g No 200604393R - NTU · 2016. 7. 4. · the Nobel Laureates, and an exhibition at Singapore’s...

g No 200604393R

Think like a child and s t u d y a u s e l e s s subject? This was the advice of some Nobel Laureates who were at NTU to discuss how best to educate our future generation.

Prof Wole Soyinka’s suggestion that “students should be compelled to learn a ‘useless’ subject” was met with a brief moment of disbelief, before he explained that students should be pushed to go beyond their comfort zones. For the celebrated Nigerian playwright and Nobel Laureate, his “useless” subject was mathematics, which got him through a period of solitary confinement when he was a political prisoner in his homeland.

Anecdotes like this one brought the theme of the Nobel Prize Series, “The Future of Learning”, to life at NTU on 5

Nobel iNsights iNto the future of learNiNg

(This photo, from left) Nobel Laureates Scottish economist Sir James Mirrlees (Economic Sciences 1996), Nigerian playwright and poet Prof Wole Soyinka (Literature 1986) and German physicist Prof Stefan Hell (Chemistry 2014). (Top photo, from left) English chemist Sir Harold Kroto (Chemistry 1998) and Israeli crystallographer Prof Ada Yonath (Chemistry 2009).

and 6 November 2015. The global debut of this event saw five Nobel Laureates and experts from education, business and politics, and even students, sharing their own experiences in education, in the best scholarly traditions.

In his opening speech, Singapore’s President, Dr Tony Tan, said: “The education system must prepare students

to tackle social and ethical issues that arise as technological advances enable humankind to do more.”

The Nobel Laureates and guest speakers agreed that the most important role an educator can play is to fuel curiosity in the young, along with a big heart for humanity.

Produced by the Nobel Foundation’s subsidiaries, Nobel Media and Nobel Museum, in partnership with NTU, the Nobel Prize Series featured a roundtable dialogue, panel discussions, lectures by the Nobel Laureates, and an exhibition at Singapore’s ArtScience Museum.

Two NTU scientists are the only ones from Asia to make it into Thomson Reuters’ list of the World’s Hottest Researchers 2015. The global ranking recognises 19 scientists who published

at least 14 papers in 2015 w i t h h i g h levels of citations.

Prof David Lou ( l e f t) , f r o m t h e

School of Chemical

Ntu professors Named World’s hottest researchers

a nd Biomed ical E ngi neer i ng, is ranked 8th in the world. He has produced breakthroughs in the areas of supercapacitors and batteries (read about his research on page 24 of this issue).

Prof Zhang Hua (r ig ht) i s ra n ke d 12t h and he was also in last year’s inaugural list of the Hottest Researchers. From the School of Materials Science and Engineering, he is a recent winner of the ACS Nano Lectureship Award from the American Chemical Society.

Prof Michael Grätzel (right), a Visiting Professor at NTU, is 7th on the

list. Known as the father of “artificial photosynthesis” and inventor of the dye-sensitised solar cell, he is closely associated with NTU, as Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Energy Research Institute @ NTU and Director of NTU’s Centre for Nanostructured Photosystems.

The Hottest Researchers list is part of Thomson Reuters’ “The World’s Most Inf luential Scientif ic Minds” citation analysis.

In a separate list, Thomson Reuters also placed nine NTU scientists among the world’s Highly Cited

Researchers 2015.

4 I S S U E 0 7 P U S H I N G F R O NT I E R S

U p f r o n t

5I S S U E 0 7 P U S H I N G F R O NT I E R S

D I S C O V E R I E S

NeuroscieNce

Soon, we might be able to boost our memory, fend off dementia and even treat depression and anxiety with just a few electrical pulses.

Deep brain stimulation, which uses implanted electrodes to deliver electrical stimulation to a precise area of the brain, has already been used to treat a number of neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dystonia.

Now, Dr Lim Lee Wei (bottom left) and Asst Prof Ajai Vyas (bottom right) from NTU’s School of Biological Sciences have found that stimulating a part of the brain behind the forehead called the prefrontal cortex can trigger the growth of new brain cells.

I n precl i n ica l st ud ies, rats stimulated daily for one month showed

Recent innovations and breakthrough discoveries at NTU Singapore, a research-intensive university that leads the top Asian universities in normalised research citation impact (Thomson Reuters InCites 2015) and is ranked 40th in Nature Index Global.

both short-term and long-term memory improvements. The memory boost was linked to an increase in neurogenesis—the formation of new neural cells—within the brain’s hippocampus, which supports learning and memory.

The researchers hope that the technique may someday benefit patients suffering from depression and anxiety. “In particular, deep brain stimulation opens new avenues of treatment for the many patients who do not respond to regular anti-depressant treatments,” they say.----Details of the study are found in “Ventromedial prefrontal cortex stimulation enhances memory and hippocampal neurogenesis in the middle-aged rats”, eLIFE (2015), DOI: 10.7554/eLife.04803.

Up to 2% of the global population o v e r t h e a g e o f 65 a re a f fected by Parkinson’s disease, characterised by a gradual loss of motor control from a decline in dopamine production in the brain.

To help these patients, a research team led by Prof Yoon Ho Sup (top) from NTU and Prof Kim Kwang-Soo from McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the US screened about 1,000 drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.

The researchers found that two well-known antimalarial drugs, amodiaquine and chloroquine, b o u n d d i r e c t l y t o Nu r r1, a transcription factor important in the development, maintenance and protection of dopamine neurons. Both drugs also greatly improved behavioural deficits in rat models for Parkinson’s disease.

“ Tho u g h Nu r r1 h a d b e e n suggested as a potential drug target for Parkinson’s disease for a long time, these are the first compounds ever found which can directly bind to and activate it,” says Prof Yoon.

The scientists aim to redesign the drugs to improve their efficiency and reduce side effects, and carry out clinical trials within five years.----Read about this research in “Nuclear receptor Nurr1 agonists enhance its dual functions and improve behavioral deficits in an animal model of Parkinson’s disease”, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (2015); DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1509742112.

Zap your memory awake

TreaTing parkinson’s disease wiTh anTimalarial drugs

Immunofluorescent image of brain cells. Picture: Yoon Ho Sup.



Detecting inf lamed and cancerous tissue is a critical step in monitoring and targeted treatment of “the dreaded C”.

Assoc Profs Zhang Qichun (left) and Joachim Loo (right) and their research teams from NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering have developed nanoparticles that can “smell” cancerous cells and damaged tissue, lighting up upon contact.

The nanoparticles, which are made from luminescent materials and coated with specific organic compounds, detect substances released by inflamed and damaged tissue such as reactive oxygen species and sulphur compounds.

Once the nanoparticles bind to the signal molecules, they light up under near-infrared illumination and can be detected over days and up to several centimetres deep within the body.

The scientists are currently conducting preclinical studies on these nanoparticles for the delivery of

When our lungs are infected by viruses, bacteria or fungi, the build-up of fluids and damage to lung tissue can often be fatal.

A research team, led by Prof Andrew Tan from NTU’s School of Biological Sciences, has discovered a novel biomarker that can not only help clinicians to assess the severity of lung inflammation, but also act as a target

for therapeutic intervention. The scientists found that

angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), a protein important in metabolism and tumour growth, also plays a

crucial role in inflammation-induced lung damage. Tests conducted on

tissue biopsies of patients with lung infections showed that ANGPTL4

levels corresponded to disease severity.

They also discovered that antibodies designed to detect ANGPTL4 in patients’

anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs. They are also studying the potential for the nanoparticles to be used in blood and tissue sample testing.----Details of the research have been described in three articles: “Rhodamine-modified upconversion nanophosphors for ratiometric detection of hypochlorous acid in aqueous solution and living cells, Small (2014), DOI: 10.1002/smll.201303127; “Inorganic–organic hybrid nanoprobe for NIR-excited imaging of hydrogen sulfide in cell cultures and inflammation in a mouse model”, Small (2014), DOI: 10.1002/smll.201401867; and “A cyanine-modified upconversion nanoprobe for NIR-excited imaging of endogenous hydrogen peroxide signaling in vivo”, Biomaterials (2015), DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2015.03.003.biomaterials.2015.03.003.

Novel therapeutics

“sniffing” ouT inflammaTion and cancer

inf lamed lung tissues were able to protect mice infected with influenza viruses from severe lung inflammation, resulting in higher rates of survival and faster recovery.

To ha r ness the therapeut ic potential of these anti-ANGPTL4 a nt ib o d ie s , t he s c ient i s t s a r e collaborating with pharmaceutical company AdipoGen International to carry out clinical studies on patients with pulmonary infections.----Read about the research “Angiopoietin-like 4 increases pulmonary tissue leakiness and damage during inf luenza pneumonia” in Cell Reports (2015), DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2015.01.011.

anTibodies ThaT fighT severe lung infecTions

NTU researcher Li Liang holding the new antibody

that may someday help patients suffering from pneumonia and

influenza to recover faster.


Multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, is caused when the body’s immune system attacks the protective myelin sheath of nerve fibres. There is currently no cure for it.

An international research team, led by Asst Prof Su I-hsin from NTU, has made a discovery that could change how immune disorders are treated.

