NUS - National University of Singapore

SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH BREAKTHROUGHS

•	Introducing the world’s first semi-cloned fish
	The pioneering efforts of Assoc Prof Hong Yunhan (Faculty of Science) and his research team have successfully demonstrated, for the first time, the feasibility of semi-cloning as a technique for reproduction. Using the Medaka fish, which shares a number of genes with humans in the area of reproduction, the team produced the world’s first semi-cloned fertile female Medaka fish, by haploid embryonic stem cell nuclear transfer into a normal egg. These findings have important implications for reproductive medicine and technology. The current technique for cloning – human-assisted reproduction by somatic cell nuclear transfer – has been widely debated because of its low efficiency. It further raised ethical concerns about producing an offspring that would be identical to the donor.

•	Understanding Brain Tumours via Stem Cell Research
	A group of researchers, led by Dr Wang Hongyan (Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore) have discovered a tumour-suppressing protein which may provide insights into certain types of human brain tumours, and possibly a wide variety of cancers. A study conducted on the fruit fly’s developing brain showed that the fruit fly protein PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) suppresses brain tumour formation and controls the balance of self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cells. This discovery complements Dr Wang’s earlier identification of a protein kinase Polo as a tumour suppressor, enabling her to make a connection between PP2A and Polo.

•	Creating smart and tough solutions for sustainable needs
	A research team headed by Prof Richard Liew (Faculty of Engineering) has uncovered a novel solution to conventional steel structures. Proven to be superior in terms of impact and fatigue performance, the Steel-Concrete-Steel (SCS) “sandwich” system is also more cost effective and environmentally-friendly than conventional stiffened steel plate structures. The SCS “sandwich” system is particularly suitable for applications where high structural stiffness and extreme loading are needed. The oil tanker is an example of a marine application, where collision and grounding may cause catastrophic impact on the environment.

•	Turning on the flowering ‘switch’ in plants
	A study, conducted by Dr Liou Yih-Cherng with team members Assoc Prof Yu Hao and Assoc Prof Yang Daiwen (Faculty of Science), has found that the plant version of an enzyme Pin1 can control the flowering time of plants. The Pin1 is an important enzyme that is linked to human cancers and Alzheimer’s disease. This is the first time scientists have succeeded in turning on the flowering ‘switch’ in plants, which translates into greater returns for crops by shortening their harvesting time. It will also have important applications in the floral industry as plants can be engineered to flower faster so as to increase yield.