A*STAR Research

At present, low-carbon sources only account for 1/6 of the world’s power supply, including renewables and nuclear energy 🔋 In line with Singapore’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research has been leading research on various sustainable technologies—tackling some of the foremost challenges in producing, storing and using energy, without aggravating the ongoing climate crisis. ”A*STAR has aligned our research focus on sustainable energy solutions to meet these targets and overcome the challenges of developing advanced low-carbon alternatives and technologies,” shared Keng Hui Lim, Assistant Chief Executive of the A*STAR Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC). The newest edition of A*STAR Research features groundbreaking work spearheaded by the A*STAR Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy & Environment (ISCE2), the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), the Institute of Microelectronics (IME) and the Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) among others. 📲 Visit the A*STAR Research website to get your copy now. Link in the comments section! --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #USS #sustainability #energy #greenenergy #Singapore #collaboration

Intermittent fasting (IF) has emerged as a promising strategy to boost heart health and protect against cardiovascular diseases, which remain the leading cause of mortality worldwide 🫀 A multinational study co-led by the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and La Trobe University tracked molecular and cellular changes in the hearts of mice following different IF regimens. 🍽️ The researchers found that IF modified biological pathways involved in metabolism, cell signalling and epigenetic remodelling, with more significant changes observed during longer fasting periods. “The findings expose pivotal molecular hubs corrected during IF, opening avenues for developing new medications to address various cardiovascular issues,” shared Jayantha Gunaratne, IMCB Senior Principal Investigator and lead of the Translational Biomedical Proteomics lab. Learn more about their research in the article linked below ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #IMCB #HHP #cardiology #hearthealth #intermittentfasting #nutrition

The Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) is celebrating its 5th anniversary! 🎉 As the national platform for drug discovery and development, EDDC has been at the forefront of Singapore’s efforts to translate cutting-edge discoveries into real-world treatments. “Like every drug developer, we’re motivated by a wish to see our products reach the patients who need them,” said EDDC Chief Executive Officer Damian O Connell. “We keep this end goal in mind to remind ourselves why we do what we do, and of the potential impact we can create.” 💡 EDDC’s collaborations with academic institutions and industry partners have paved the way for many promising medical innovations, such as the Fortitude Test Kit for COVID-19 and EBC-129—the first made-in-Singapore antibody-drug conjugate to enter clinical development. For more on EDDC’s impact, check out the article linked below ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #EDDC #HHP #drugdevelopment #drugdiscovery #anniversary #collaboration

From soft robotics to personalised medicine, numerous fields could potentially benefit from the application of light-responsive switchable molecules like thioindigo. However, thioindigos’ planar configurations severely limit its solubility, which is essential in building soft water-swollen polymer networks, such as hydrogels 💧 Researchers at the A*STAR Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy & Environment (ISCE2) and the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE) teamed up with collaborators in Singapore and Australia to devise a novel method that altered the molecule’s architecture. By chemically attaching a hydrophilic (water-attracting) segment, the modified thioindigo dissolved readily, making it perfect for large-scale polymer creation. Vinh Truong, Principal Scientist at ISCE2, discusses the science behind their innovation in the article linked below ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #IMRE #ISCE2 #HHP #polymers #hydrogels #materialscience

Rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of cancer that typically starts in muscle tissue, is often diagnosed in children below 10 years old 😷 Treatment options include chemotherapy, which is effective but less precise when it comes to differentiating between healthy and cancerous cells. 🔍 Seeking a better approach for the treatment of pediatric patients, researchers in Singapore explored the use of PRL3-zumab—a humanised antibody therapy that targets the cancer-specific protein PRL3. For the first-in-child compassionate use trial of PRL3-zumab, the treatment was administered to a 7-year-old in critical condition with recurrent rhabdomyosarcoma. There was a marked improvement in his quality of life despite the advanced stage of the disease. “The boy was off morphine and supplemental oxygen; he left the ICU to return home, and was even able to go to school for three days,” reported Qi Zeng, Research Director at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB). As we commemorate Sarcoma Awareness Month this July, learn more about their research in the article linked below ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #IMCB #HHP #cancer #immunology #cancerawareness #pediatriccancer #ThrowbackThursday