The researchers found that Ezh2, a protein previously only known to methylate histone proteins in the nucleus of cells, also functions outside the nucleus in certain immune cells. In this extranuclear function, Ezh2 helps immune cells migrate to and infiltrate tissue, supporting inflammation processes that might lead to autoimmune diseases. Using a mouse model of multiple sclerosis, the team showed that inhibition of Ezh2 expression slowed down progression of the disease.

The scientists believe that Ezh2—and possibly other proteins in this regulatory pathway that help immune cells migrate—are promising targets in the fight against immune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and allergic contact dermatitis, and potentially also cancer. ----The article “The methyltransferase Ezh2 controls cell adhesion and migration through direct methylation of the nuclear regulatory protein talin” was published in Nature Immunology (2015), DOI: 10.1038/ni.3125, and has been highlighted in Nature Immunology News & Views (2015), 16: 441–443, DOI: 10.1038/ni.3142 and on the cover of the same issue.

Present in all body tissues, macrophages and dendritic cells play critical roles in the body’s immune defences—macrophages digest pathogens and abnormal cells, while dendritic cells present antigens to cells of the adaptive immune system. Both cell types are also involved in autoimmunity.

In two recent studies, NTU immunologists Assoc Prof Christiane Ruedl and Prof Klaus Karjalainen discovered new roles for these cells.

Using purpose-bred transgenic mouse models which have increased sensitivity to diphtheria toxin, the researchers showed in the first study that certain subsets of dendritic cells are able to regulate intestinal inflammation, demonstrating for the first time the role of these dendritic cells in protecting the epithelial cell layer of the gut’s mucosal barrier.

In the second study, the scientists found evidence that challenges the long-held belief that macrophages only mature inside their target tissues. Using a transgenic mouse model that

immuNity

sTopping immune cells in Their Tracks

rewriTing The sTaTus quo in immunology

clearly distinguishes between adult macrophages and precursor cells throughout embryonic development, the researchers discovered that nearly all types of macrophages in adult animals are derived directly from foetal hematopoietic (blood cell-generating) stem cells, and not from other intermediate cells of the immune system.

These key insights into the development, specialisation and functions of important cell types of the immune system may inspire new t reat ment st rateg ies for inf lammatory diseases, including autoimmune disorders and cancer, the researchers say.----The studies “Intestinal CD103+CD11b- dendritic cells restrain colitis via IFN-γ-induced anti-inflammatory response in epithelial cells” and “Most tissue-resident macrophages except microglia are derived from fetal hematopoietic stem cells” were published in Mucosal Immunology (2015), DOI: 10.1038/mi.2015.64, and Immunity (2015), DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2015.07.016, respectively.

Healthy (top) and flu-infected (bottom) mouse lung tissue. Pictures: Li Liang.

Immunofluorescent image of dendritic cells in the mucous lining of a mouse’s large intestine. Picture: Christiane Ruedl.

Ezh2 critically regulates leukocyte migration and adhesion dynamics via direct methylation of cytosolic talin. Picture: Nandini Venkatesan.



caNcer research

In battling colorectal cancer—one of the three most common cancers in the world—surgical removal is the only option. Patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (a rare, inherited intestinal disorder that can progress into cancer) find their condition particularly challenging to manage, and from adolescence on have to go through repeated surgery and regular intestinal monitoring.

A recent research discovery by Prof Sven Pettersson (below) from NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and Prof Jonas Frisen from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet might reverse the odds for this group of patients.

The team found that an existing chemotherapeutic drug used to treat leukaemia can also prevent and control colorectal tumour growth in mice. Imatinib, which works by blocking the EphB signalling pathway in leukaemia cells, also functions in intestinal tumours via the same pathway, opening up new avenues for intervention.

According to the study’s f irst author, Dr Parag Kundu, this work has important implications for the clinical treatment of tumour formation and cancer progression in patients predisposed to colorectal cancer.----The study “An EphB-Abl signalling pathway is associated with intestinal tumor initiation and growth” was published in Science Translational Medicine (2015), DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3010567.

It is a lesser known fact that aside from double helices, DNA can form highly diverse four-stranded structures called G-quadruplexes.

In human cells, G-quadruplexes interact with proteins for various a sp ects of cel lu la r reg u lat ion including recombination, replication, transcription and translation. Synthetic G-quadruplex structures have been used in anti-cancer treatment and diagnosis, as well as in nanomaterials, mechanical devices and biosensors.

NTU’s Assoc Prof Phan Anh Tuan and his team characterised the binding mode of one such G-quadruplex-binding protein called RHAU, short for DEAH-box RNA Helicase associated with AU-rich element.

Using NMR spectroscopy, the team identified a small

old drug, new Tricks

Two are hard To manage? Try four!

domain of 18 amino acids in RHAU that binds specifically to G-quadruplexes, and characterised the structural basis for G-quadruplex recognition by this small peptide.

Their new insights may lead to engineered proteins that modulate G-quadruplex function for both therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.----The study “Insights into G-quadruplex specific recognition by the DEAH-box helicase RHAU: Solution structure of a peptide-quadruplex complex” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA (2015), DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1422605112.

structural Biology

RHAU peptide interaction with a

DNA G-quadruplex. Image: Brahim Heddi.


medical devices

Most adhesives cannot be applied to moist biological tissue or used under water. A team of scientists from NTU, led by Asst Prof Terry Steele, has invented a novel type of glue that overcomes these drawbacks.

Nicknamed Voltaglue, the hydrogel-based adhesive consists of free-radical carbene precursor molecules grafted onto star-shaped polymers.

When low-voltage electricity is applied, the functional groups

of the carbene precursors i nsta nt ly crossl i n k the polymer backbone to various s u b s t r a t e s . M o r e o v e r, changing the voltage or

glues ThaT mend everyThing from surgical wounds To ship hulls

duration of electrical activation alters the elasticity of the glue to suit different environmental conditions and substrates.

According to the inventors, the high adjustability of the glue opens up a host of practical applications, from underwater repairs on ships and pipes to replacing sutures and staples during surgery. ----Details of the new glue technology can be found in “Adhesive curing through low-voltage activation” in Nature Communications (2015), DOI: 10.1038/ncomms9050. It is being patented through NTUitive, NTU’s commercialisation arm.

microBiology/greeN techNologies

To meet the growing demand for clean water in megacities, scientists from the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at NTU have identified microbial communities in urban waterways that are able to clean raw water.

In a broad study that combined ecology and microbial genomics with chemical and physical environmental analyses, the researchers characterised microbial communities in urban rainwater channels that naturally eliminate organic pollutants.

They also found that elements such as aluminium, copper and

-2 V Stimulation

naTure’s way of cleaning waTer

potassium influenced the biology of these microbial communities, and that the microbes can act as indicators of environmental stressors that might disturb the natural cleaning system in city canals and water bodies. ----Details of the study “Ecogenomics reveal metals and land-use pressures on microbial communities in the waterways of a megacity” can be found in Environmental Science & Technology (2015), DOI: 10.1021/es504531s.

Singapore’s Aquatic Science Centre.

Schematic: Terry Steele.



remoTe-conTrolled cyborg beeTles To The rescue

roBotics

electric vehicles

Breaking new ground in remote-controlled drone technology, a joint team from NTU and the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a living machine whose flight can be wirelessly controlled with little human intervention.

Led by NTU’s Asst Prof Hirotaka Sato, the team mounted tiny radio systems on top of Mecynorrhina torquata giant flower beetles and connected the systems via electrodes to the beetles’ wing-folding muscles.

By doing so, the researchers were able to wirelessly control the insects’ f light, inducing them to take off, change direction or hover in mid-flight. The invention was built on the discovery that the muscle, in addition

Zooming inTo The fuTure of green cars

to wing folding, plays a key role in left-right steering.

If equipped with small microphones or thermal sensors, the researchers say the cyborg beetles could take the place of remote-controlled drones in search-and-rescue missions, such as locating survivors in hard-to-reach places.

EVA, the first electric taxi purpose-built for the tropics, is ready to hit the road. Built in just two years by a team from TUM-CREATE—a partnership b et we en N T U a nd G e r ma ny’s Technische Universität München—EVA features a palette of innovations. These include an energy-efficient air-conditioning system tailored to hot and humid tropical weather, energy-efficient compressor technologies, and an inductive wireless charging technology coupled to a fast-charging battery system that allows charging in just 15 minutes for a driving range of 200 kilometres. It also boasts of other innovations such as seat cooling, integrated child seats and integrated infotainment systems.

These technological innovations, which include the use of lightweight carbon fibre composites for the car body, have caught the attention of the automotive industry and other compa nies i nterested i n commercialisation.

A n o t h e r b i g p u s h i n electromobil ity comes from the invention of a 2-in-1 motor by scientists from NTU and the German Aerospace Centre, which integrates an electric motor with an air-conditioning compressor, increasing its efficiency. In addition, its novel, space-saving design allows the use of bigger batteries, extending the vehicle’s range by an additional 15 to 20%. The team is currently developing a prototype for test-bedding and commercialisation.

EVA received the Bavarian state prize for electromobility, the eCarTec Award, at eCarTec 2014, the world’s largest electromobility fair held in Munich, Germany.

And for their invention of the 2-in-1 motor, the team won the Best Originality Award in the TECO Green Tech Contest held in Taiwan in 2014.

----The research “Deciphering the role of a coleopteran steering muscle via free f light stimulation” was published in Current Biology (2015), DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.01.051, and featured on the journal issue’s cover and in several international newspapers and magazines such as the UK’s The Independent, Popular Science and Smithsonian.com (all published on 17 March 2015).

