Biochemistry Buzz Volume: 12 Issue: July 2011

Volume 12
July 2011 | Biochem Buzz From New Acting HoD Message
Dear Colleagues, As you are probably aware, I started my term as the Acting HoD on 1 July 2011. Having spent more than 20 years of my professional life in NUS, most of it in this Department, it is truly a special honour. I feel most humbled and privileged to be chosen to fill in the shoes of my illustrious predecessors such as Professors Fu Xin‐
Yuan, Barry Halliwell, Sit Kim Ping and others before them, whom have so ably steered the Department and made it what it is today since its formation nearly 85 years ago. The Department's mission is to “Enhance the international stature of National University of Singapore (NUS) and Singapore through excellence in research, teaching and scholarship in Biochemistry, cell and molecular biology”. The main commitment is to excel in research, teaching and training of undergraduate and postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows in Biomedical Science. Biochemistry is a vibrant field of study that exists as an interface of Biology and Chemistry in the effort to understand the molecular basis of life. Today, Biochemistry serves as the dynamic interface for various fields in Life Sciences and Biological Sciences in the 21st Century. Currently, the Department has 29 primary faculties, 7 honorary joint faculties, 32 adjunct faculties and about 143 postgraduate students. At the undergraduate level, staff in the Department play an important role in the teaching of Medicine, Dental and Life Sciences modules as well as Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROPs). The Department of Biochemistry is committed to support and infuse in our students a life‐long affection for learning, the enthusiasm of discovery and a deep sense of curiosity about functions of life. In research, we work towards being a leading Biochemistry Department in the world, where we continuously contribute significantly to the advancement of scientific and medical knowledge. Together hand in hand, let us make the Department of Biochemistry a centre of excellence for all our staff & students. Associate Professor TAN Tin Wee Acting Head of Department Contents Congratulations! 1 Post Graduates Students 2‐3 New Staffs 4‐5 Grant Awarded 6 Publications 7 Recent Events 8‐9 NUHS Games 2011 10‐11 NUHS TRICE 12 Bon Voyage 13 Upcoming Events 13 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Congratulations Staff
Dr Yeong Foong May Excellence Faculty Teaching Award AY2009‐
2010. A memento will be presented to Dr Yeong during NUHS Dinner and Dance on 8 October 2011. Dr Chen Ee Sin Invited to join NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering as a young faculty member. A/P Tan Tin Wee Advisory Board member for inaugural Bio‐IT World Asia conference in Singapore from Cambridge Healthtech Institute (CHI). He is also appointed Advisor to the Executive Director, Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), A*Star on a national initiative forming on high performance super computing. He is also invited to join Editorial Board of NetMAHIB Journal‐ the Network Modeling and Analysis in Health Informatics and Bioinformatics (NetMAHIB) journal to be published by Springer starting in 2012. He will be handling paper reviews, submit research papers, edit special issues, and set innovative directions for the success of the journal. Ms Ooi Suan Oo Long service award of 40 years Ms Fatihah Bte Ithnin Long service award of 20 years Mdm Ang Bee Keng Long service award of 25 years Page 1 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Congratulations Students
Congratulations to Guoqiang Wan (Supervisor: A/P Too Heng‐Phon) and Chen Zhen Cheng, Clarice (Supervisor: A/P Raghunath Michael) on their winning 2nd prize Johnson & Johnson Asia Outstanding Graduate Thesis Award in Bio‐tech. The award ceremony was held on 1 June 2011 at the Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Cheng Kai Building (Shanghai, China). Student Conferment
Congratulations to the following students on the conferment of their postgraduate degree. Well done!
