National University of Singapore

For six years, Prof Richard Liew (Faculty of Engineering) and his team of researchers have been concentrating on developing a novel steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich composite system for applications where high structural stiffness and resistance to survive extreme loadings are required.
   The team found that their SCS system can be used as an alternative to conventional steel and concrete structures. Not only does it withstand harsh environmental conditions, its innovative modular construction methods can speed up construction and the materials can be recycled for sustainable civil infrastructure, offshore and military industries.
    As high performance materials of enhanced strength over density are used to optimise the performance of the structures, the advantages of the SCS system are many. Its high level of stiffness minimises the work of welding stiffeners, makes structural geometries simpler and provides an improved fatigue life span.
    “We have conducted extensive experiments to investigate the structural performance of SCS sandwich system,” said Prof Liew. “Its characteristic properties including compressive strength, shrinkage and creep, fire resistance and effect of freeze-thaw cycles have been studied systematically.” As a result, Prof Liew and his team achieved a breakthrough to produce cost effective, environmentally-friendly, high performance cementitious materials for industry use.
    The SCS system is currently ready to be implemented in various civil, offshore and military applications including high rise buildings, large span structures, offshore production platforms, ice caissons, fire and blast walls, double hull tankers and retrofitting of existing marine structures.

Dr Wang Hongyan (Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore), who conducts research on neuroscience and behavioural disorders, used the fruit fly Drosophila as a model to study the process of self-renewal and differentiation in neural stem cells. Using a combination of genetics and cell biology as well as a biochemical approach, she later embarked on a genome-wide analysis aimed at identifying and characterising brain tumor suppressors in the fruit fly.
   Studies carried out by Dr Wang on the fruit fly revealed that its PP2A (protein phosphatase 2A) suppresses brain tumour formation and controls the balance of self-renewal of neural stem cells. She had earlier identified a protein kinase Polo which exhibits similar properties. “Our findings have paved a way for further research on mammals in the areas of brain development and tumorigenesis,” said Dr Wang.
    Dr Wang felt that the fruit fly deserves more attention as a specimen for research. “The fruit fly is an excellent organism for genetic studies as various tools are already well established,” she explained. “Its life cycle of nine days is very short which allows us to develop our research very rapidly.”
   Her discoveries, which hold great significance in the understanding of stem cells and corresponding types of cancers, had first earned Dr Wang the Singapore National Academy of Sciences and A*STAR Young Scientist Award (the sole winner in Biological and Biomedical Sciences). She further received a generous funding of US$1.5 million to support her research efforts in this field.