The world’s first electric taxi for tropical megacities developed by NTU and Germany’s TUM.


eNergy

The unique electronic and optical properties of perovskite materials may well revolutionise today’s solar cell technologies.

Dubbed the new “wonder material” in materials science, its properties can dramatically increase the speed of data transmission while reducing energy consumption, as a team from NTU found out.

Electrons can spin (move) either “up” or “down”, equalling the two states “1” and “0” used in computers to store bits of information. Led by Assoc Prof Sum Tze Chien and Asst Prof Nripan Mathews, the team used ultrafast lasers to show that the spin of electrons inside perovskite materials can be switched in an ultrafast way when manipulated by light, representing an advance in spin-based electronics (also called spintronics).

I n a s ep a rat e s t udy, N T U researchers, led by Asst Prof Mathews and solar cell technology pioneers Prof Michael Grätzel and Prof James Barber, showed that perovskites combined with a mineral called hematite can be used

Imagine being able to automatically shield out sunlight entering your home with the help of special windows, a feature that may also slash your electricity bill.

An eco-conscious NTU team has already thought of this idea, with their invention of an electrochromic window that turns a cool tint of blue in bright

daylight and reverts to clear glass at night.

The smart windows, which also double as self-recharging batteries, were made by coating one of two glass sheets with a layer of Prussian Blue pigment

and attaching a thin strip of aluminium foil to the other sheet,

creating two electrodes. Closing the electrical circuit

between the two glass plates with an electrolyte solution turns the blue-tinted Prussian Blue into colourless Prussian White, discharging the battery at the same time. Disconnecting the electrodes leads to spontaneous oxidation of Prussian White to Prussian Blue by the oxygen dissolved in the electrolyte solution, turning the glass blue again and recharging the battery.

The researchers hope that their smart self-powered window will be fitted onto green buildings of the future to save on lighting and cooling costs.----Described in the article “A bi-functional device for self-powered electrochromic window and self-rechargeable transparent battery applications”, the invention was published in Nature Communications (2014), DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5921.

perovskiTe: science’s new wonder maTerial

to split water into hydrogen and oxygen with the help of sunlight. According to the team, using perovskite to generate and store solar energy in the form of hydrogen fuel could be another big step towards affordable and sustainable clean energy.----The discoveries were described in the articles “Highly spin-polarized carrier dynamics and ultralarge photoinduced magnetization in CH

3NH

3Pbl

3 perovskite thin films” and

“Perovskite-hematite tandem cells for efficient overall solar driven water splitting”, published in NANO Letters (2015), DOI: 10.1021/nl5039314 and NANO Letters (2015), DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b00616.

self–powered TinTed windows? cool!

Prof Sun Xiaowei holding his

smart window invention that

can self-tint and also function

as a battery.

Perovskite-hematite water splitting. Schematic: Nripan Mathews.


C O V E R S T O R Y

The Singapore Phenome Centre at NTU, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, is changing the face of medical

treatment. Say goodbye to one-size-fits-all therapies and hello to

personalised treatments for metabolic diseases such as diabetes.

AN EYE INTO OUR DESTINYHow nature andnurture compete toshape who we are


C O V E R S T O R Y

wo diabetic patients show up at the clinic for a routine check-up. The first, Mr Ravi, is aged 45, a smoker and borderline overweight. The second patient, Mrs Lim, is a 65-year-old grandmother with a history of hypertension. Despite their differences in ethnicity, age and medical history, both are advised to eat well and exercise regularly, issued with a month’s supply of metformin, and sent to

make their next appointment.Thankfully, doctors are increasingly refining this one-size-

fits-all approach to the treatment of metabolic diseases such as diabetes. Leading the charge is the Singapore Phenome Centre, a state-of-the-art research facility at NTU that aims to understand the impact of both nature and nurture on human health. The US$6.3 million (S$9 million) centre is part of the NTU Integrated Medical, Biological & Environmental Life Sciences (NIMBELS) cluster, a multidisciplinary research effort that brings together the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, School of Biological Sciences, Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering and the NTU Institute of Structural Biology.

“We intend to characterise the unique Asian phenotypes by working with clinicians from across Singapore, so that we can offer tailored therapies for individuals,” explains Prof James Best, Dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, NTU’s joint medical school with Imperial College London, who chairs the new centre. “We also hope to identify new biomarkers that can be used at a population level to help people lead healthier lives.”

The phenome can be thought of as the sum total of an individual’s measurable phenotype, or how we “express” our genetics and metagenome. It is the product of both pre-determined genetics and factors in the environment such as diet and exercise, explains Prof Bernhard Boehm, Professor of Metabolic Medicine at NTU’s medical school and Scientific Director of the Singapore Phenome Centre.

“When an individual’s genetic background interacts with all the things he or she is exposed to—the exposome—what results is the metabolome, a collection of biological molecules unique to that individual,” Prof Boehm adds. “By studying the metabolome, we hope to improve on the current ‘trial and error’ method of finding the best treatment for each specific patient.”

A daunting challengeThe end goal is for a blood or urine sample to be able to tell the doctor which course of treatment would be the most appropriate for the patient; in the case of our two fictitious diabetes patients, Mr Ravi and Mrs Lim, it would be to tailor the best outcomes for both of them.

However, current testing methods have a long way to go. Existing blood tests for diabetes measure one or two metabolites at best—glucose and haemoglobin A1c—when over 4,500 metabolites are known to be found in blood. The situation is particularly acute for lipids, the fats in our body, where only a fraction of metabolites are even known. New technologies have already uncovered more than 10,000 different lipid molecules, a number that will only increase, Prof Boehm says.

Adding to the complexity of the sheer number of metabolites in play is the fact that researchers have to track the levels of each metabolite over time, collecting multiple samples from each patient to study the unique response to environmental challenges such as a healthy diet and the treatment.

“What this means for researchers is that studying the metabolome quickly generates terabytes of data,” Prof Boehm notes. “Large-scale data analysis is absolutely necessary to understand the networks of metabolic pathways.”

To that end, researchers at the Singapore Phenome Centre are working with collaborators at Imperial College London and ETH Zürich, using a systems biology approach to look for nodes in the network that could be relevant to metabolic

T

the singapore Phenome Centre aims to be a true ’omics centre, looking not only at human samples but also bacterial, fungal, viral and plant samples to paint a complete picture.

Prof Bernhard Boehm,Scientific Director of the Singapore Phenome Centre


C O V E R S T O R Y

One target, many effectsWorking on the PPAR-β subset is Asst Prof Wang Xiaomeng, a collaborator of Prof Wahli at the Singapore Phenome Centre. PPAR-β, which regulates the formation of blood

vessels, plays an important r o l e i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f cardiovascular disease, retinopathy and wound healing in diabetic patients.

Although vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was found to promote the formation of blood vessels in animal models, its efficacy in promoting functional blood vessel formation in humans is still being studied. In fact, VEGF overexpression can cause blood vessel leakage without relieving the symptoms of restricted blood supply in ischaemic cardiovascular diseases.

Looking for an alternative, Asst Prof Wang has identified a protein called leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein 1 (LRG1), which has shown promising results in vitro. She is now examining the effectiveness of LRG1 for the treatment of ischaemic heart disease and peripheral arterial disease—the leading cause of delayed wound healing and amputation in diabetic patients—in animal models. Working with researchers from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London, she is developing an anti-LRG1 antibody for ocular proliferative disease clinical trials in the UK.

A s s t P r o f Wa n g i s a l s o investigating the use of LRG1 as a biomarker for diabetic retinopathy, hoping to use it to monitor different stages of disease progression.

What’s the gut got to do with it?

Given the central role of PPARs in lipid metabolism,

it comes as no surprise that they also play a big role in metabolic d i s e a s e s y n d r o m e (M DS), a cluster of risk factors including

diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, fatty liver

and high blood pressure. “In fact, certain genetic

variations in PPARs have been linked to a predisposition to MDS,”

says Assoc Prof Andrew Tan.But instead of focusing on the

PPARs themselves, Assoc Prof Tan decided to go upstream to look for potential treatments for MDS. In particular, he has found that the gut microbiome plays an important role by producing metabolites, including fatty acids, that can trigger PPAR expression.

One interesting protein that is activated by PPARs is angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4), a target Assoc Prof Tan has previously shown to be useful in treating pneumonia and influenza (see pg 6). In his recent work, he found that ANGPTL4 mutant mice are more susceptible to MDS, drawing a link between gut microbiome and the disease.

Together with his former postdoctoral s u p e r v i s o r P r o f Wahli and fellow NTU researcher Prof Sven Pettersson, Assoc Prof Tan is further investigating t he g ut bac t e r ia-MDS link. He is also working with scientists

diseases. The researchers also have at their disposal the latest Progenesis QI software, which allows them to build a data bank of known metabolites and extend it to unknown peptides, lipids and other molecules.

From diabetes toliver diseaseOne researcher working towards more personalised treatments for diabetes is Prof Walter Wahli, an expert on fatty acid receptors known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, or PPARs. Drugs that target a subset of PPARs (PPAR-γ) are currently used to treat type 2 diabetes but are known to cause serious side effects in about 1% of patients, such as a small increased risk of bladder cancer.

