NTU scientists grow 'mini kidneys' in lab to test drugs

NTU scientists grow 'mini kidneys' in lab to test drugs



A mini kidney measures around 1mm to 2mm wide - seen as a white dot above, in comparison to the 10 cent coin. The mini kidneys are grown outside the body from the skin cells of a patient with genetic polycystic kidney disease. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

A team of researchers at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have found a way to grow "mini kidneys" in the laboratory.

These miniature versions of the human kidney are around one to two millimetres wide, and are used now at NTU to test how effective some drugs can be in curing polycystic kidney disease, which causes cysts to form on a kidney.

The mini kidneys are known as kidney organoids, and are grown outside the body from the skin cells of a patient with genetic polycystic kidney disease.

Over a three-month period, the skin cells can be reprogrammed into becoming stem cells, after which they can be manipulated to grow into organoids.

Due to the tissue being obtained from patients with the disease, the organoids will develop fluid-filled cysts. At this point, drug molecules can be applied to the organoids to test their efficacy.

Two drug molecules have since been tested on diseased organoids from patients with kidney cysts, with the tests proving that the drugs could reduce the size of the cysts on the "mini kidneys".

"Our kidney organoids, grown from the cells of a patient with inherited polycystic kidney diseases, have allowed us to find out which drugs will be most effective for the specific patient" said Dr Xia Yun, principal investigator on the project and assistant professor at the NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

"We believe that this approach can be extended to study many other types of kidney disease."

Dr Xia added that these kidney organoids will allow for medication to be tailored from patient to patient.

"Drug screening does not take into account some genetic errors that cause kidney disease," she said. "These genetic differences can influence directly how patients react to kidney disease treatment. Having these organoids allows us to test and develop personalised treatment for each patient, from their genetic material."

When grown to full size, the organoids function like human foetal kidneys in the first three to six months of development. These organoids could be used to understand the development of nephrons - the kidney's filtering units - that happens as the foetus grows.

Previous research has shown that having a higher number of nephrons at birth appears to to provide some degree of protection against conditions like hypertension and kidney failure, and decrease the incidences of these illnesses later in life.

Additionally, the proof that these miniature versions of the human kidney can be made in the lab, and that these organoids still function when implanted into a mouse's circulation system, also opens up possibilities that the kidneys can one day be used to replace diseased kidneys.

"Although we are still quite far away from using these kidney organoids for replacement therapy, this study has made a small step closer to this ultimate goal," said Professor Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte, stem cell scientist and an international collaborator on this study.

~Straits Times~

20-year study to help S'poreans prevent chronic diseases

NTU embarks on 20-year study to help Singaporeans prevent chronic diseases

Nanyang Technological University has embarked on a health study that is being conducted in the Population and Community Health Laboratories at the school's Clinical Sciences Building in Novena, which was unveiled on June 18, 2018.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has embarked on a 20-year study to better predict and prevent chronic diseases among Singaporeans, one that aims to become a landmark in studying the health of Asians.

The longitudinal health study will be the first comprehensive, large-scale one for people of Asian heritage, said its lead investigator John Chambers, who added the study may involve as many as 100,000 to 200,000 Singaporeans eventually.

"Landmark studies done in the US, UK and Germany do not represent 60 per cent of the world population which are not of European heritage. The genetics and medical predispositions are different," said Professor Chambers, who specialises in cardiovascular epidemiology at NTU's Lee Kong Chian School Of Medicine.

The study is being conducted in the Population and Community Health Laboratories at the school's Clinical Sciences Building in Novena, which was unveiled on Monday (June 18). The building houses other laboratories focused on research on chronic conditions that commonly afflict Singaporeans such as obesity and diabetes.

Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, said the launch of the laboratories is timely as "Singapore earnestly prepares for its rapidly ageing population in the next one to two decades".

The new facilities will contribute substantially in the area of population health management and help transform the country's model of care, she added.

Singaporeans and permanent residents aged 30 to 84 are eligible to join the Health for Life in Singapore (Helios) study, which hopes to recruit 10,000 participants by end-2019.

Participants will go through a comprehensive health screening.

For instance, they will have the structure and function of their organs measured. A full brain and body MRI scan as well as retina and bone density scans will also be done.

Participants will be asked about their lifestyle and dietary habits and their samples of blood, stool, and urine will be stored in a biobank for future molecular analysis. Participants will receive a report and be informed of any disease found.

The study hopes to work with the Ministry of Health to virtually track the health of its participants, so they do not have to make a return visit.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine officially opens Novena campus

Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine officially opens Novena campus

The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) officially opened its Novena Campus and became fully operational on Monday (Aug 28).

LKCMedicine is a partnership between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Imperial College London. The dual-campus school - with another building at NTU's main campus at Jurong West - admitted its first batch of students in 2013.

