A throwback to 2024

Ms Karen Chang, Senior Vice-Dean and Group Director of Corporate Services, and the IT team

Deans’ Pancake Breakfast returned

Feb 2024 On 16 February 2024, that’s precisely what visitors and passers-by got to enjoy as the second floor Atrium at Duke-NUS was filled with eight bustling pancake stations for this cherished annual tradition. Trading in their office wear and lanyards for chef hats and aprons, the deanery and faculty, as well as leaders from SingHealth, put their culinary skills on display, with all proceeds going to students’ community service projects.

Photo of a young child inside a cardboard rocket with camp organisers playing with him

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of PBSTA

Feb 2024 Marking its milestone 10th anniversary, this year’s PBSTA Day aimed to go the extra mile for the attendees. In collaboration with KKH, the National Neuroscience Institute and Porsche Club Singapore, Duke-NUS students planned the event as a space-themed day, a subject that invoked curiosity and awe, harking to many childhood aspirations. The festivities included a captivating educational programme and a carnival designed to delight and educate.

Ten Master Academic Clinicians inducted

Feb 2024 Ten outstanding doctors from the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) received top honours for delivering exceptional care to their patients and mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals. It is the largest cohort so far to be recognised at the School’s annual Hall of Master Academic Clinicians induction ceremony.

Duke-NUS and DNMA celebrates Professor Ivy Ng

Duke-NUS and DNMA celebrate Professor Ivy Ng

Mar 2024 Professor Ivy Ng, Duke-NUS’ Governing Board member and former SingHealth Group CEO, was conferred honorary membership by the Duke-NUS Medical Alumni (DNMA) association for her pivotal role in forging the academic medicine partnership between Duke-NUS and SingHealth at an appreciation reception on 22 March 2024.

Professor Patrick Tan elected to the Association of American Physicians

Apr 2024 Duke-NUS’ Senior Vice-Dean Professor Patrick Tan is among a group of distinguished individuals who were inducted into the Association of American Physicians (AAP) at a ceremony on 6 April. Election to the Association of American Physicians is an honour extended to physicians with outstanding credentials in basic or translational biomedical research and is limited to 70 persons per year.

Duke-NUS ranked among Singapore's Best Employers 2024

Apr 2024 Duke-NUS Medical School has been recognised among Singapore’s Top 200 Best Employers by Straits Times for the fourth consecutive year.

Duke-NUS Carnival: Kickstarting celebrations for our 20th anniversary

Kickstarting celebrations for the School’s 20th anniversary

May 2024 The Duke-NUS Carnival was a blast, with game booths, delicious food stalls, and pop music setting the party vibe. Cheers erupted from the festive basketball court as the School kicked off its 20th anniversary celebrations. It was the perfect way to thank staff and students for making it all happen!

Outstanding AMC Achievements at NMRC Awards 2024

May 2024 SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC teams secured S$75 million in national research grants, with groundbreaking projects addressing lymphoma, colorectal cancer, and macular degeneration. Additionally, 16 clinician-scientists received prestigious awards for innovative research, while 20 others earned development grants to advance patient care. These achievements underscore a commitment to transforming medicine and improving health outcomes.

A team of scientists from Duke-NUS in the lab

Light-controlled ‘off switch’ for brain cells

May 2024 Researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have found that a new class of light-sensitive proteins are capable of turning off brain cells with light, offering scientists an unprecedentedly effective tool to investigate brain function. The study opens exciting new opportunities to apply optogenetics to investigate the brain activity underlying neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and depression.

Largest cohort graduates

Jun 2024 Resilience, flexibility and the courage to take on new challenges. Those were three key attributes the Class of 2024 was lauded for during their Graduation and Hooding Ceremony held at The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium on Saturday, 1 June. Comprising 62 MD, 5 MD-PhD, 15 PhD and 8 Master of International Translational Medicine graduates, the Class of 2024 is Duke-NUS’ largest graduating cohort to date.

A camper spending time with her Camp Simba facilitators at the overnight camp

Camp Simba enchants and inspires

Jun 2024 A stalwart event of the school calendar, this year’s edition saw 57 committee members participating from Duke-NUS, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. It was a show of remarkable solidarity and friendship, courage and strength, as encapsulated by the camp’s mantra: “Strong I am, brave always”.

The attending graduates of the 2023a cohort gather for a selfie with their certificates. // Credit: Nicole Lim, Duke-NUS

Passion for education at the TELI graduation ceremony

Jul 2024 On 3 July, 40 healthcare professionals and educators gathered at Duke-NUS for the graduation of the Technology-Enhanced Learning for Health Professions Education executive certificate. This ceremony celebrated not only the 2024 cohort but also five previous groups, highlighting the growing impact of this course. Launched in 2021, the program equips healthcare educators with the skills to integrate technology and educational theory into their teaching practices.

20240618 Anissa Anindya Widjaja - edit 2

Discovery advances quest to slow ageing

Jul 2024 Duke-NUS scientists have identified interleukin-11 (IL11) as a key driver of ageing, linked to fat accumulation and muscle loss. Blocking IL11's effects in preclinical models showed potential to extend healthy lifespan. Anti-IL11 therapies, already in clinical testing for other diseases, could soon be explored for ageing-related healthspan benefits.

LIVE Ventures, a S$20 million incubator to accelerate research commercialisation, launched

Jul 2024 Duke-NUS launched LIVE Ventures, a S$20 million incubation programme designed to catalyse the commercialisation of innovative academic research. Focused on translating scientific breakthroughs into clinical applications, LIVE Ventures will provide Duke-NUS scientists conducting high-impact research with essential commercialisation expertise and resources and partner with both public and private sector entities to co-fund these projects. The initiative kicks off with a pilot project aimed at developing new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases.