“Our goal is to identify these 1% of patients ahead of time so that we can treat the 99% of patients that don’t show side effects,” Prof Wahli explains, adding that clinical studies are underway.

Because of the strong link between PPAR activity and lipid metabolism, Prof Wahli is also investigating the role of PPARs in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a fatty liver disease that is on the rise worldwide and particularly in Asia.

Since there is currently no anti-NASH drug on the market, despite the fact that more than 30% of the US population have fatty liver, the finding that a dual PPAR-α/PPAR-γ agonist was used successfully in India to treat diabetes brings some excitement, he says, as it could potentially also be used to treat NASH. Clinical trials in Singapore are being planned under the aegis of the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma (AHCC) Trials Group, he adds.


C O V E R S T O R Y

at Wageningen University in the Netherlands to understand the related issue of how nutrition affects the development of disease.

A holistic approach“The Singapore Phenome Centre aims to be a true ’omics centre, looking not only at human samples but also bacterial, fungal, viral and plant samples to paint a complete picture,” Prof Boehm says.

Tools available there include ion

mobility spectrometers and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry, which allows the non-destructive a na lysis of molecu les i n t wo -dimensional tissue sections.

There are also plans to establish a clinical phenome centre similar to the one at Imperial College London, as part of a move to form an international network of standardised lab and data analysis.

T h e s e m e t a b o l i t e - d r i v e n approaches will be complemented by partnerships with the Genome Inst itute of Singapore and the

Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at NTU, which will focus on clinical and environmental genomics, respectively.

“Through this holistic approach, we can reduce the dependency on treatments that are ‘copy and pasted’ from the West,” Prof Boehm says, adding that Asian and other population groups dif fer in their disease risk factors.

“The road ahead is challenging, but the good work already being done at the Singapore Phenome Centre certainly bodes well for the future of personalised medicine.”

The state-of-the-art Singapore Phenome Centre in NTU’s Experimental Medicine Building. Picture: biotechin.asia.

ave you ever suffered from acne, eczema or dark spots? You’re not alone. Worldwide, about one in three people suffer from some form of skin disorder, and yet research into the causes and treatment for these disorders is

usually underfunded as most of them are not life-threatening.

In Singapore and many developed nations, about 20% of children suffer from eczema, an inflammatory disease in which patches of skin become rough and inflamed with blisters, causing itching and bleeding. Across Asia, obesity and diabetes rates are also on the rise, which can lead to a host of skin-related problems such as wounds that do not heal properly.

The urgent need for answers to these problems has led three organisations in Singapore—NTU, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the National Skin Centre—to pool their resources to form the Skin Research Institute of Singapore, which was launched in September 2013.

Armed with US$70 million (S$100 million) in funding, the institute has zeroed in on areas such as skin ageing, eczema and wound healing, tackling both common and rare skin diseases. In particular, the institute pays attention to Asian skin types as these are not well-studied. It is also building a database of Asian skin samples that can be used for scientific studies and consumer product testing.

H

aNd beYoNd

goiNgsKiN deep

The body’s largest organ under the

microscopeBarely two years old, the

Skin Research Institute of Singapore has made headway in combining the efforts of top scientists and doctors to solve pressing skin conditions that

affect Asians.


F E A T U R E

A switch to turn wound healing on and off

Prof David Becker from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, NTU’s joint medical school with Imperial College London, has already made a breakthrough in wound healing by discovering that a protein called Cx43 plays an important role in determining whether our cuts and gashes heal properly.

In normal skin, Cx43 is turned off during wound healing so that skin cells can multiply and migrate into the wound to repair it. When diabetic patients are injured, however, Cx43 is “switched on”, preventing the cells from moving and performing their restorative work.

Prof Becker’s team has developed a drug that has been shown to block Cx43’s activity in cell cultures and animal models. The scientists are conducting Phase II human clinical trials, treating diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers. Their colleague, Asst Prof Liu Quan, from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, is developing a handheld imaging device that can indicate whether a wound is healing or not, without ever having to take a biopsy.

Studying wounds from every angle

The NTU scientists at the Skin Research Institute of Singapore have also joined forces with Singapore’s Tan Tock Seng Hospital and artificial skin manufacturer and NTU spin-off DeNova Sciences to solve other skin problems related to diabetes. Diabetic wounds are typically linked to severe and persistent inflammation, and eventually dead tissue and massive scarring. There is still no standardised procedure to reduce the scarring.

By reconstructing artificial skin with all its layers, the NTU researchers can find out how inflammation is involved in diabetic and chronic wounds. They are also working with colleagues at the hospital to minimise scarring from such wounds in diabetic patients.

St ud ies on bu r n wou nd s a nd pigmentation diseases such as melasma, where the face develops brown patches, are also on the cards. The research could help skincare companies come up with more effective products for sensitive skin and sunscreen filters. Rarer skin diseases such as scleroderma, where the skin and connective tissues tighten and harden, will similarly get their turn under the microscope.

Prof Artur Schmidtchen, who specialises in dermatology and skin biology at NTU’s medical school, is studying the crosstalk between innate immunity, hemostasis and inflammatory pathways when wounds and infection occur. When a burn wound becomes infected, for instance, other medical problems may arise, including sepsis, a potentially life-threatening condition where the body’s immune system goes into overdrive.

“The goal is to establ ish the connections among skin biology, wounds, infections, inflammation and people’s innate ability to fight them, and then translate the basic science discoveries into useful applications in the clinic and industry,” he says. The institute’s researchers are also planning to work with the Singapore General Hospital’s burns centre and skin specialists at another large local hospital, the National University Hospital.

Meeting Asia’s growing needs

While the skin institute has its work cut out for it, Singapore’s multi-ethnic population gives it an advantage, says Dr Benjamin Seet, Executive Director of A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council. Given Singapore’s supportive scientific environment, companies can also easily undertake research and product development in the country to meet the needs of Asia’s diverse consumers.

“B e s i d e s c o l l a b o r at i n g w it h pha r mac eut ica l compa n ie s, ou r researchers are working with some of the world’s largest personal care companies, a number of which have expanded their

research and development activities here,” he notes. “The Procter and Gamble Singapore Innovation Centre, for instance, has provided more than 500 research jobs.”

All three partners behind the skin institute will also strive to develop the field beyond the institute. They have launched research grant calls to encourage other scientists to explore the impact and burden of skin diseases on the Singapore and Asian populations. Workshops will also be held to matchmake researchers with complementary interests.

To develop a sustainable pool of skilled researchers, NTU and A*STAR have introduced doctorate programmes for skin biology.

Offering hope to the millions who suffer from skin ailments is the promise of the Skin Research Institute of Singapore. We all remember the saying that beauty is skin deep, but to those coping with a chronic skin condition, any measure that offers relief and that helps to improve their quality of life will go miles beyond.

armed with Us$71 million (s$100 million) in funding, the institute has zeroed in on areas such as skin ageing, eczema and wound healing, tackling both common and rare skin diseases.


GreyinG Gracefully

Researchers at NTU and Canada’s University of British Columbia are

using technology to help the elderly stay youthful, mobile and independent.

… with the help of ageless-ageing technologies

At LILY, we are developing human-enriched artificial intelligence technologies to empower the elderly.

Assoc Prof Miao Chunyan, LILY Director

F E A T U R E

Wprime example. “It is evident that most current healthcare models for the elderly are economically unsustainable,” he says.

To support the growing “silver market”, LILY has established long-term partnerships with institutions dealing with everything from healthcare technology to innovations for businesses.

In July 2014, LILY started a long-term collaboration in healthcare technology research in Singapore with the Institute of Geriatrics and Active Ageing (IGA) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Led by Assoc Prof Chin Jing Jih, IGA provides a test-bed for new digital technologies that aim to improve the delivery of care for the elderly. In October of the same year, LILY launched a similar collaboration with SPHERE at the University of Bristol, UK. Researchers at SPHERE, which is short for Sensor Platform for HEalthcare in a Residential Environment, develop sensor systems to monitor the health and wellbeing of people where they live.

Where technology and healthcare intersect

Promising technologies developed to date at LILY include the Silver Silk Road, an e-commerce portal that provides inclusive retail options to seniors, whether online or offline. E-commerce is a natural fit for the elderly—if you can’t walk to the store, bring the store to you.

But just as “bricks and mortar” retail stores are not often elderly-friendly, e-commerce needs to be tailored for the elderly as well. To this end, LILY has teamed up with one of China’s top retail companies, Lushang Group, to produce personalised e-commerce solutions for the silver market, such as nutritious products. According to Dr Wang Renquan, Chairman of Lushang Group, this collaboration “will help to create a more friendly and inclusive environment for seniors not only in Singapore, but also across Asia and the rest of the world”.

LILY is also taking an extensive look at how game technology can help the elderly overcome physical and mental issues and even serious ailments. It has developed a Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Game, which feeds information about the patient’s behaviour and movements into therapeutic

e a l l face the ageing process—the only question is how it will grab us. Will it fade our memories? Will it force us to move into eldercare facilities? And another question many

may not have thought of: In a digital world very much focused on young people, will technology still love us, when we’re 64?

From simply helping people to get around their own neighbourhood, to coping with a rise in devastating diseases such as Alzheimer’s, adapting to an older demographic may be one of the defining challenges of our age. Yet much of our society—whether our built environment or digital worlds—still treat the silver world as an afterthought, or at best a niche market.

