PhD in Integrated Biology and Medicine
Information brochure on the curriculum
requirements for each of our 5
signature research programs
2011 IBM Program Cancer & Stem Cell Biology (CSCB)
Cancer affects one in three people during their lifetime and is a leading cause of death worldwide. Our rapidly growing CSCB program takes both basic and clinical-translational approaches to understand key signaling pathways of cancer and highlight innovation in developing and advancing cancer therapeutics.
Our groups are conducting world-class science in many different fields in cancer research including stem cell research to fight against cancer. Our program benefits from close interactions with collaborative networks with the existing cancer research community in Singapore, including the National Cancer Center (NCC), Singapore General Hospital, NUS, and the A*STAR Research Institutes.
Curriculum Requirement: 60 modular credits (MC)
40 MC from research at the mentor’s laboratory (3.5 yrs), 6 MC from two rotations, 4 MC from IBM core course (1st year), and 4 MC from CDN5101 Fundamentals of Cancer Biology Course, 6MC
from other courses (your mentor and you will decide together).
IBM mentors list at CSCB
* Please look at details of research projects and publications by faculty members in the following website. Some faculty have links to their additional laboratory websites. http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/signature-research-programs/cancer-stem-cell-biology
NAME RESEARCH TOPIC LAB EMAIL TEL
David M. VIRSHUP (Prof., Program Director)
Cancer Biology, Signal Transduction, protein phosphorylation, Wnt signaling
Duke-NUS
6516- 7881
Patrick J CASEY (Prof., Senior Vice-Dean for Research)
G protein signal transduction impacting cancer cell proliferation and metastasis
Duke-NUS
6516- 7251
Alexandra PIETERSEN ( Asst. Prof.)
Mammary stem cells and breast cancer, mouse models, flow cytometry
Duke-NUS/NCC
alexandra.pietersen@duke‐nus.edu.sg
6223- 7241
Caroline LEE (Assoc. Prof.)
Functional Genomics of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Pharmaco‐genetics/genomics, Population Genetics, Polymorphisms
NCC caroline.lee@duke‐nus.edu.sg
6516- 3251
Kanaga SABAPATHY (Assoc. Prof.)
Pathways regulating carcinogenesis and chemo-sensitivity (c-Jun/JNK and p53/p73), mouse models for cancer and cancer therapeutic agents
6436- 8349
Koji ITAHANA ( Asst. Prof.)
ARF‐Mdm2‐p53 tumor suppressor pathway, apoptosis, cancer metabolism, targeting mitochondria for cancer therapy
Duke-NUS
koji.itahana@duke‐nus.edu.s
g
6516- 2554
Mathijs VOORHOEVE ( Asst. Prof.)
Cancer Biology, tumor suppressors in the p53 pathway, oncogenic microRNAs, ultra-conserved noncoding RNAs
Duke-NUS
mathijs.voorho
eve@duke‐nus.edu.sg
6516- 2503
Mei WANG ( Asst. Prof.)
Cancer Biology, experimental cancer therapeutics, protein prenylation and its impact on signaling, autophagy and cell death pathways
Duke-NUS
mei.wang@duke‐nus.edu.sg
6516- 8608
Patrick TAN (Assoc. Prof.)
Stomach cancer, cancer genomics, translational medicine
Duke-NUS/GIS/NCC
6516- 1783
Sang Hyun LEE ( Asst. Prof.)
Cancer Biology, Mitotic checkpoint, chromosomal instability, aneuploidy, anti-mitotic therapy
Duke-NUS
6601- 1406
Shang LI ( Asst. Prof.)
Telomerase regulation, cancer and aging Duke-NUS
shang.li@duke‐nus.edu.sg
6601- 1259
Shazib PERVAIZ (Prof.)
Cell death and survival signaling. Redox regulation of cell fate, Bcl‐2 family and mitochondrial physiology, drug discovery
6516- 6602
Sin Tiong ONG (Assoc. Prof.)
Therapeutic targeting of cancer stem cells, mechanisms of drug resistance, haematologic malignancies
Duke-NUS
sintiong.ong@duke‐nus.edu.
sg
6516- 7763
2011 IBM Program Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID)
Infections contribute importantly to the overall disease burden and mortality worldwide. The Signature Research Program in Emerging Infectious Diseases integrates the surveillance of new and emerging pathogens with the development of new treatment, prevention, and control strategies. Our program closely interfaces with diverse academic, government, and industry partners on the national and international level, and it is rapidly establishing itself as a leader in the infectious diseases research community in South East Asia. Researchers in our program investigate different aspects of dengue and other arboviruses, influenza, and Rickettsia biology, ranging from epidemiological surveys in humans and animals, mechanistic studies of entry, replication and egress, immune response to infection, to drug and vaccine development and efficacy assessment, thus providing opportunities for research projects with basic and translational research and public health focus. Students can work with any of the mentors listed below.