The 20-storey Clinical Sciences Building is located in the heart of Health City Novena, with links to Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) and a number of specialist centres and community care services.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who officiated the opening on Monday, said Singapore's medical community must continue to serve with "heart" to care for patients in a holistic manner.

"This total health approach requires good social skills and the ability to work in teams with other healthcare professionals, within and across the hospitals, clinics and community, to serve our patients with a 'big heart'. This is especially important as our healthcare structures evolve to suit the needs of an ageing population," said Mr Teo.

The National Healthcare Group (NHG), which manages TTSH, is the medical school's primary clinical partner. This is the first time the group has a medical school as part of their healthcare campus in Novena.

LKCMedcine's governing board chairman Lim Chuan Poh said the three major stakeholders - NTU Singapore, Imperial and NHG - have all fulfilled a "long-held ambition".

"For Imperial, it was the right opportunity to provide its impact globally. For NTU, it was to start a new medical school, while for NHG it was to have an academic presence on campus. LKCMedicine fulfilled all those and more," he stated.

The LKCMedicine student intake has grown from 54 in 2013 to 120 students this year. Its first batch of students will graduate in July next year.

The new campus was scheduled to be completed in the last quarter of last year. However, in February 2016 a stop-work order was issued for the Mandalay construction site after one worker was killed and another injured in an accident at the site.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

南大李光前医学院正式开幕

南大李光前医学院正式开幕

本地三家医学院不只得培训更多医生，也得改变训练模式，医疗机构和医生也须善用科技，并用“心”提供全面的医疗护理，才能确保寿命越来越长的国人在身心健康的情况下迈入晚年。

副总理兼国家安全统筹部长张志贤星期一上午为南洋理工大学李光前医学院主持开幕仪式时说，随着我国人口老龄化，政府数年前在检讨未来所需的医生人数之余，也考虑到医科学生所需的培训，因此决定在新加坡国立大学杨潞龄医学院之余，设立南大李光前医学院，以及杜克—新加坡国立大学医学院。

~联合早报网讯~

108 NTU medical students get their white coats

108 NTU medical students get their white coats, double the number from inaugural class

For medical student Nadia Nasuha Mohammad Nazri, being a doctor is all about the human touch.

She recalled how a doctor at Changi General Hospital soothed her grandfather's fears when he was warded for a month for surgery.

"(The doctor) was very empathetic to patients like my grandfather, who has a fear of surgery," the 19-year-old recalled. "She treated him very well - not just verbally but her body language - and she was really a role model."

Ms Nadia was one of 108 students at the Nanyang Technological University's white coat ceremony on Monday (Aug 8) - where aspiring young doctors are given the white coat that symbolises the knowledge and compassion that they must exercise in the future.

This year's cohort is the university's largest to date, and is double the size of the inaugural class of 54 students in 2013.

Included in this year's intake are 20-year-old Zenneth Lim, a Ngee Ann Polytechnic graduate whose interest in medicine turned into a passion during his polytechnic years; and 21-year-old Jonathan Loke, who spent four months in Geneva earlier this year on an internship with the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Mr Loke recalled how inspired he was by the stories of his colleagues in Geneva. "They were willing to step out of their comfort zones and do something for the greater good," he said.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Dead bacteria to kill colorectal cancer cells

NTU team uses dead bacteria to kill colorectal cancer cells

Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have used dead bacteria commonly found in soil to kill colorectal cancer cells.

In a news release issued on Monday (Nov 9), NTU said that a team led by Professor Teoh Swee Hin harnessed the Clostridium sporogenes (C. sporogenes) bacteria in its dead form, and its secretions, to effectively destroy colon tumour cells.

The team conducted the experiments in artificially-created environments resembling the inside of a human body, rather than on a flat surface in a petri-dish, NTU said.

In a 72-hour experiment, the inactive bacteria were able to reduce the growth of colon tumour cells by 74 per cent.

The team tested the secretions harvested from a live bacteria culture and these secretions reduced the growth of colon tumour cells by as much as 83 per cent.

NTU said that traditional cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy do not work well in the colon due to reduced blood flow and lack of oxygen and nutrient flow. It said that these therapies use oxygen molecules to damage the DNA of cancer cells and rely on blood flow to transport therapeutic drugs to the tumour.

"In contrast, the NTU team showed that dead C. sporogenes bacteria can kill tumour cells in an oxygen-starved tumour microenvironment," said NTU.

"We found that even when the C. sporogenes bacteria is dead, its natural toxicity continues to kill cancer cells, unlike the conventional chemotherapy drugs which need oxygen to work,” explained Prof Teoh.

Prof Teoh said that other research groups have experimented with live bacteria to destroy cancer cells, but this treatment posed a risk of infection as live bacteria will grow and proliferate.

