Kwoh C-K, Soh S-E, Chong MFF, Barton S, Karnani N, Cheong CY, Buschdorf JP, Stunkel W, Kobor MS, Meaney MJ, Gluckman PD, Holbrook JD
Prenatal Maternal Depression Associates with Microstructure of Right Amygdala in Neonates at Birth
1 Dec 2013 BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY74(11):837-844 (8 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Co-authors: Rifkin-Graboi A, Bai J, Chen H, Hameed WB, Sim LW, Tint MT, Leutscher-Broekman B, Chong Y-S, Gluckman PD, Fortier MV, Meaney MJ, Qiu A
Safer childbirth: avoiding medical interventions for non-medical reasons
6 Feb 2010 LANCET375(9713):440-442 (3 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Co-authorsChong Y-S, Kwek KYC
Carbetocin versus syntometrine for the third stage of labour following vaginal delivery-a double-blind randomised controlled trial
Oct 2009 BJOG-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY116(11):1461-1466 (6 pages) WILEY
Co-authors: Su LL, Rauff M, Chan YH, Suphan NM, Lau TP, Biswas A, Chong YS
Antenatal education and postnatal support strategies for improving rates of exclusive breast feeding: randomised controlled trial
22 Sep 2007BMJ-BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL335(7620):596-599 (6 pages) BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP
Co-authors: Su L-L, Chong Y-S, Chan Y-H, Chan Y-S, Fok D, Tun K-T, Ng FSP, Rauff M
Identification of nestin-positive putative mammary stem cells in human breastmilk
Jul 2007 CELL AND TISSUE RESEARCH329(1):129-136 (8 pages) SPRINGER
Co-authors: Cregan MD, Fan Y, Appelbee A, Brown ML, Klopcic B, Koppen J, Mitoulas LR, Piper KME, Choolani MA, Chong Y-S, Hartmann PE
Simple antenatal preparation to improve breastfeeding practice - A randomized controlled trial
Jan 2007 Conference of the NATO-Advanced-Study-Institute on Optimising Detectors, Imaging and Computing Technologies form Nuclear Physics in General and Security Applications OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY109(1):73-80 (8 pages) LIPPINCOTT WILLIAMS & WILKINS
Co-authors: Mattar CN, Chong Y-S, Chan Y-S, Chew A, Tan P, Chan Y-H, Rauff MH-J
Misoprostol for preventing PPH: some lessons learned
7 Oct 2006LANCET368(9543):1216-1218 (3 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Co-authors:Chong Y-S, Su L-L
Association between breastfeeding and likelihood of myopia in children
22 Jun 2005 JAMA-JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION293(24):3001-3002 (2 pages) AMER MEDICAL ASSOC
Co-authors: Chong YS, Liang Y, Tan D, Gazzard G, Stone RA, Saw SM
Dynamics of Infant Gut Microbiota Are Influenced by Delivery Mode and Gestational Duration and Are Associated with Subsequent Adiposity
MBIO6(1):9 pages AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
Co-authors: Dogra S, Sakwinska O, Soh S-E, Ngom-Bru C, Brueck WM, Berger B, Bruessow H, Lee YS, Yap F, Chong Y-S, Godfrey KM, Holbrook JD
Low birthweight and subsequent obesity in Japan
LANCET369 (9567):1081-1082 (2 pages) ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC
Co-authors: Gluckman PD, Chong YS, Fukuoka H, Beedle AS, Hanson MA