Empowering the elderly

To rally research and innovations to counter the challenge of global ageing, NTU, in close collaboration with the University of British Columbia (UBC), has established the Joint NTU-UBC Research Centre of Excellence in Active Living for the Elderly (LILY).

The tie-up is a shining beacon in NTU’s research ecosystem, built around a focus on partnerships with other institutions, including the training of scientists and engineers who can bring a multidisciplinary approach to solving important societal issues.

In this quest, LILY is gaining ground in artificial intelligence, interactive digital media (IDM) and big data analytics—all aimed at helping the elderly remain healthily connected with society.

Funded by the National Research Foundation of Singapore under its IDM Futures Funding Initiative, LILY’s ecosystem includes 65 researchers within six research labs, with access to resources from a number of schools at NTU and UBC. The joint centre will tap the diverse multidisciplinary expertise within NTU and its collaborators, and enrich NTU’s research focus in new media and future healthcare, says Prof Lam Khin Yong, Chief of Staff and Vice President (Research) at NTU.

Prof John Hepburn, Vice President (Research & International) at UBC, points to the impact on healthcare bills as a

advice and diagnosis, so individualised physical treatment can happen. Says Assoc Prof Miao Chun Yan, LILY’s Director: “We are not trying to replace doctors, but instead collect and analyse data to help provide a more complete understanding of the patient’s condition.”

LILY’s testbed at UBC’s Pacif ic Parkinson’s Research Centre is studying the effectiveness of interactive games in diagnosing and rehabi l itat ing Parkinson’s disease.

And chances are if you visit a hospital or even a community centre in Singapore, you might find some older gamers testing out a Table Tennis Wellness Game, which requires players to differentiate between balls of different colours. The game trains the mind as well as physical reflexes and mobility.

Other projects at the research centre will help older people live independently in their own homes and communities. Assoc Prof Tan Ah-Hwee, who is leading a group developing digital assistants such as virtual nurses or butlers for the elderly, notes: “It is important that the design provides a simple, friendly and intuitive interface for the user.”

From motion sensors to digital assistants

“Most countries cannot afford to house all their elderly in nursing homes, so the main thrust of our centre is ageing in place,” explains Prof Cyril Leung, LILY’s Co-Director.

As part of LILY’s research using wearable technologies to bring about personalised caregiving in-place, scientists are fine-tuning a sensing system that “tells the story” of a senior person’s day. Sensors pick up clues about the person’s eating habits and emotional state—for example, if they are behaving anxiously by repeatedly opening the same door or if they do not open the fridge all day.

In all, LILY has six “Silver” research thrusts, from smart digital assistants to matching of elderly with community participation opportunities. In bringing digital assistance to those who actually need it the most, LILY hopes to help seniors live “agelessly” and remain engaged in their daily lives, whether online or offline.


Chemistry coup:

creating new molecules in a single step

By Robin Chi

Assoc Prof Robin Chi from NTU’s School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences received a Class of 2016 NRF Investigatorship award for his project “Opportunities with carbene organocatalysis: New activation modes & metal-free rapid green access to functional molecules”. The funding is given out by Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF) to a small number of Principal Investigators with a track record of research achievements.

More details of his research can be found in Nature Chemistry (2013), DOI: 10.1038/nchem.1710, J. A. Chem. Soc. (2013), DOI: 10.1021/ja401511r, and Nature Communications (2015), DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7207.

o produce the hundreds of thousands of different pharmaceutical and functional molecules needed in today’s world, chemical, pharmaceutical and biomedical manufacturing companies make use of synthetic chemistry.

Most chemical synthesis processes used in industrial manufacturing involve a succession of chemical reactions. These reactions not only lead to high production costs but also environmental issues such as high energy consumption and the generation of waste.

To reduce the number of synthesis steps required, we need new strategies that use readily-available basic substrates, as well as inexpensive synthesis processes that allow functional groups to be directly added to these substrates. Unfortunately, the addition of functional groups to substrates is often hampered by the specific electronic properties of the atoms involved in the reactions. To overcome these intrinsic reactivity issues, traditional approaches have used additional synthesis steps to alter the electric properties (such as polarity) of the atoms.

Our objective was to develop extremely short—ideally single-step—and yet highly effective chemical synthesis methods to produce pharmaceuticals and other functional molecules. We also wanted to use fewer resources in the process and dramatically reduce the amount of waste generated.

T

F R O M T H E R E S E A R C H E R ’ S D E S K


Challenging Common beliefs in ChemisTryTo realise these goals, we reviewed some of the commonly held “principles” in chemical reactions. For example, chemistry textbooks tell us that that the beta-sp3-carbon of a saturated ester is inert/non-reactive and cannot be directly functionalised. We have challenged this belief and discovered previously unknown chemical reactivities of carbonyl compounds such as esters. Based on a fresh understanding of chemical reactions and the reactivity of their components, we developed new ways to directly activate chemical bonds, allowing new functional groups to be rapidly added to substrates.

In particular, our team found that N-heterocyclic carbene can be used as a key organic catalyst to directly activate raw materials and transform them into functional molecules such as bioactive amino acids and pharmaceuticals—all in a single step. As a result, we can now convert simple and sustainable raw materials such as carboxylic acid, carboxylic esters and sugars—obtained from renewable sources like corn and other field crops—into desired end products quickly, at low cost and without much energy use.

how single sTep aCTivaTion worksOur research showed that carbene can catalyse one-step reactions by changing the locations of the electrons surrounding individual atoms in substrate molecules, thereby altering the electric properties and reactivity of the substrate. Specifically, carbene enables electrons to move along chemical bonds within the substrate molecule (without the need for additional reagents such as oxidants), thus inverting or tuning the molecule’s polarity and reactivity.

These basic scientific discoveries, initially carried out on the milligramme scale, are now being scaled up to the kilogramme range and tested for potential commercial applications. In particular, our lab is developing a synthetic method to produce carbene molecules (that can be used as catalysts, ligands and scaffolds of bioactive molecules), non-natural amino acid-type molecules (for biomedical use), and other hetero-atom-containing functional molecules at the kilogramme scale.

making ChemiCal synThesis “green”Since all components used in our reactions are from renewable sources, our strategy offers an eco-friendly way to produce functional molecules needed for biomedicine, pharmaceuticals and other purposes. And in contrast to many traditional methods where the transition metal catalysts and other reagents used are expensive and often toxic, our processes are “green”, non-toxic and rely on inexpensive organic molecules as catalysts. This way, we can generate metal-free products that are safe to humans and ideally suited for biomedical applications.

powerful pharmaCeuTiCal and biomediCal appliCaTions Through fundamenTally new aCTivaTion modes

Carbohydrates/biomass

Carboxylic acids/estersSustainable and inexpensive raw materials

(metal-free)Organic catalysis

“single-step” operation

High-value functional molecules and drugs


Flexible and stretchable devices

for seamless human-machine communication

By Wang Jiangxin and Lee Pooi See

Prof Lee Pooi See is Associate Chair (Faculty) at NTU’s School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). She recently won an investigatorship award from Singapore’s National Research Foundation to pursue her project “Deformable electronic materials and devices for human machine interface”. Her joint project with MSE Senior Lecturer Dr Long Yi on smart energy-saving low-cost windows was selected for the TechConnect 2015 Global Innovation Award through an industry-review process. Wang Jiangxin is a graduate student at the School.

films were attached on rubbers to produce stretchable conductors. Since then, stretchable electronics has become a hot topic among research groups all over the world. Our research group focuses on electronic interfaces and devices that can receive feedback and respond accordingly.

Two ways To flexWhen it comes to building flexible electronic devices, two strategies are typically used. The first one, which is more complicated and expensive, uses conventional materials and assembles them into stretchable structures, with the clash between the soft and rigid components in the system posing a challenge. The second strategy relies on novel stretchable materials. Using this cost-effective approach, our group has developed unique stretchable materials and simple fabrication approaches to achieve fully stretchable electronic devices.

replaCing The sensesPhotodetectors: Photodetectors are electronic components that can convert light into electrical signals. Soft and stretchable photodetectors could be used in a range of applications such as wearable monitoring systems, electronic eyes for the blind, infrared detectors for night vision and bionic eyes in robotics.

Using nanowires, we made a stretchable photodetector that can be flexed, twisted or stretched (as shown in Figure 1) while maintaining its function.

The way human beings and machines interact is evolving rapidly. However, the development of next-generation human-machine interfaces is limited by the mismatch between our soft, curved bodies and the rigid, flat electronics of conventional technologies. Thus, soft and flexible electronic devices that can be comfortably worn

or assembled onto wearable textiles are in high demand. The idea of flexible and stretchable electronics can be

traced back to the late 1990s, when thin, wrinkled metal

Th is resea rch has been published in [1] Advanced M a t e r i a l s (2014), D O I : 10.1002/adma.201304226; [2] Nanoscale (2014), DOI: 10.1039/C 4 N R02462 A ; [3] A d v a n c e d M a t e r i a l s (2014), D O I : 10.10 02/adma.201304742; [4] ACS Nano (2015), DOI: 10.1021/nn507441c; [5] Advanced Materials (2015) 27 2876-2 8 82 , D O I : 10 .10 0 2 /a d m a . 2014 05486; a n d [6] A d v a n c e d M a t e r i a l s (2015), D O I : 10.10 02/adma.201504187.



