Science
Why Some Patients Recover Faster From The Side-Effects Of Antibiotic Treatment
A team of scientists from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine has identified the microbial factors underlying the response of the gut microbiome to antibiotic treatment. The study discovered a small set of gut bacteria …
Space Exploration Is Still The Brightest Hope-Bringer We Have
I am one of the few African-American aerospace engineers who helped design the Apollo spaceships that took men to the Moon. My great-grandfather was a slave in Claiborne, Alabama, who used primitive tools to work the land. My father was born in Alabama before the Wright brothers made mankind’s first flight. He lived to see …
Using The ‘Shadow-effect’ To Generate Electricity
Shadows are often associated with darkness and uncertainty. Now, NUS researchers are giving shadows a positive spin by demonstrating a way to harness this common but often overlooked optical effect to generate electricity. This novel concept opens up new approaches in generating green energy under indoor lighting conditions to power electronics. A team from NUS Materials …
One-Hour Antibody Test Tracks Neutralising Antibodies Of COVID-19
Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS), a research intensive graduate-entry medical school, GenScript Biotech Corporation (“GenScript”), a leading global biotechnology company, and the Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD) at Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), today announced an exclusive agreement to co-develop and manufacture a unique serological coronavirus (COVID-19) detection system known as the surrogate virus …
How Vaccines Eradicated The World’s Deadliest Diseases
The spike in vaccine coverage brings an end to some of the world’s deadliest diseases. Vaccines work by triggering the response of the human immune system, inducing memory B-cells which will protect the body against infections. This provides a long-lasting immunity against diseases. Edward Jenner is often credited to have performed the world’s first vaccination. …
The Mysterious Disappearance Of The First SARS Virus, And Why We Need A Vaccine For The Current One But Didn’t For The Other
Some people question why the current coronavirus has brought the world to standstill while a previous deadly coronavirus, SARS, did not. Others have questioned why a vaccine is so urgently needed now to stop the spread of the current coronavirus when a vaccine was never developed for SARS. I study viruses and am so fascinated …
To Make An Atom-sized Machine, You Need A Quantum Mechanic
Here’s a new chapter in the story of the miniaturisation of machines: researchers in a laboratory in Singapore have shown that a single atom can function as either an engine or a fridge. Such a device could be engineered into future computers and fuel cells to control energy flows. “Think about how your computer or …
5 Space Tech Startups In SEA Paving The Way Beyond
Space tech may sound like something only countries with unlimited resources can get around, but Southeast Asia is actually a lot closer to the industry than it may seem. According to the data gathered by Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BoAML) and Morgan Stanley, last year space tech investment reached an all-time high worldwide, with …
Viral Vaccines Simplified: How Are They Made?
With the COVID-19 confirmed to infect more than 3 million people worldwide as of April 28, methods of social isolation and other regulations are being enforced by countries in order to slow down the spread of the disease. Apart from these, the creation of a coronavirus vaccine is also being eyed as a potential solution. …
Singapore Marshalls R&D Efforts To Combat Covid-19
Since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003, Singapore is now better prepared to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In terms of R&D, Singapore has placed emphasis on a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to research on infectious diseases. This spans across A*STAR, the Institutes of Higher Learning such as NUS, NTU, Duke-NUS, and …