Latest news with #DukeNUS
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Duke-NUS celebrates 20 years of medical innovation with largest ever graduating class
Duke-NUS Medical School's Class of 2025 graduates 121 medical and doctoral students, including MDs, MD-PhDs, PhDs, and masters' degrees Landmark first batch of Masters in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality graduates, unique to Southeast Asia Inaugural graduates from conditional admissions pathways with NUS and SUTD 41% of MD and MD-PhD graduates made bold mid-career shifts from fields such as law, PR, accounting and mental health support SINGAPORE, May 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Celebrating 20 years of transformative medical education, Duke-NUS Medical School graduated its largest cohort yet today, the Class of 2025, in a vibrant ceremony at the Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium in Academia attended by guest-of-honour Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health. Marking a strategic milestone for Duke-NUS, the graduating class included 72 Doctor of Medicine (MD) graduates—five of whom are also earning PhDs—and 27 PhD candidates from the Integrated Biology and Medicine, Quantitative Biology and Medicine and Clinical and Translational Sciences programmes. Among the MD graduates was the first group of individuals emerging from the Duke-NUS conditional admissions pathways with the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). These pathways are designed to attract talent from engineering, information technology and other undergraduate programmes. Dean Professor Thomas Coffman said: "Collaborating with seven partner universities, including Duke University and NUS, these pathways are designed to allow students to earn a first degree in diverse academic majors while providing an opportunity to seamlessly transition into medicine. It's a powerful model for developing doctors who are outstanding clinicians but also bring valuable multi-disciplinary skills into our healthcare system." This cohort also includes the inaugural batch of graduates of the Master's in Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality (MPSHQ) programme, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. The MPSHQ is focused on building highly reliable healthcare systems that are of consistent quality and safety. The Class of 2025 represents Duke-NUS' commitment to broadening the skillset and experience of our students, with 41 per cent of MD and MD-PhD graduates having transitioned mid-career from professions that include law, public relations, accounting and mental health peer support. Additionally, 58 per cent of the Class of 2025's graduates are women, underscoring the School's dedication to fostering diversity in the learning environment. Said Dr Faith Wong Pih Yng, previously a modelmaking student and senior peer support specialist at Singapore's Institute of Mental Health, now MD graduate, "Among the many hospital postings, what stood out most vividly was assisting in and witnessing childbirth—the intense anticipation and joy of welcoming a new life into the world was simply unmatched. Ultimately, however, the memories I cherish most are the countless hours spent with my classmates, supporting one another and peer-teaching." Duke-NUS MD graduates received their degrees, awarded jointly by Duke University and the National University of Singapore, in front of friends and family, as well as notable guests, including Duke University School of Medicine Dean Professor Mary Klotman, SingHealth Group CEO Professor Ng Wai Hoe, and keynote speaker, Dr Amy Abernethy, member of Duke University's board of trustees and co-founder of Highlander Health. Caring and compassion underlines the Class of 2025's accomplishments, especially beyond academia. Partaking in a wealth of community service projects, some of their cohort, such as Dr Dana Chow Wai Shin, MD, started the Healthy to Thrive initiative, the first Duke-NUS-led public health screening event dedicated to migrant workers. The cohort was also recognised for their outstanding achievements, which were given out the night before. Awards such as the Singapore Medical Association-Lee Foundation Prizes and Teamsmanship Awards presented to graduates who demonstrated excellence in academics, community service, and leadership. In the aspect of research and scholarship, the Class of 2025 did not flag, publishing an exceptional 253 papers and publications in their time at Duke-NUS, several as first authors in prominent journals such as Nature Medicine, Immunity and EMBO Molecular Medicine. MD-PhD graduate Dr Katherine Nay Yaung, first author on a paper published in Lancet Rheumatology, wrote about artificial intelligence and high-dimensional technologies to diagnose and treat autoimmune diseases, and PhD graduate Dr Aishwarya Prakash, named first author and published in American Heart Association Journal, who found a type of peptide to have protective qualities for the heart after sustaining damage. "The conversations I've had with patients emphasise a shift towards continuity of care and empowering