“In the NTU study, as the bacteria were already killed by heat, there was no risk of the bacteria multiplying and causing more harm than the desired dose meant to kill colorectal cancer cells.”

Professor James Best, Dean of NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, said: “This is a significant discovery that potentially opens a new avenue to tackle this very common cancer, which is difficult to treat after it has spread. While it is early days, this exciting research finding provides hope of a new treatment option for millions of people affected by bowel cancer each year.”

This study was published in the journal Scientific Reports in October.

According to the Health Promotion Board, colorectal cancer is the number one cancer in Singapore and the foremost cancer among males here.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

New NTU medical school to have state-of-the-art facilities

New NTU medical school to have state-of-the-art facilities


The second cohort of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine reciting the “Declaration of a new medical student” at a white coat ceremony at the School of Arts, Design and Media Auditorium in August 2014. -- PHOTO: ST FILE

Students aspiring to go to the Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine can look forward to state-of-the-art classrooms and research facilities at upcoming buildings for the school.

At a foundation stone laying ceremony on Wednesday, NTU president Bertil Andersson said: "To complement our innovative and technology-enhanced approach to medical education, our new buildings will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and future classrooms purpose-built for our teaching pedagogy."

At the ceremony, President Tony Tan laid a foundation stone at each of NTU's two new buildings, which will house its medical school, jointly set up with the Imperial College of London.

The Experimental Medicine Building at NTU's main campus will be completed in July, in time to welcome students for the upcoming academic year. The Clinical Sciences Building is at its Novena campus, near facilities such as Tan Tock Seng Hospital, which is part of a medical hub in the area known as Health City Novena.

Team-based learning will be a focus at the new school. Medical students can look forward to learning studios equipped with large screens where students can present their ideas to one another and compare their ideas side-by-side. Students will sit around tables in groups of six to discuss ideas and the use of iPads will feature heavily in the curriculum.

There will also be simulation wards where students can experience patient-centered team based simulations. The new clinical skills laboratory will create an immersive environment where students can perform tasks such as stitching up the prosthetic wounds on simulated patients.

At the Novena campus, there will be a roof-top medical library with collections in areas such as medical humanities. For both buildings, there will be several floors dedicated to research.

The school currently has 132 students, selected from more than 700 students interviewed in the past two admission exercises.

More than 900 students sat for the BMAT, a qualifying test for the school, and indicated that they would be applying for it.

To date, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine researchers have been awarded more than $15 million worth in grants.

~News coutesy of Straits Times~

Medical school takes in 78 S'poreans in its 2nd cohort

NTU's medical school takes in 78 Singaporeans in its second cohort



Students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine's pioneer batch view a life-size human body in 3D. Singapore's newest medical school opened its doors to a larger cohort this year, with most of its new students having scored near perfect grades.

Singapore's newest medical school opened its doors to a larger cohort this year, with most of its new students having scored near perfect grades.

Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, the third medical school set up here, admitted 78 students, up from the 54 in the pioneer batch last year.

All 78 students are Singaporeans, with most having scored three As or more at the A levels, or near perfect International Baccalaureate scores.

Competition for places was keen, with the school receiving more than 800 applicants this year. Just 330 were short-listed for interviews and only 78 survived the cut.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

NTU admits more medical students this year

NTU admits more medical students this year



Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine has expanded its intake by more than a third. It is taking in 78 students this year, up from 54 who formed the inaugural intake last year. The university hopes to take in 150 students in four years' time.

The White Coat Ceremony - the white coat being a symbol of the medical profession - marked these 78 students' initiation into medicine. NTU said most of the students who were admitted scored three As or more at the GCE 'A' Levels, or had near perfect International Baccalaureate scores.

The students were handpicked from the 330 who were shortlisted for a series of mini interviews. In all, the university received more than 800 applications.

Professor James Best, dean of the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine at NTU, said: "Last year's group was also extremely capable academically, but this year's group has higher scores. But what is just as important is that both last year and this year, we have students who have done very well in what we call the Multiple Mini Interviews. That is a test to assess communication skills and also whether students have the right attitudes to make good doctors."

This year, the school also took in its first and only polytechnic graduate. Mr Russell Chuah studied biomedical science at Singapore Polytechnic and graduated with a grade point average of 3.96 out of 4.

Mr Chuah said: "Initially, I went to poly because I wanted to be a biomedical researcher, but things happened in poly and then you realise that it may not be suitable for you. I chose medicine. I think it is a very noble profession because you dedicate your time and energy to helping people get better. Even though it will be very challenging, it will be very exciting and meaningful as well."

Students at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine graduate with a joint NTU-Imperial medicine degree. Currently, all the students are Singaporeans, but it is considering admitting international students in the future.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

NTU appoints new dean for School of Medicine

Best man for the job as NTU appoints new dean for Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine


Professor James Best, who currently heads the medical school at the University of Melbourne, will assume his new role at NTU from July 29. -- PHOTO: NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has appointed a new dean for its Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

Professor James Best, who currently heads the medical school at the University of Melbourne, will assume his new role at NTU from July 29.