A comprehensive multi-year study on postpartum depression found that depressive symptoms begin manifesting during pregnancy, prompting the need for early detection among expectant mothers 🤰 Working with collaborators in the UK, Canada and Singapore, researchers at the A*STAR Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) tracked the course and stability of depressive symptoms in seven participant cohorts—from pregnancy to two years post-childbirth. 🔍 Three distinct groups were identified: women with consistently low, mild and high levels of depressive symptoms which remained stable throughout the perinatal period. “Our findings contradict common misconceptions perpetuated by influential guidelines that maternal depression only manifests after childbirth,” explained Michelle Kee, Principal Scientist at SICS and first author of the study. Read on to learn how this could shape the future of maternal mental health ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #HHP #SICS #maternalhealth #publichealth #psychiatry #mentalhealth #depression

Congratulations to Zibiao LI of the A*STAR Institute of Sustainability for Chemicals, Energy & Environment (ISCE2) for becoming a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry! 🌟 The accolade is given to individuals who have made a significant impact through their invaluable experience, expertise and commitment to promoting the value of chemical science. A*STAR Research previously featured a joint study conducted by Li’s team at ISCE2 with the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to create ‘green’ polymers for next-generation nanofibres. “We believe the solution lies in covalent adaptable networks, or CANs—a unique type of polymer that combines the best of both worlds of thermosets and thermoplastics,” said Li. “CANs boast unique and versatile chemical structures that lend the polymer stability and robustness, while also granting it the flexibility necessary for recycling." Revisit the full article by following the link in the comments section ⬇️ 📸: ISCE2 --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #ISCE2 #sustainability #chemistry #leadership #Singapore #throwback #InTheNews

Metal powders used in laser additive manufacturing (LAM) aren’t very eco-friendly—they require energy-intensive post-heat treatments to achieve good mechanical performance. 🤝 Teaming up with experts in Hong Kong and the US, researchers at the Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech) set out to find more sustainable options that would harness the intrinsic heat treatment (IHT) effect found in LAM printing processes. “IHT happens as LAM subjects materials to rapid heating and cooling cycles, creating short temperature spikes that can effectively harden the material as it is deposited,” explained Chaolin Tan, SIMTech Senior Scientist and co-corresponding author of the study. 💡 With the help of machine learning, Tan and collaborators successfully developed a novel maraging steel formulation of iron, nickel, titanium and aluminium that outperformed LAM-printed traditional high-strength steels during testing. Head to the comments section for the link to the full story ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #SIMTech #MTC #machinelearning #materialscience #manufacturing #3Dprinting

In addition to colour and polarisation, another defining feature of light is orbital angular momentum (OAM) 💡 “In communications, light’s OAM offers a theoretically infinite number of channels: each with a unique OAM, but all sharing the same frequency and space,” explained Joel Yang, Senior Scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE). 🔍 Yang is part of a Singapore-China research team that designed a novel optical anti-counterfeiting device which generates OAM beams from ordinary light, enabling them to achieve the precision needed for high-level applications like optical security. The device consists of two sets of phase plates, wherein the first pair can generate OAM beams by twisting light at a specific number of turns per oscillation. The second plate is then used to ‘untwist’ the OAM beams and decode the information they contain. Link below for the full story 👇 --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #IHPC #IMRE #MTC #materialscience #quantumcomputing #telecommunication

🌼The fragrance of fresh flowers, the aroma of a home-cooked meal—these are just some of the scents people encounter every day. An in-depth study by an international research team revealed that the ability to detect and distinguish various smells can be traced to the transcription factor Foxj1, which controls the formation of olfactory cilia formation and differentiation of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). 🔍 Working with zebrafish and mouse models, the researchers found that the absence of Foxj1 led to defects in the formation of olfactory cilia, such as a diminished odour response to bile acids in zebrafish. On the significance of this discovery, Sudipto Roy—Senior Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB)—said: “A better understanding of ciliary biology in olfaction could eventually open up avenues to explore potential therapeutics for anosmia in patients with ciliopathies.” Learn more about their findings in the article linked below ⬇️ --- #scicomm #science #technology #STEM #research #innovation #ASTAR #IMCB #HHP #cellbiology #biology #anosmia #collaboration