Curriculum Requirement: 60 modular credits (MC)
40 MC from research at the mentor’s laboratory (3.5 yrs), 6 MC from two rotations, 4 MC from IBM core course (1st year), and 4 MC from GMS 6904 Principles of Infectious Diseases Course, 2 MC from GMS 6905 Developments in Infectious Diseases, and 4MC from other courses (your mentor and you will
decide together).
Mentor list at EID
* Please look at details of research projects and publications by faculty members in the following website. Some faculties have links to their additional laboratory websites.
http://research.duke-nus.edu.sg/emerginginfectiousdiseases
NAME RESEARCH TOPIC LAB EMAIL TEL
Duane Gubler (Professor, ProgramDirector)
Dengue and other vector-borne disease epidemiology, surveillance, prevention and control; Pathogen discovery
Duke-NUS
65168397
Ooi Eng Eong (Associate Professor)
Pathogenesis of dengue; the interactions of dengue immune complexes with monocytes
Duke-NUS
65168594
Subhash Vasudevan (Associate Professor)
Viral therapeutics, drug discovery, pathogenesis mechanism studies for dengue and other vector-borne viruses.
Duke-NUS
65166718
Veronika von Messling (Associate Professor)
Pathogenesis of respiratory viruses, host response assessment, animal models
Duke-NUS
66011372
Gavin J Smith (Associate Professor)
Ecology, evolution, population dynamics, molecular epidemiology, interspecies transmission of emerging infectious diseases
Duke-NUS
66011109
Manoj Krishnan (Assistant Professor)
Cell biology of viral infection; antiviral innate immune mechanisms
Duke-NUS
65162666
Lok Shee Mei (Assistant Professor)
Structural changes of dengue virus during infection.
Duke-NUS
65165840
Specialty Track in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders PhD Program in Integrated Biology and Medicine, Duke-NUS
About the Program
The increased prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic disorders (e.g. hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, diabetes, etc.) poses an enormous risk for the inhabitants of Singapore and the world. With an aging and increasingly sedentary population, the unabated rise in these diseases is unlikely to slow in the near future, and their treatment accounts for a disproportionate percentage of health care costs. To combat this burgeoning epidemic, Duke-NUS launched a signature research program in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders (CVMD) that will train graduate students in this important discipline. The CVMD program houses state-of-the-art research capabilities, including core facilities for profiling mitochondrial function (e.g. oxygen consumption, ATP production, etc.) and metabolic adaptations (e.g. indirect calorimetry, euglycemic clamps, etc.) in human patients and other model organisms. Moreover, its new Metabolomics Facility allows one to obtain both targeted and non-targeted profiles of nutrient metabolites (e.g. fatty acids, amino acids, citric acid cycle intermediates, etc.) using mass spectroscopy. Application of these technologies allows one to gain a strong appreciation of the metabolic dysregulation that serves as an underpinning for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. As part of the training regimen, CVMD students will conduct independent research under the tutelage of one of our world-class research scientists. Moreover, they will take advanced coursework on molecular cardiovascular biology and integrated metabolism. Students trained in this program will be on a path to become independent investigators running independent research programs in industry or academia.
IBM Mentors in CVMD
Shirish SHENOLIKAR, Professor Protein phosphatases; transduction of signals by metabolic and environmental stress
Shigeki SUGII, Assistant Professor Adipose stem and iPS cells; fat metabolism; diabetes; nuclear receptors; regenerative therapeutics
Scott A. SUMMERS, Associate Professor Lipid metabolism and lipotoxicity; diabetes
Paul M. YEN, Associate Professor Thyroid function; nuclear hormone receptor; hepatic steatosis; PI3-kinase and cancer
Recent Publications
Holland, WL, Bikman, BT, Wang, L.-P, Sargent, KM, Knotts, TA, Shui, G, Wenk, MR, Pagliassotti, MJ, and Summers, SA (2011) Lipid-induced insulin resistance mediated by the proinflammatory receptor TLR4 requires saturated fatty acid-induced ceramide biosynthesis in mice. Journal of Clinical Investigation 121(5), 1858-70
Bikman, BT and Summers, SA. (2011) Ceramides as regulators of cellular and whole-body metabolism. Journal of Clinical Investigation (in press)
Zhou, W., Brush, M.H., Choy, M.S. and Shenolikar, S. (2011) Association with Endoplasmic Reticulum Enhances Proteasomal Degradation of GADD34 Protein. Journal of Biological Chemistry 286: 21687-21696.
Fullwood, M.J, Lee, J., Lin, L., Li,G., Huss, M., Patrick Ng,P., Sung,W.K. and Shenolikar, S. (2011) Next-Generation Sequencing of Apoptotic DNA Breakpoints Reveals Association with Actively Transcribed Genes and Gene Translocations. PLoS ONE. In press.