Name Supervisor Program Month of Conferment Teng Yu Hsuan, Felicia A/P Tang Bor Luen PhD March 2011 Wang Huansong Prof Barry Halliwell MSc April 2011 Page 2 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue New Postgraduate Students (August 2011)
Name Program Supervisors Akshamal Mihiranga Gamage PhD A/P Gan Yunn Hwen Chia Zhihui Joanne PhD Dr Frederic Bard Chin Meiyi PhD A/P Too Heng‐Phon Choong Lee Yee MSc Dr Lim Yoon Pin Gokhan Cildir PhD Dr Vinay Tergaonkar Hong Shin Yee PhD Dr Thilo Hagen Khah Kok Leong Alvin PhD Dr Yew Wen Shan Le Beilin PhD Dr Wu Qiang Lim Yan Ping PhD Dr Yew Wen Shan Lum Fok Moon PhD A/P Tan Tin Wee Dr Lisa Ng Maria Teresa Wijaya PhD A/P Tang Bor Luen Nesa Shrestha PhD A/P Han Weiping Slim Mzoughi PhD Dr Ernesto Guccione Wu Liling PhD Dr Ernesto Guccione Yang Jin PhD Dr Takao Inoue Zhou Yi MSc Prof Fu Xin‐Yuan Zhu Wan Long PhD Dr Wang Mei Prof Patrick Casey Page 3 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue New Staff
Welcome to the family
Adjunct Staff / Executive & Professional
Dr Nick Barker Adjunct Assistant Professor Institute of Medical Biology Assumed Duty: 1 April 2011 Ms Cao Ye Lab Executive Supervisor : A/P Chua Kim Lee Assumed Duty: 2 April 2011 Research Fellows
Dr Xu HongYan Supervisor : Prof Fu Xin‐Yuan Assumed Duty: 1 April 2011 Dr Yu Lei Supervisor : Prof Fu Xin‐Yuan Assumed Duty: 4 April 2011 Dr Hsu Jui‐Cheng Supervisor : Prof Fu Xin‐Yuan Assumed Duty: 1 June 2011 Dr Lim Shen Kiat Supervisor : Dr Lim Yoon Pin Assumed Duty: 21 April 2011 Dr Chong Poh Kuan Shirly Supervisor : Dr Lim Yoon Pin Assumed Duty: 1 March 2011 Non‐Academic
Ms Pham Thuy Dung Management Assistant Officer Assumed Duty: 15 March 2011 Page 4 Mdm Faridah Binte Markam Operations Attendant Assumed Duty: 13 June 2011 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Research Assistants Mr Loo Eng Kiat Alvin Supervisor: Prof Barry Halliwell Assumed Duty: 1 June 2011 Mr Kyaw Htet Hlaing Supervisor: A/P Clement Marie‐Veronique Assumed Duty: 8 June 2011 Page 5 Mr Suresh Kumar Poovathingal Mr Yew Shze Keon Terry Supervisor: Prof Barry Halliwell Supervisor: Prof Barry Halliwell Assumed Duty: 16 February 2011
Assumed Duty: 7 June 2011 Ms Toy Weiyi Mr Tan Kah Yap Victor Supervisor : Dr Lim Yoon Pin Supervisor : Dr Lim Yoon Pin Assumed Duty: 1 March 2011 Assumed Duty: 14 March 2011 Ms Tan Hwei Ling Supervisor: Dr Chen Ee Sin Assumed Duty: 14 March 2011 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Grants Awarded Month awarded
Staff
Mar 2011 Prof Barry Halliwell
Dr Deng Lih Wen
Amount awarded
Project title
Source of Fund
$558,000.00 Understanding sarcopenia using a C. elegans ARF Tier 2
model
$674,800.00 A novel isoform of human Mixed Lineage Leukemia 5 (MLL5) in the development of HPV16/18‐associated cervical cancer: a potential new diagnostics marker and therapeutic target
NMRC
Augmentation of glutathione levels through oral N‐acetylcysteine supplementation in Type 2 diabetic patients to increase resistance to bacterial infection
NKF
Testing the use of oral N‐acetylcysteine to enhance antibiotic treatment efficacy for exposure to Burkholdera pseudomallei in animal models MINDEF‐
NUS May 2011
A/P Gan Yunn Hwen $100,000.00 June 2011 A/P Gan Yunn Hwen $50,000 Page 6 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Publications 1. Ozeki*, C, Y Sawai, T Shibata, T Kohno, K Okamoto, J Yokota, F Tashiro, S Tanuma, R Sakai, T Kawase, I Kitabayashi, T YOICHI* and R Ohki*, "Cancer susceptibility polymorphism of p53 at codon 72 affects phosphorylation and degradation of p53 protein". Journal Of Biological Chemistry, 286, no. 20 (2011): 18251‐18260. (United States). (PMID: 21454683; Updated on 23/05/11). 2. Holland*, WL, BT Bikman, LP Wang, G Yuguang, KM Sargent, S Bulchand, TA Knotts, G Shui, DJ Clegg, M R Wenk, MJ Pagliassotti, PE Scherer* and SA Summers*, "Lipid‐induced insulin resistance mediated by the proinflammatory receptor TLR4 requires saturated fatty acid‐induced ceramide biosynthesis in mice.". Journal Of Clinical Investigation,121, no. 5 (2011): 1858‐70. (United States). (PMID: 21490391; Updated on 23/05/11). 3. GOH*, W B W, YH Lee*, RM Zubaidah, JJ Jin, D DONG, Q Lin, M C M Chung and L WONG, "Network‐Based Pipeline for Analyzing MS Data: An Application toward Liver Cancer.". Journal of Proteome Research, 10, no. 5 (2011): 2261‐72. (United States). (Tier 1; PMID: 21410269; Updated on 10/05/11). 