A graduate of the University of Melbourne in 1972, Prof Best has practised endocrinology in Australia, Hong Kong, the USA and the UK.

He joined the the University of Melbourne as deputy head of the Department of Medicine at St Vincent's Hospital after having worked there from 1982 to 1989.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Research on healthcare needs of Singapore's ageing population

NTU medical school to research on healthcare needs of Singapore's ageing population

The healthcare needs of Singapore's rapidly ageing population will be the focus of research conducted by the newest medical school here.

Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which welcomed its first batch of 54 students in August last year, announced its long-term research strategy on Tuesday.

NTU added that it will increase intake at the school over the next few years, starting with at least 66 students for the second batch later this year.

Jointly set up by NTU and Imperial College London, the school has identified four key areas of research: metabolic diseases, neuroscience and mental health, dermatology and skin biology, and infectious diseases such as dengue.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

Medical school building named after late Singapore entrepreneur

NTU names medical school building after late Singapore entrepreneur

The Nanyang Technological University has named a new building at its medical school after a late Singapore businessman Toh Kian Chui.

The Toh Kian Chui Foundation donated $20 million to the school in February.

This was matched by the government, bringing the total endowment to $50 million.

The money will be used to set up scholarships and a Gold Medal award for the top performing student.

It will also be used to set up a distinguished professorship, in the hope of attracting the best scientists and researchers to mentor the students.

A pioneer entrepreneur, Mr Toh's story was a rags-to-riches one, where he set up a construction company Swee Constructions in 1948.

His company was involved in many nation-building projects in the 1960s, including the runway for Changi Airport.

At the opening ceremony of the Toh Kian Chui Annex, his family said the medical scholarships and bursaries the Foundation has set up is meant to honour Mr Toh's wish.

They said he would have chosen to study medicine to benefit his fellow man if he had been given the opportunity for an education.

~News courtesy of Channel Newsasia~

School of Medicine welcomes its first cohort of students

NTU's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine welcomes its first cohort of students



Shortlisted candidates queueing to start their interviews for the newest medical school at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, set up by NTU and Imperial College London. Singapore's newest medical school welcomed its first batch of students at its first white coat ceremony on Thursday. -- FILE PHOTO: NTU

Singapore's newest medical school welcomed its first batch of students at its first white coat ceremony on Thursday.
v The pioneer batch of 54 students at the Nanyang Technological University's Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine students received their white coats and stethoscopes at the ceremony held at NTU.

"Medicine is a noble profession and membership calls for not just great commitment and passion, but also a clear moral obligation," said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who was the guest of honour at the event, as he urged the students to be ambassadors for the new school.

He also pointed out that there were diverse career opportunities available in the public healthcare service, the chance to train future generations of doctors, or do research and take on leadership roles.

~News courtesy of Straits Times~

New medical school to pioneer use of plastinated bodies

NTU's new medical school to pioneer use of plastinated bodies



The Nanyang Technological University's (NTU) new medical school will be pioneering the use of plastinated bodies for medical education in Singapore.

They are real human bodies donated to science, and preserved using a method called plastination.

In these models, water and fat are replaced with certain plastics to produce specimens that can be touched and do not smell or decay.

The bodies are from Germany, and will be used to teach anatomy at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, which has been jointly set up by Imperial College London and NTU.

The school will no longer need to rely on traditionally-preserved cadavers, which are in short supply.

Assistant Professor Dinesh Srinivasan of Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine said: "(Plastinated bodies) can be used to demonstrate difficult structures and dissection areas in high definition, such as the blood vessels in the brain or the nerves in the spine. And there is no need for special chemicals, unlike traditional cadavers."

～News courtesy of Channel Newsasia～

南大首批医科生 真人标本“高清”上课

南大首批医科生　真人标本“高清”上课



李光前医学院解剖部主任万胜说，比起一般的防腐尸体，人体塑化标本更持久，预计可用上十年。（图／南大提供）

南洋理工大学李光前医学院投入近100万元，从德国购入由遗体塑化成的标本，让即将在8月开学的首批医科学生，可通过更持久、高品质，且能更清晰呈现人体细节的真人标本，深入了解人体构造。

由南大和伦敦帝国理工学院合办的李光前医学院昨天召开记者会，向记者介绍人体塑化标本。

塑化人体是在人死后，使用塑化技术把尸体保存起来，体内的脂肪和水分会由硅聚合物取代。这些经塑化的人体，来自生前已表示希望在死后将身躯捐出，作为医学教学与科学发展用途的公众。

国大也考虑购买人体塑化标本。

《联合早报》