Figure 1. Bent and twisted all-nanowire photodetectors. Reprinted with permission from [1] and [2].

Figure 2. (a) Implanted strain sensor on data gloves. Reprinted with permission from [3]. (b) Stretchable thermistor in relaxed and twisted states. Reprinted with permission from [4].

Figure 3. The stretchable light-emitting device being bent, twisted and stretched. Reprinted with permission from [5].

Bent Twisted

Stretched

0% 100%

a

b

Strain sensors: Strain sensors detect electrical shifts when bending occurs. Highly stretchable strain detectors are needed to accommodate the strain that arises when we stretch, for example. Existing strain sensors are based on bulky technologies that don’t stretch much.

We used an innovative method to fabricate high-strain sensors based on crumpled graphene embedded in an elastomer matrix. Our strain sensor can detect strains up to 100%. Taking advantage of the excellent stretchability of the strain sensor, we implanted it on gloves as shown in Figure 2a. This prototype provided real-time feedback on finger movements.

Temperature sensors: By exploiting the fact that crumpled graphene changes its electrical resistivity under different temperatures, we developed a stretchable temperature sensor that could sustain strains up to 50%.

flexible responsesElectroluminescent devices: Electroluminescent devices are the primary components of lighting and displays. Stretchable versions of these devices will be a key feature of tomorrow’s soft display systems and biomedical imaging devices.

We came up with a novel stretchable transparent electrode that was used to create light-emitting devices that can accommodate up to 100% strain. We went on to significantly improve the elasticity of light-emitting devices by using ionic conductors as the electrode. The super-elastic light-emitting device could be stretched to 700% strain.

Actuators: Dielectric elastomers are emerging “smart materials” that can generate mechanical movement in response to electricity. Cheap to fabricate and boasting a high power density, these rubbers have the further advantage of being easy to miniaturise.

Using dielectric elastomers, we developed transparent, thin and soft actuators. Our device was created by integrating our stretchable light-emitting device with a soft actuator. The resulting self-bending light-emitting device will have many applications, such as in interactive display systems.

Aside from these devices, we are extensively exploring other innovative materials and fabrication methods. The new capabilities we will generate through these new-age flexible devices will spur the leap towards the vision of seamless human-machine interactions.


ConTrollable synThesis of funCTional maTerials from meTal-organiC frameworksOur research group is developing functional materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion. By precisely manipulating the chemical composition and micro-/nano-structure of the materials, we can significantly alter or improve their physical and chemical properties. We are exploring novel synthesis methods to obtain useful functional materials in a cost-effective and controllable manner.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a new and large family of ordered porous materials constructed by metal clusters and organic ligands. The wide variety of chemical compositions and pore structures available has led to a fascinating array of MOFs for important applications such as gas storage, separation, catalysis and ion conduction. In addition, MOFs can be used to fabricate other types of

epleting fossil fuels have led to a search for alternative energy sources that are more sustainable. In the past decades, there has been great progress in the harvesting of renewable energy, such as solar and wind energy, for electricity. However, their intermittent and uncontrollable nature makes it difficult to harness

them efficiently. A promising strategy is to convert the electricity

generated into chemical energy in the form of fuels (e.g., hydrogen and hydrocarbons) and devices (e.g., batteries and electrochemical capacitors). These electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies rely heavily on materials to work, such as electrocatalysts for fuel generation and electrodes for energy storage. Therefore, the exploration of high-performance functional materials has been a primary focus among energy researchers.

d

Functional materials

from metal-organic frameworks for

efficient electrochemical

energy storage and conversion

By David Lou

Prof David Lou from NTU’s School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering received a 2016 investigatorship award from Singapore’s National Research Foundation for his project “Metal-organic-framework derived functional materials for electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies”. He is placed 8th among the World’s 19 Hottest Researchers in Thomson Reuters’ list of The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds 2015.

This research was published in Nature Communications (2015), DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7512; Chemistry – A European Journal (2013), DOI: 10.1002/chem.201301689; and Journal of the American Chemical Society (2012), DOI: 10.1021/ja307475c.



Because of its unique structure, the porous MoCx demonstrates excellent electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution in both acidic and basic solutions, behaving like commercial platinum/carbon catalysts. Considering its ease of synthesis and low cost, the porous MoCx catalyst is an attractive alternative to platinum for large-scale applications.

hollow and porous funCTional maTerials for eleCTroChemiCal energy sTorage The synthesis of functional materials from MOFs is also simple and straightforward. For example, starting from several common MOFs, our group has successfully prepared a series of functional materials in well-defined hollow or porous structures with various shapes and morphologies, including iron oxide microboxes (Figure 3), microporous carbon polyhedrons, and cobalt nanoparticle-embedded carbon double-shelled nanocages.

We have also found promising applications for these functional materials in lithium-ion and lithium-sulphur batteries. Iron oxide microboxes can be used as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries, with much higher specific capacity than commercially-used graphite anodes. After loading sulphur into the microporous carbon, the composite can serve as a cathode material in lithium-sulphur batteries, producing novel rechargeable batteries with potentially higher energy densities than current lithium-ion batteries.

Fig 2. (a) Transmission electron micrograph and (b) elemental mapping of porous MoCx showing the spatial distribution of carbon and molybdenum.

Fig 1. A variety of functional materials synthesised from metal-organic frameworks.

functional materials for use in electrochemical energy storage and conversion.

Many cost-effective and scalable approaches are possible for the controllable conversion of MOFs into functional materials such as carbons, metal oxides/sulfides/carbides and their composites (Figure 1). For instance, MOFs could be easily converted into metal carbides, metal oxides or carbons by simply annealing them under an inert or oxidative environment. They can also be annealed in solution to obtain metal oxides/hydroxides/sulfides. Compared with other methods, the synthesis of functional materials from MOFs offers simultaneous control over their chemical composition and micro-/nanostructure.

porous meTal Carbides for hydrogen evoluTion from waTerProducing hydrogen from water by electrolysis is an efficient and sustainable method to generate hydrogen, a clean fuel that is oxidised back to water. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) requires active electrocatalysts, among which platinum is the best but most costly option. Several noble metal-free materials, such as earlier transition metal carbides, hold great promise as alternative, inexpensive HER electrocatalysts.

Synthesis of metal carbides typically requires high temperatures to trigger the carburisation reaction, which inevitably causes coarsening and the reduction of activity. Recently, we chose a well-studied copper-based MOF as a host and precursor to prepare a highly active HER electrocatalyst from porous molybdenum carbide (MoCx) (Figure 2). The carburisation reaction is confined between the MOF host and the Mo-containing guest in the pores, which guarantees an in situ and homogeneous reaction, and produces very small MoCx nanocrystallites embedded in a porous carbon matrix. This synthetic approach overcomes the agglomeration and coalescence problems associated with conventional solid state reactions.

a b

Fig 3. (a) Field emission s c a n n i n g e l e c t r o n m i c r o s c o p y a n d ( b) transmission electron microscopy images of iron oxide microboxes. (c) Cycling performance of iron oxide microboxes as anodes for lithium-ion batteries.

a b


A conversation with pioneering structural biologist Professor Daniela Rhodes

tIny ProteIns,

BIgImPact

ith a dazzling record of achievements, Prof Daniela Rhodes FRS left one of the world’s oldest universities to join one of the world’s youngest. At the world-renowned MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, she worked alongside five Nobel Prize winners. Now the Director of the NTU Institute of Structural

Biology and a professor at NTU’s School of Biological Sciences and Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, she continues to use structural research to find answers to fundamental biological questions.

W


C O N V E R S A T I O N S

You spent 42 years at the Laboratory of Molecular

Biology in Cambridge. How did that impact your research philosophy?

The scientists [at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology] were full of curiosity and never lost track

of the questions they were trying to answer. The only thing that counted was the science, and central funding allowed scientists to pursue the most challenging and interesting questions.

The most valuable lesson I learnt there was that you have to think broadly and deeply, and define the most interesting questions. If people only have grant money and their career prospects depend on the number of papers they have published, they will only ask questions that they can easily answer to get the papers out. But if you want to drive science forward, you really need to ask the most important questions in your area of research and create a research environment where scientists are supported to tackle the most important problems.

Q

A



C O N V E R S A T I O N S

history shows that all big discoveries

that changed the world

primarily come from basic science.

What is the mission of the NTU Institute of Structural Biology?

NTU and its School of Biological Science s have a s t rong foundation in structural biology,

particularly in two major methods—crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance—as well as cell imaging.

After I joined NTU in 2011, we set up the state-of-the-art electron microscopy lab. In 2013, a consortium of eight research groups—six of which are based at NTU—was awarded a US$16.5 million (S$23.8 million) grant from Singapore’s Ministry of Education over five years for a project addressing specif ic structures at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. The multidisciplinarity of the consortium—ranging from physics to cell biology—is very challenging and stimulating, leading to novel ideas and approaches.

The institute, which oversees the work of the consortium, has two major aims. First, we want to have all structural methods under one umbrella to allow people to tackle scientific questions with different structural methods. Second, we want to encourage scientists from different research areas to work together on important medical problems.

Q

A

Why has NTU made structural biology such an important

priority to it?