4. Chen*, JMH, Z F PENG, Manikandan Jayapal, J M R ALIRIO, GS Tan, M C M Chung, QT Li, TM C Tan, L W Deng, M Whiteman, PM Beart, K M PHILIP and N S Cheung, " Gene profiling reveals hydrogen sulphide recruits death signaling via the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor identifying commonalities with excitotoxicity". Journal Of Cellular Physiology, 226, no. 5 (2011): 1308‐22. (United States). (PMID: 20945398; Updated on 24/02/11). 5. Di Girolamo*, F, K Bala, M C M Chung and PG Righetti, "Proteomineering" serum biomarkers. A Study in Scarlet.". Electrophoresis, 32, no. 9 (2011): 976‐980. (Germany). (PMID: 21449074; Updated on 10/05/11). 6. Halliwell, B, "Free radicals and antioxidants ‐ quo vadis? (Opinion)". Trends In Pharmacological Sciences, 32, no. 3 (2011): 125‐130. (Netherlands). (PMID: 21216018; Updated on 10/05/11). 7. Wymann*, MP and M R Wenk*, "Neutral not a loss: phosphoinositides beyond the head group. (News and Views)". Nature Methods, 8, no. 3 (2011): 219‐20. (United States). (PMID: 21358625; Updated on 29/04/11). Page 7 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Recent Events BBQ @ East Coast Park on 16 April 2011 Page 8 The event was organised by the Postgraduate Student Committee, sponsored partially by the Department. It was a great gathering with fun activities like cycling and BBQ by the sea. Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Faculty Candidate Visit (Dr Kenneth Ban)
Dr Kenneth Ban Hon Kim from Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology visited the Department on 25 May 2011. Farewell Party for A/P Teo Tian Seng Our dearest and passionate teacher, A/P Teo Tian Seng, retires after his 25 years with NUS. We wish him an enjoyable retirement. Page 9 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue NUHS Games 2011 Badminton 28‐31 March Team Chipmunks would like to say “Thank you” to our Badminton team Men’s Double ( Tan Kah Yap and Do Dang Vinh), Women’s Double (Chong Yew Mei and Lee Yun Hwa) and Mixed Double (Anantharaj Rengaraj and Lim Shen Jean), and congratulations to Yew Mei and Yun Hwa for winning the Bronze Medal. Bowling 8 April Thank you to Aslam, Choo Yin Yin, Aniza, Musfirah and Dr Sashi for participating in the Bowling tournament. 3‐on‐3 Basketball 23 April The boys of Biochemistry; Shawn Xiang Gao, Johann Shane Tian, Tan Kah Yap and Captain Cheng Fei and coached by A/P Tang Bor Luen & Dr Chen Ee Sin. Page 10 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue Department of Biochemistry and Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies (ALCNS) joined forces for the Table Tennis games and won Gold medal for Female open (Koh Chai Ping from Biochemistry). The rest of the team members were Aung Phyo Wai from ALCNS for Men’s open while Mixed Double was played by Cheng Fei (Biochemistry) and Loh Hu (ALCNS). Table Tennis 28‐30 May Our runners Wong Veen Senn and Tan Kah Yap from Biochemistry and Dr Satish from Anatomy took part in the X‐country 4.8km run. X‐Country 4 June Page 11 Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue NUHS TRICE 1 July 2011 Dress Up Model competition where 4 “fashion designers”
(Lee Hua, Qian Feng, Terence & Fatihah) dressed up our
model (Prof Fu Xin-Yuan) as a bee with a basket of items
given by NUHS according to TRICE values.
The cheerleading performance by
Biochemistry staff and admin staff from
Our staff (Boon Kheng, Lee Hua, Mui Khin, Qian Feng, Siaw
Ching & Terence) receiving the Values-in Action Team Category
Award (Top 3) during TRICE day
Page 12 Alice Lee Centre for Nursing.
Biochem Buzz Volume 12, July’11 Issue We bid adieu to  Mdm Tengah who has been with the Department for more than 13 years. We wish her all the best for her retirement.  Ms Hor Sok Jing, Laboratory Executive from A/P Theresa Tan who was with the Department for two years. All the best for her future endeavours.  Ms Musfirah, Management Assistant Officer after four years with the Department. We wish her all the best in her future career. Exciting staff bonding activities are being planned by Staff Welfare Committee for the new financial year. Look out for more details. More NUHS Games 2011 coming your way. We hope you would participate or join us to cheer the team. Bon Voyage Upcoming Events Editorial Team:
Advisor: A/P Tan Tin Wee (Acting Head) Editor: Ms Aniza A Wahid (Manager) Writer: Dee Pham (Management Assistant) & Mohammad Aslam (Specialist Associate) Please inform Dee ([email protected]) for any update that is not announced and we will include in the next issue.
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