YOUNG RESEARCHER AWARD

Assoc Prof Markus WENK

PhD (Biozentrum University of Basel); Diploma in Biology (University of Basel)
Department of Biochemistry and Department of Biological Sciences

RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Structure, function and metabolism of membrane lipids
• Applications for lipid analyses

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

• Conceived an innovative tool for identifying lipid based biomarkers, which received a patent and is applicable to many diseases implicated with aberrant lipid metabolism
• Developed novel techniques for analysing phospholipid metabolism pertinent to membrane dynamics at the neurological nerve terminal
• Developing anti-lipid antibodies and novel biomarkers that promise to significantly impact drug development and enhance the detection and treatment of diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases
• Published many high impact papers that shed new light on neurobiology and lipid metabolism
• Consistently secured generous funding from governments, industry and universities

RESEARCH STRENGTHS

• Transcends boundaries of disciplines, geography and cultures by collaborating extensively with scientists from diverse disciplines from leading universities and laboratories worldwide

PUBLICATION CREDITS

• Over 50 papers published in international journals with more than 35 in super tier and top tier journals, and over 1300 citations received

INTERNATIONAL STANDING

• Internationally recognised as a leading researcher in the field of lipidomics
• Initiator and organiser, the biennial Singapore Lipid Symposium
• Ad hoc reviewer for top international journals such as Nature, Neuron, Analytical Chemistry and Journal of Lipid Research
• Ad hoc reviewer for many governmental agencies including the Swiss National Science Foundation, the European Commission 7th Framework Programme and the European Science Foundation
• Member, Evaluation Panel for Exploratory and Development Grants Scheme, Singapore's National Medical Research Council (since 2007)
• Invited to speak at more than 25 international conferences over the past 5 years

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

• Faculty Research Excellence Award, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (2007)
• Young Investigator Award, NUS Office of Life Sciences (2005)
• Yale Diabetes Endocrinology Research Center pilot grant (2003)
• Yale Center for Genomics and Proteomics pilot grant (2003)
• Research Associate, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (2000)
• Long-Term Fellowship, The Human Frontier Science Program Organization (1998)
• Post-doctoral Research Fellowship, Ciba-Geigy Foundation (1997)
• Junior Research Fellowship, Swiss National Science Foundation (1997)

RESEARCH ASPIRATION
To be a thought leader worldwide in the emerging field of lipidomics. My long term goal is to build and lead an institute dedicated to lipid research.