The biggest and most exciting developments in the analysis of biomolecular structures

have been in electron microscopy. The progress in computational methods has also been amazing. These developments mean that although we only started a few years ago, we already need to think about upgrading and expanding, increasing the number of researchers and getting another microscope, as our current microscopes are used around the clock.

In structural biology, both the instrumentation and the specialists you need to run the instruments and conduct computational analyses are very expensive. Central funding is the only way to go, and since Singapore is so small, it would make a lot of sense if it became a nation-wide effort.

Q

A

Where do NTU and Singapore stand globally in the field of

structural biology?

Singapore has most of the structural methods—nuclear magnetic resonance and

electron microscopy—to carry out cutting-edge structural determinations, and X-ray crystallographers can collect data at synchrotron stations like the ones in Taiwan or Australia.

In comparison to my previous environment in Cambridge, structural work in Singapore overall is more directed and less risky, which is likely a result of the Singaporean funding system. NTU itself is very strong in structural biology, having invested heavily in infrastructure and produced biologically and medically important structures.

Q

A

How does your research on telomeres—and structural

biology in general—advance the understanding of human health?

My own interests are in solving challenging biological problems that have to do

with human diseases. The beauty of structural biology is that it provides a detailed understanding of function and how, for instance, mutations cause proteins to malfunction. To have structural information on a protein also provides the most rational way of designing drugs. When you can see how a particular drug binds, you can design more efficient drugs.

I try to understand why telomeres are a hot spot for DNA damage, which makes them important in both cancer and ageing. I am also very interested in the structure of telomerase, an enzyme that synthesises telomeric DNA. Telomerase is expressed in embryonic stem cells but is turned off in most adult tissue. However, telomerase is upregulated in about 90% of human cancers, allowing cancer cells to survive and to become immortal. Understanding the structure of telomerase might allow us to find a strategy to prevent telomerase from repairing the telomeres in cancer cells.

Q

A

As the former chair of the European Molecular Biology

Organisation Council from 2009 to 2011, do you have any advice for advancing molecular biology research here in Singapore?

I am completely convinced that the only way to get excellence in science is to fund the best

research and give scientists the freedom to pursue their most imaginative ideas. Basic research must be funded. History shows that all big discoveries that changed the world primarily come from basic science.

Q

A


Showing uS the body in a new light

o understand what ails us, we first need to see how our bodies work. Across the NTU campus, a d v a nc e d i m a g i n g technologies are giving researchers a closer look

at everything from the intricate networks of neurons in the brain to what’s happening inside our cells.

T


F A C E S

“We need a better understanding of pathological ageing and neurodegenerative diseases in order to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches,” says Prof Balázs Gulyás, Professor of Neuroscience and Mental Health and Scientific Director of the Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Programme at NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

The clinician-scientist, who spent most of his scientific career at the world-renowned Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, is leading translational neuroscience efforts at NTU’s joint medical school with Imperial College London.

P r o fB a l á z sG u l y á s

01

Here, he is studying brain inflammation using humanised animal disease models and developing molecular imaging biomarkers for the early diagnosis of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Together with clinicians, he will test these diagnostic markers in patients.

Prof Gulyás also heads NTU’s Human Brain Imaging Centre, a US$7.6 million (S$11 million) state-of-the-art facility launched in 2015 to visualise the structural and functional dynamics of the human brain using cutting-edge neuroimaging technologies, including magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography.


At NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Prof Christer Halldin, a global pioneer in the development of diagnostic biomarkers for neurological disorders, ha s e stabl i she d t he T ra nslat iona l NeuroImaging Platform, which aims to develop, test and validate novel positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands as early molecular imaging biomarkers.

T h e P r o f e s s o r o f M e d i c i n a l Radiochemistry and Director of the PET Centre at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, is globally renowned for developing about a third of radioligands used in clinical brain PET imaging worldwide.

The Translational NeuroImaging Platform at NTU’s medical school will be used to conduct clinical research and pre-clinical studies with “humanised” small animal disease models. Major diseases affecting us today, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, traumatic brain injury, stroke, cancer and diabetes, will come under the spotlight.

“Our ultimate goal is to improve the diagnostic and therapeutic repertoire of local healthcare systems and to improve patients’ lives,” Prof Halldin says. “Using PET imaging, we want to develop novel drugs that can be tested and validated in the uniquely multi-ethnic population of Singapore.”

To achieve this goal, Prof Halldin has also set up a virtual molecular neuroimaging network that consists of NTU’s medical school, Singapore Radiopharmaceuticals —a local PET radioligands-producing company—and the Experimental Medicine Centre of one of Singapore’s biggest healthcare providers, SingHealth.

P r o f C h r i s t e rh a l l d i n

02


F A C E S

with international optics leader Carl Zeiss, giving the centre’s Advanced Biofilm Imaging Facility access to Zeiss’ advanced imaging technologies such as its high-resolution, high-sensitivity laser scanning confocal systems. “The use of fluorescence microscopy at super resolution dimensions allows us to study the behaviour of heterogeneous communities of microorganisms in real time,” he says.

In collaboration with micro-hydraulic engineering experts from NTU, Prof Cohen has developed biofilm growth chambers to study mixed-species biofilms in both real time and 3D. The patented growth chambers open new avenues of research in “biofilm engineering”, with potential applications in wound healing, antibiotics and other areas.

“We need to overcome classical microbiology that looks at one bacterial species at a time,” says Prof Yehuda Cohen, Deputy Director of the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering at NTU.

The world-renow ne d m icrobia l ecologist, who started his career at the medical school of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and later headed the Israeli Marine Research Facility in the Red Sea, is also the founder and former head of the Minerva Centre for Marine Biogeochemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

He joined NTU in 2011, where he is studying biofilms. These multispecies microbial communities are found in every environment, including the human body.

Prof Cohen has initiated a partnership

03P r o f

y e h u d a C o h e n


04At NTU’s Cryo-Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Asst Prof Sara Sandin visualises complex macromolecular protein structures in their native environments.

“Thanks to cryo-electron microscopy and to new detectors such as direct-electron-detectors—which can measure single electrons—we have been able to determine structures at near atomic resolution,” says the researcher, who joined NTU’s School of Biological Sciences as an Assistant Professor in 2012 after pursuing postdoctoral research at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK.

A s st P rof Sa nd i n i s pa r t of a multidisciplinary research programme in Singapore on the structure, function and dynamics of chromosomes in the context of cancer and ageing, funded by a US$16.5 million (S$23.8 million) grant over five years and led by NTU’s Prof Daniela Rhodes.

The researchers are improving a new technique called Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy to visualise cell components in their native environment. These structures include chromatin, which are complexes of DNA and proteins in the nucleus, and telomeres, which are protective tips at the ends of chromosomes. In the future, the technique could be applied to entire tissues and organisms.

asst Profsara sandin

rom talks by Nobel Laureates t o “p er for ma nc e s” by our eight-legged friends, NTU has provided rich opportunities for inspiration, showing how art, science and technology can come

together in fascinating ways.Last October, Dr Sydney Brenner

was honoured at the Sydney Brenner Scientific Symposium and

Exhibition. A co-recipient

f

G l o b a l d i a l o G u e

4th International Workshop on Solar Energy for Sustainability: “Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics”Organised by NTU Institute of Advanced Studies

21 – 24 March 2016

Venue: Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU, Singaporewww.ntu.edu.sg/ias/upcomingevents/4thPhotosynthesis/Pages/default.aspx

3rd Asian Wave and Tidal Energy Conference – AWTEC 2016Co-organised by Energy Research Institute @ NTU and Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore

24 – 28 October 2016

Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

www.awtec.asia/awtec-2016/

Public Symposium: Evolution of Cells, Genomesand ProteinsOrganised by NTU Institute of Advanced Studies together with The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and with support from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Sweden

1 – 3 February 2016

Venue: Nanyang Executive Centre, NTU, Singapore

www.ntu.edu.sg/ias/upcomingevents/ECGP/Pages/default.aspx

Conference on New Physics at the Large Hadron ColliderOrganised by NTU Institute of Advanced Studies

29 February – 4 March 2016


www.ntu.edu.sg/ias/upcomingevents/NPLHC/Pages/default.aspx

Annual NTU Winter School: Introduction to Complexity ScienceOrganised by NTU’s Complexity Institute

10 – 16 March 2016

Venue: NTU, Singapore

www.complexity.ntu.edu.sg/Programmes/SchoolsCourses/Pages/2016-Winter-School.aspx

Complexity Conference: Silent TransformationOrganised by NTU’s Para Limes

7 – 9 March 2016


www.paralimes.ntu.edu.sg/Pages/Home.aspx

QS Subject Focus Summit – Electrical and Electronic EngineeringCo-organised by QS Asia Quacquarelli Symonds and NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

9 – 11 March 2016

Venue: Grand Hyatt Singapore

qssubjectfocus.com/eee-2016/

EvENTSof the 2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Dr Brenner has been intimately involved in biomedical science in Singapore since setting up the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology at Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) three decades ago.

The two-day symposium, jointly organised by A*STAR, NTU, the National University of Singapore and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, featured keynote speeches by Dr Brenner, Dr James Watson (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1962) and Dr Richard Roberts (Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1993); presentations by 17 distinguished speakers; and an exhibition on Dr Brenner’s life in science titled “A Heroic Voyage”.