Sugii, S and Evans, RM (2011) Epigenetic Codes of PPARγ in Metabolic Disease. FEBS Lett. 585, 2121-2128
Sugii, S, Kida, Y, Berggren, WT, and Evans, RM (2011) Feeder-Dependent and Feeder-Independent iPS Cell Derivation from Human and Mouse Adipose Stem Cells. Nature Protoc. 6, 346-358
Voss TC, Schiltz RL, Sung MH, Yen PM, Stamatoyannopoulos JA, Biddie SC, Johnson TA, Miranda TB, John S, Hager GL (2011) Dynamic exchange at regulatory elements during chromatin remodeling underlies assisted loading mechanism. Cell 146(4), 544-54.
Wang D, Xia X, Weiss RE, Refetoff S, Yen PM (2010) Distinct and histone-specific modifications mediate positive versus negative transcriptional regulation of TSHalpha
promoter. PLoS One 24;5(3):e9853.
Curriculum Requirements
60 MODULAR CREDITS TOTAL (MCs): 40 MC from research in the mentor’s
laboratory (3.5 yrs), 6 MC from two laboratory rotations, 4 MC from the IBM core
course (Molecules to Medicines), and 10 MC from CVMD electives decided upon
by you and your mentor (e.g. Molecular Cardiovascular Biology, Metabolism, etc.).
2011 IBM Program Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders (NBD)
The Signature Research Program in Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders comprises research groups that investigate molecular, developmental, systems and cognitive neuroscience. The program is also part of an integrated Neuroscience Research Partnership under the aegis of the Agency for Science and Technology (A*STAR) that seeks to advance neuroscience research nationally. The A*STAR-Duke-NUS Neurosciences Research Partnership has forged a strong link between the Neuroscience and Behavioral Disorders program and the researchers, resources and infrastructure at the nearby Biopolis research campus.
The aim of much of the work in the Program is translating discoveries in basic science into diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the domains of cognitive, developmental, eye and psychiatric disease. In collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Duke-NUS operates a Translational and Clinical Research Flagship Program on the early diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia. Members of the Program also work the close association with the Institute of Mental Health and the National Neuroscience Institute, which provide unique opportunities to study psychiatric and neurological disorders on many different levels. Students can work with any of the mentors listed below.
Curriculum Requirement: 60 modular credits (MC)
40 MC from research at the mentor’s laboratory (3.5 yrs), 6 MC from two rotations, 4 MC from IBM core course (1st year), and 8 MC from SGPN core modules , 2MC from one elective course (your mentor and you will decide together).
IBM mentors list at NBD
NAME RESEARCH TOPIC LAB EMAIL TEL
Dale Purves (Prof., Program Director)
Visual and auditory perception Duke-NUS
6516 4386
George Augustine (Prof).
Optogenetic mapping of brain circuitry; synaptic transmission
Biopolis [email protected]
6407 0750
Michael Chee (Prof)
Mechanisms underlying attention failure in sleep deprived persons; Decision making following sleep deprivation; Cognitive neuroscience of healthy aging
Duke-NUS
6516 4916
Marc Fivaz (Asst Prof)
Axon growth and regeneration, axonal transport, synapse assembly and plasticity
DUKE-NUS
6516 7748
Eyleen Goh (Asst Prof)
Adult neurogenesis and regeneration of the adult CNS. Induced pluripotent stem cells for modeling and potential treatment for neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative diseases.
Duke-NUS
6516 6701
Joshua Gooley (Asst Prof)
Chronobiology, human circadian rhythms, sleep deprivation
Duke-NUS
6516 7430
Po-Jang (Brown) Hsieh (Asst Prof)
Human cognition, attention, visual awareness, object perception and recognition, decision making, human brain mapping with fMRI and diffusion imaging
Duke-NUS
6601 2088
Shawn Je (Asst Prof)
Developing circuit-based mouse models of neuropsychiatric diseases, including schizophrenia, autism, and depression. Understanding cell and molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity.
Duke-NUS
6601 1260
Suresh Jesuthasan (Assoc Prof)
Pheromone-induced fear in zebrafish; neural circuits regulating anxiety.
6407 0390
Tih-Shih Lee (Assoc Prof)
Brain-computer interface, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder.