individuals to make their own health choices. In moments where I feel overwhelmed, I remind myself that being a small part of each patient's journey has been a privilege," said Dr Pang Wui Ming Jeremy, recipient of the SingHealth Prize in Family Medicine, Singapore Medical Association-Lee Foundation Teamsmanship Award for exemplary team values in medicine and Duke-NUS Achievement Prize. As Duke-NUS enters its third decade, the School continues to redefine medical education and research, nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders who are not just exceptional doctors but visionary innovators ready to make an impact in Singapore and beyond. About Duke-NUS Medical School Duke-NUS is Singapore's flagship graduate-entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions: Duke University School of Medicine and the National University of Singapore (NUS). Through an innovative curriculum, students at Duke-NUS are nurtured to become multi-faceted 'Clinicians Plus' poised to steer the healthcare and biomedical ecosystem in Singapore and beyond. A leader in ground-breaking research and translational innovation, Duke-NUS has gained international renown through its five Signature Research Programmes and ten Centres. The enduring impact of its discoveries is amplified by its successful Academic Medicine partnership with Singapore Health Services (SingHealth), Singapore's largest healthcare group. This strategic alliance has led to the creation of 15 Academic Clinical Programmes, which harness multi-disciplinary research and education to transform medicine and improve lives. For more information, please visit View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Duke-NUS Medical School Sign in to access your portfolio
CNA
5 days ago
- General
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - #TalkBack: How can we make it safer for our elderly as pedestrians and on public transport?
CNA938 Rewind Play In 2024, the elderly were involved in 42.3 percent of all fatal traffic accidents involving pedestrians. They move and react slower, but pay the price faster. With a growing aging population, can we do more to protect our elderly? Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss further with Dr Ad Maulod, Principal Research Scientist, Duke-NUS Medical School's Centre for Ageing Research and Education.
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
‘Ready for any disease X': New Singapore-made virus immunity test now used in 90 countries to track Covid-19, Ebola and Nipah
SINGAPORE, May 19 – A diagnostic test developed by Singaporean scientists to detect neutralising antibodies for multiple viruses is now in use in over 90 countries as part of global pandemic preparedness efforts. The Straits Times reported that the multiplex surrogate virus neutralisation test (sVNT), can identify whether a person has antibodies capable of neutralising several pathogens, including Sars-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, as well as Ebola and Nipah viruses. 'Neutralising antibodies are a functional measure of your immunity. So if you have a high level, you will most likely be protected against future infection,' said Prof Wang Linfa from Duke-NUS Medical School, who co-led the project with Dr Tan Chee Wah from NUS Medicine. This ability to assess immunity can also help gauge the effectiveness of vaccines and inform future formulations to cover a broader range of related viruses, Prof Wang added. Beyond vaccine development, the test supports contact tracing during outbreaks by identifying those previously infected, and can also be used in animals, having traced Sars-CoV-2 transmission from humans to deer in a US study. Dr Tan noted the test's safety advantage, as it uses only spike proteins from viruses rather than live pathogens, avoiding risks of infection during antibody detection. The test was developed under the Integrated Innovations in Infectious Diseases grant led by the National Medical Research Council, which funds medical research under Singapore's Ministry of Health. Based on the cPass test introduced in 2020, the sVNT expands on its predecessor's limitations, particularly its inability to detect newer Covid-19 variants, said Professor Paul Tambyah from NUS Medicine. Now adopted by institutions like the University of Oxford and the University of Melbourne, the sVNT plays a role in international research and surveillance of infectious diseases. Looking ahead, Dr Tan said the team aims to create a universal test for all pathogens listed by the World Health Organisation as global health threats, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 'The challenge now, and also our excitement, is trying to build up a really multi-family, multi-class surrogate virus neutralisation test, so that we're ready for any disease X,' said Prof Wang, referring to a yet-unknown virus that could spark a pandemic. Singapore has boosted its pandemic readiness since Covid-19, with the launch of a S$100 million research programme in 2022 and, most recently, the Communicable Diseases Agency in April 2025 to centralise infectious disease response.