More than 400 top pol it ical advisors, policymakers and managers from international organisations also came together for the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) 2015 Conference, held in Singapore in September and October last year. Co-organised by NTU and the Singapore chapter of the society, the conference shed light on research management in a global context, with topics such as the changing nature of innovation, crowdfunding, research integrity and the translation of research ideas into products.

Over at NTU’s arts enclave—the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore —incy wincy medleys stole the show. An intriguing combination of architecture and science, Arachnid Orchestra. Jam Sessions by internationally acclaimed Argentinian artist Tomás Saraceno featured installations of spider webs, including their builders. Sounds created by the vibrations in the spiders’ silk thread networks were captured with microphones and laser vibrometers, and translated into acoustic rhythms. Local guest musicians used various instruments to interact with the sounds generated by the spiders for a unique audio experience.


From Cornell to NTU SingaporeProf Chen Tsuhan, new Dean of NTU’s College of Engineering, says he was attracted to his new role by “the energy, vitality and ‘can-do’ spirit” of the College. He is also the Cheng Tsang Man Chair Professor at NTU.

“NTU’s College of Engineering is among the largest and finest engineering colleges in the world, with faculty performing cutting-edge research and students receiving high-quality education,” he says. “I see my role in helping the College recruit the best faculty and students, develop innovative ways to deliver quality education, and create partnership opportunities between schools and research units in the University.”

Before joining NTU, he was the David E Burr Professor of Engineering and Director of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Cornell University, where he led the School to top ranking positions as a computer and electrical engineering graduate school in the United States.

Another honorary doctorate for NTU PresidentFor his contributions in academia and commitment to fostering close ties between NTU and Tianjin University, NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson was conferred an honorary doctorate from China’s Tianjin University. A Fellow of Imperial College London, he has more than 13 honorary doctorates, including honorary degrees from University of Edinburgh, University of New South Wales and Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Oscars of data centre industryNTU’s Cloud3DView project team, led by Asst Prof Wen Yonggang from the School of Computer Engineering, won the “Open” Data Centre Project title in the 2015 DatacenterDynamics Asia Pacific Awards, considered the Oscars of the data centre industry. Their project was on Cloud3DView, a human-centric 3D-gamification platform that helps to reduce the risk of adopting new technologies in data centre operations.

Newfaces

THE honour roll

High honours from IES/IEEEN T U ’ s V i c e - P r e s i d e n t (International Af fairs) and Professor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Prof Er Meng Hwa, received the joint IES/IEEE Medal of Excellence Award 2015 from the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, and the Singapore section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineer s, “for playing a pivotal role in innovating and revolutionising scientific research and education”.


A T A G L A N C E

Five out of eight national awards to NTU facultyFive researchers from NTU—Prof Lee Pooi See, Associate Chair (Faculty) of the School of Materials Science and Engineering; Prof Louis Phee, Chair of the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Prof Hilmi Volkan Demir, Director of Luminous! Centre of Excellence for Semiconductor Lighting and Displays; Prof David Lou from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering; and Assoc Prof Robin Chi from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences—received Class of 2016 NRF Investigatorship awards from Singapore’s National Research Foundation (NRF).

The funding is given out to a small number of excellent Principal Investigators who have a track record of research achievements that identify them as leaders in their fields of research.

Prof Lee Pooi See

Prof Hilmi Volkan DemirAssoc Prof Robin Chi

Prof Louis Phee

Prof David Lou

Young innovator awardAssoc Prof Chen Xiaodong from the School of Materials Science and Engineering received the 2015 Small Young Innovator Award, which recognises scientists or engineers below the age of 40 for outstanding, interdisciplinary scientif ic work in the development and fundamental understanding of nanoscience and nanotechnology. He also won the 2015 Lubrizol Young Materials Science Investigator Award.

Young scientist accoladeAsst Prof Nripan Mathews, a photovoltaics expert at NTU, won the Young Scientist Award 2015 for developing novel electronic materials and devices, and furthering their potential. The award, from the Singapore National Academy of Science, is presented to researchers aged 35 and below who have shown great potential to be world-class researchers.

Fulbright US-ASEAN awardeeAssoc Prof May Oo Lwin, Associate Dean (Special Projects) at NTU’s College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, and Director of the University

Scholars Programme, is the Singapore award recipient among ten new visiting scholars from ASEAN nations selected for the Fulbright US-ASEAN initiative. She will spend up to four months in the United States researching topics at the intersection of public health, media technology and innovation, and communication.

Institute of Physics prizeThe 2015 Young Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics was awarded to Prof Nikolay Zheludev, Co-Director of NTU’s Photonics Institute and a world

leader in his field. He was feted for his seminal contributions in optical metamaterials and nanophotonics.


A new consortium will develop technologies to harness and distribute

energy from light for areas such as the internet, medicine, security and defence, and to boost Singapore’s startup e c o s y s t e m . F o r m e d b y NTU in partnership with the National University of Singapore and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, the LUX Photonics Consortium will facilitate s t r o n g e r c o l l a b o r a t i o n s between institutes of higher learning and the industry. It is backed by a US$27.8 million (S$40 million) grant from the Singapore government.

Droids like Star Wars’ C-3PO aren’t just the stuf f of movies. NTU

recently unveiled robots that look almost human, with soft skin, a sense of humour and even good manners. One such humanoid robot at NTU that made headlines recently is Nadine. She has artificial intel l igence software that lets her hold a conversation reflecting her own mood and personality. Humanoids like

2

1

Fresh solutions for greener and more stable energy s u p p l i e s — t h a t ’s t h e

promise of a new partnership between NTU and French energy and transport giant, Alstom. The tie-up is the first project under the Renewable Energy Integration Demonstrator – Singapore initiative led by the Energy Research Institute @ N T U and supported by t he S i n ga p o r e E c o no m ic Development Board. They will jointly develop a “MicroGrid Power M i x Ma nagement” s o lut i o n t o s y s t e m i c a l ly integrate renewable energies and energy storage into microgrids, irrespective of whether they are connected to a main power grid.

3

S a f e r s k i e s a r e o n the horizon with the establ ish ment of the

Air Traffic Management R e s e a r c h I n s t it u t e , a US$50.1 million (S$72 million) t ie -up between N T U a nd Singapore’s national agency for civil aviation. It features a two-storey-high Air Traffic Control Tower Simulator—one of the world’s most advanced and largest—where, together with the Radar Simulation Laboratory, new flight routes and flight management software will be tested.

4

A b e t t e r w o r l d i s materialising. NTU and S i n g a p o r e’s A g e n c y

for Science, Technology and Research have set up the US$20.9 million (S$30 million) Silicon Technologies Centre of Excellence to study novel uses of materials in security, environmental protection, medicine, wearable technology and even in space.

5

N T U’s space jou r ney continues. In December 2015, t wo s at e l l i t e s

bui lt by N T U’s Satel l ite Research Centre and one developed by ST Electronics (Satellite Systems)—a joint venture involving NTU—were launched from India into space. Both NTU’s 123kg c l i m a t e - m o n it o r i n g a nd navigation satellite VELOX-CI and ST Electronic’s 400kg TeLEOS-1 are equipped with sensors and instruments to help in urban planning, disaster management and monitoring of haze in the region. The smaller 12kg VELOX-II is carrying a commercial payload.

6

The NTU campus is being turned into a high-tech living test bed for smart cars and traffic systems, steered by NTU and NXP Semiconductors N.V., a technology leader in

secure connected cars. Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board, the US$15.3 million (S$22 million) NTU-NXP Smart Mobility Test Bed will allow companies, research institutes and government agencies to deploy, test and validate future V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) technologies—involving wireless communications between vehicles and with intelligent infrastructure such as traffic cameras and traffic lights—in real-world scenarios.

7

Nadine with her creator, Prof Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, Director of NTU’s Institute for Media Innovation.

Nadine could act as personal assistants or social companions for the young and elderly.

E D G A R , a r e m o t e telepresence robot, behaves like your avatar or clone. Using a webcam, you can project your own face onto EDGAR’s and control the robot and its limbs from anywhere in the world, even shaking hands, writing or drawing. Need to give a speech? Send EDGAR to do it on your behalf.

Coming your way


A T A G L A N C E

V2X technologies being tested at NTU.

3D model of VELOX-CI.

The world’s besT

young universiTyis looking for Theworld’s mosT

promising professors

www.ntu.edu.sg

Here are 3 good reasons to join NTU Singapore,

the world’s top young university

If you are an early-career researcher (postdoctoral fellow or equivalent), and are ready to lead your research group independently, write to us at [email protected] or visit www.ntu.edu.sg/nap. Apply for the 2017 Nanyang Assistant Professorship by 9 October 2016.

Pursue your highest aspirations at the world’s fastest-rising young university that is also in

the top 13 of the global university league

Reap results at this research-intensiveuniversity that leads the top Asian universities

in normalised research citation impact (Thomson Reuters InCites 2015) and is ranked 40th in the

Nature Index Global

Rise in your chosen field as an elite nanyang Assistant professor with a start-up research grant of up to US$695,000 (S$1 million), an

attractive remuneration package and a tenure-track appointment

g No 200604393R - NTU · 2016. 7. 4. · the Nobel Laureates, and an exhibition at Singapore’s...

Documents

Transcript of g No 200604393R - NTU · 2016. 7. 4. · the Nobel Laureates, and an exhibition at Singapore’s...