Our lead story explores the world of AI in healthcare and its potential impact, be it on medical professionals, patients or the wider healthcare industry. While the speed of AI technology is often touted as one of its greatest assets in healthcare, we delve deeper into the notion that speed alone is not enough.
In the feature, Nicole Lim, our senior editor, ponders how AI’s true potential lies in its ability to assist healthcare professionals in making more accurate diagnoses, improving treatment plans, and enhancing patient outcomes. We emphasise the need for a holistic approach that combines speed with ethical considerations, transparency and human expertise to ensure the responsible and effective use of AI in healthcare.
We also celebrate Duke-NUS’ latest incoming cohort of students. With its innovative curriculum that integrates AI and other cutting-edge technologies, Duke-NUS is leading the way in preparing future healthcare professionals for the challenges and opportunities of an AI-driven healthcare landscape. And that is another “plus” in our “Clinician First, Clinician Plus” educational philosophy.
Heart disease affects millions of people worldwide, but there is now renewed hope thanks to a groundbreaking stem cell therapy developed by Duke-NUS researchers. This therapy paves the way for restoring heart function by growing heart muscle cells from stem cells, presenting a potential game-changer in the treatment of heart disease.
in our profile, Dr Chua Li Min talks to Wang Yibin, an inspiring scientist who is fearlessly dedicated to his pursuit of scientific knowledge. With a relentless passion for finding answers, Wang, Director of Duke-NUS’ Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Programme, tackles one research question after another, making significant contributions to the field of cardiovascular health and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Our “In Conversation With” guest continues the discussion about matters of the heart. With our guest Peter Liu, we explore the intriguing connection between the brain and heart. Liu, a renowned heart expert, shares his thoughts on how the brain and heart interact, and talks about his research on the link between COVID vaccines and heart inflammation, shedding light on an important topic in the field of cardiology.
In Campus, we talk about the Student-in-Practice programme, during which our fourth-year medical students gain invaluable hands-on experience and a taste of the daily responsibilities of junior doctors, preparing them for the challenges before they embark on their professional journey.
In a heartwarming story, a result of true collaboration, transplant experts from Duke University come together with colleagues from the Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre to give a young girl a new lease of life. Their expertise and teamwork showcase the transformative power of medical innovation and the incredible impact it can have on individual lives.
Finally, a story that tells you to wake up and smell the coffee—a study led by colleagues from the Singapore General Hospital discovered that regular consumption of coffee and tea may offer protection against a common type of skin cancer. This intriguing finding highlights the potential health benefits of these popular beverages and opens new avenues for further research. Let me stop and refill my cuppa as you explore these and other interesting stories here.
I hope that this issue of our magazine gives you a glimpse into the exciting possibilities and important discussions surrounding the magic of science happening every day at Duke-NUS, with our amazing partners. Together, let’s explore how technology, science and a little dose of “heart” improves lives and transforms the future of healthcare, and medicine.
Anirudh Sharma
Editor-in-chief
About MEDICUS
MEDICUS, the School’s quarterly magazine, goes beyond the latest discoveries in education, research and academic medicine, shining a spotlight on the people whose ideas are shaping the future of science and medicine. In its coverage of Duke-NUS Medical School, a landmark collaboration between Duke University and the National University of Singapore, MEDICUS publishes award-winning stories about the scientists, educators, clinicians, students and alumni who work tirelessly to transform medicine and improve lives for people on the Little Red Dot and around the world.
Awards:
About the masthead
The issue’s masthead shows a close-up of the brain’s network of neurons, with their axons encased in myelin sheaths (highlighted in green), which—like the insulation of a cable—ensure that signals can pass smoothly between neurons and throughout the nervous system and body. With age, the brain loses the ability to fully repair damage to these protective sheaths; damage that is associated with many signs of ageing as well as the development of neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis. In a recent breakthrough, Professor David Silver and Dr Vetrivel Sengottuvel from Duke-NUS’ Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders Programme discovered that a special omega-3 fatty acid lipid might just be a way to retain myelin in the ageing brain.
Editor-in-chief
Anirudh Sharma
Senior editor
Nicole Lim
Production and
eDM editor
Dr Chua Li Min
Art direction
Wee Yanshou
Photography (taken or managed, unless otherwise indicated)
Norfaezah Abdullah
Digital production
Jessie Chew
Marketing and social
Sean Firoz
Writers
Alice Chia
Dr Chua Li Min
Dionne Seah
Levin Tan
Nicole Lim
Sruthi Jagannathan