Welcoming the Class of 2028

Aug 2024 Duke-NUS Medical School celebrated its 18th cohort of MD students during a White Coat Ceremony on 2 August. The diverse group, including a violinist, sportsman, and architecture graduate, pledged to uphold the highest medical standards. This year's cohort also includes seven graduates from Nanyang Technological University through a new conditional admissions pathway.

A group photo of people from Duke-NUS celebrating their faculty

2024 Faculty Recognition celebration

Aug 2024 A memorable afternoon unfolded as Duke-NUS and the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) recognised the School’s distinguished faculty at the annual faculty recognition event. The ceremony, held on 8 August at the Amphitheatre, saw 27 senior faculty members honoured for their academic achievements and long-standing commitment to excellence. This event also marked a significant milestone, awarding tenure to three deserving professors while celebrating 127 long-serving clinical faculty members.

The presidents of the three medical societies pose for a photo after signing a MOU

TriMedSoc Alliance renews collaboration

Aug 2024 On 17 August 2024, student bodies from Singapore’s three medical schools renewed their partnership in the TriMedSoc Alliance, uniting medical students for advocacy and collaboration. The alliance, first established in 2021, represents a unified voice in policy discussions and works closely with external stakeholders like the Singapore Medical Association and Ministry of Health.

Prof Wang Linfa receives the University Research Recognition Award

Professor Wang Linfa receives top NUS honours

Sep 2024 In recognition of his instrumental role in shaping local and global public health policies and leading efforts to develop novel diagnostics and a broad-spectrum vaccine, Prof Wang Linfa received the National University of Singapore’s University Research Recognition Award on 30 August, the top honour bestowed by the university for scientific achievements.

Duke-NUS study identifies key role of NKT cells in defending against dengue

Sep 2024 Duke-NUS researchers discovered that natural killer T (NKT) cells play a crucial role in shaping the immune response to dengue virus. This response determines whether protective or harmful antibodies are produced, influencing the risk of severe disease during reinfections. The findings provide insight into managing dengue, particularly in regions where secondary infections pose significant health risks.

Breakthrough research extends hope for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis

Breakthrough hope for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis

Sep 2024 A team of clinicians and scientists has made a breakthrough in understanding and treating gastric cancer with peritoneal metastasis. By leveraging advanced genomic technologies, they uncovered key mechanisms driving the disease's spread. Published in Gastroenterology, the findings are complemented by a clinical trial in ESMO Open, showing the safety and promise of a novel therapy. This progress offers renewed hope for patients facing this aggressive cancer, which currently has limited treatment options and poor survival rates.

A SAFE-TECH intervention session where elderly participants do strengthening exercises

AI-driven solutions for elderly falls prevention

Oct 2024 Duke-NUS-led team, in collaboration with ETH Zurich, has developed Singapore’s first AI-powered tool to predict falls risks in the elderly. By analysing mobility data from wearable sensors, the algorithm identifies high-risk seniors for tailored intervention programs. Pilot studies show promising results, with improved confidence and mobility among participants. The initiative, integrating technology and community-based care, aims to reduce the socio-economic burden of falls while enhancing seniors’ quality of life.

Centre of Regulatory Excellence 10th anniversary

Oct 2024 CoRE marked its 10th anniversary with a conference on evolving healthcare regulation. Experts discussed AI innovations, precision medicine, and real-world evidence, emphasizing patient safety and policy adaptability. Collaborative efforts aim to integrate tech advancements for better health outcomes.

(From left to right) Dr Rainny Xie, Assoc Prof Liu Nan, Prof Enrico Petretto, Assoc Prof Lena Ho, Dr Matae Ahn and Prof Steven Myint discuss converting scientific research into practical clinical applications during a Q&A session

Catalysing Innovation at Duke-NUS

Oct 2024 The networking event brought together researchers, industry leaders, and investors to encourage collaboration in translating scientific innovations into practical healthcare solutions. Researchers presented their projects to partners like Johnson & Johnson Innovation and SingHealth, while speakers highlighted the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset and learning from both achievements and challenges.

SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC faculty cited among world’s top researchers

Nov 2024 Ten Duke-NUS clinician-scientists and researchers were named in Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list for 2024, announced on 19 November. Many of them were also part of almost 100 researchers recognised in Stanford University’s World’s Top 2% Scientists 2024.

Deans’ Pancake Breakfast returned

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of PBSTA

Ten Master Academic Clinicians inducted

Duke-NUS and DNMA celebrate Professor Ivy Ng

Professor Patrick Tan elected to the Association of American Physicians

Duke-NUS ranked among Singapore's Best Employers 2024

Kickstarting celebrations for the School’s 20th anniversary

Outstanding AMC Achievements at NMRC Awards 2024

Light-controlled ‘off switch’ for brain cells

Largest cohort graduates

Camp Simba enchants and inspires

Passion for education at the TELI graduation ceremony

Discovery advances quest to slow ageing

LIVE Ventures, a S$20 million incubator to accelerate research commercialisation, launched

Welcoming the Class of 2028

2024 Faculty Recognition celebration

TriMedSoc Alliance renews collaboration

Professor Wang Linfa receives top NUS honours

Duke-NUS study identifies key role of NKT cells in defending against dengue

Breakthrough hope for gastric cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis

AI-driven solutions for elderly falls prevention

Centre of Regulatory Excellence 10th anniversary

Catalysing Innovation at Duke-NUS

SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC faculty cited among world’s top researchers

Browser not supported

Modern websites need modern browsers