Duke-NUS
6516 7461
* Please look at details of research projects and publications by faculty members in the following website. Some faculty have
links to their additional laboratory websites.
http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/signature-research-programs/neuroscience-behavioral-disorders
Kah Leong Lim (Assoc. Prof)
Molecular Mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease
6516 5413
Edward Manser (Prof)
Rho GTPase signaling in cell migration and neuronal differentiation
A-STAR [email protected]
6586 9545
Steve Rozen (Assoc Prof)
Human genetics (especially behavioral) and cancer genomics and the genetics of cancer progression; bioinformatics
Duke NUS
9857 3213
Shirish Shenolikar (Prof and senior associate Dean for research)
Genetic and Pharmacological Targeting Translational Control Mechanisms to Protect Neurons against Huntinton’s Disease and Other Neurodegenerative Disorders.
Duke-NUS
6516 2588
Eng King Tan (Assoc Prof)
Genetic epidemiology, pathophysiologic studies of diseased genes and experimental therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases
Duke-NUS
6326 5003
Antonius VanDongen (Assoc Prof)
Epigenetics and systems biology of learning and memory
DUKE-NUS
6516 7075
Hongyan Wang (Asst Prof)
Neural stem cell self-renewal, asymmetric cell division, neuronal degeneration
Duke-NUS
6516 7740
Xiaodong Zhang (Asst Prof)
Serotonin-based neuropsychiatric disorders Duke-NUS
6516 8809
Adam Claridge-Chang (Asst Prof)
Models of cognitive and emotional dysfunction in Drosophila melanogaster
A-STAR [email protected]
6407 0720
Introducing the Health Services and Systems Research (HSSR)Track of the Integrated Biology and Medicine (IBM) Program
What is the Health Services and Systems Research Program?
HSSR is a center of academic excellence for research and education on the organization, �nancing, and delivery of health services. Our focus is on public health and clinical service innovation in an increasingly complex and connected world.
Primary Disciplines
Curriculum Requirements
Faculty Members
Director - Professor David Matcharhttp://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/matchar-david-bruceDeputy Director - Associate Professor Eric Finkelsteinhttp://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/�nkelstein-eric Associate Professor - Angelique Chanhttp://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/angelique-chanProfessor - Truls Østbye (20% Duke-NUS, 80% Duke, Durham)http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/ostbye-trulsAssistant Professor - Young Kyung Dohttp://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/do-young-kyungSenior Associate in Research - James Thompsonhttp://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/faculty/thompson-james-patrick
E�ect of Home Testing of International Normalized Ratio on Clinical Events. New England Journal of Medicine, 2010; 363(17), 1608-1620 Authors: Matchar D.B., Jacobson A., Dolor R.J., Edson R.G., Uyeda L., Phibbs C.S., Vertrees J.E., Shih M.C., Holodniy M., Lavori P.
Visit us: http://http://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/web/research/signature-research-programs/health-services-systems-research
Recent Signi�cant Publications
HSSR employs a systems perspective to address critical health issues. Systems thinking cuts across all of our research priorities and recognizes the multiple leverage points and feedback loops involved. This includes health, social, economic, political, biological and other systems. Our focus is to conduct clinical and public health research that bene�ts Singapore. However, we also undertake regional and international work that is consistent with Duke-NUS’s global health mission.
Health Services ResearchHealth Systems ModellingHealth EconomicsHealth Policy
1) Integrated Biology and Medicine Program core course - full time semester 12) At least 36 additional modular credits where 16 must be 6000 level and the remainder will be 5000 level 3) Courses will be determined based on the discipline chosen with input from the PhD supervisor and committee
The Impact of Mandatory Menu Labeling in One Fast Food Chain in King County, Washingon. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Feb 2011;40(2), 122-127Authors: Finkelstein E.A., Strombotne K.L., Chan N.L., Krieger J.
Impact of Targeted Beverage Taxes on Higher and Lower Income Households. Archives of Internal Medicine, Dec 13, 2010;170(22), 2028-2034Authors: Finkelstein E.A., Zhen C., Nonnemaker J.M., Todd J.E.
Self reported pain severity among multiethnic older Singaporeans: Does adjusting for reporting heterogeneity matter? European Journal of Pain, Published online Jun 8, 2011, DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpain.2011.05.006Authors: Chan A., Malhotra C., Do Y.K., Malhotra R., Østbye T.
Cost e�ectiveness of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation testing and �rst line treatment with ge�tinib for patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the lung. Cancer, 2011Authors: Lopes G.L., Segel J.E., Tan S.W., Do Y.K., Mok T., Finkelstein E.A.
DISCOVER
innovation in an increasingly complex and connected world
INQUIRE
Correlates of Limitations in Activities of Daily Living and Mobility among Community Dwelling Older Singaporeans. Ageing & Society, Published online Dec 21, 2010Authors: Chan A., Malhotra C., Østbye T.
Living arrangements, social networks and depressive symptoms among older men and women in Singapore. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Jul 2010Authors: Chan A., Malhotra C., Malhotra R., Østbye T.
For more information contact A/Prof. Finkelstein at eric.�[email protected]