Health

News

29 Sep 2023
The authors discovered a shorter isoform of Rubicon called RUBCN100, which enhances autophagy in B cells.
29 Sep 2023
The authors identified a structure in the circadian mRNA Period2 that affects the sleep-wake cycle. The results indicate how translation and post-transcriptional processes influence the body’s internal clock and its impact on sleep patterns.
15 Sep 2023
Researchers led by Osaka University developed a novel genome editing technique known as NICER, which results in significantly fewer off-target mutations than CRISPR/Cas9 editing. The technique uses a different type of enzyme that makes single-stranded “nicks” in the DNA. Repair of these nicks is more efficient and accurate than repair of double-strand breaks caused by the current CRISPR/Cas9 editing. This technique represents a novel approach for the treatment of genetic diseases caused by heterozygous mutations.
15 Sep 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a previously unrecorded species of ant found in someone’s backyard, comparing traditional medicine to drugs for indigestion, and how breastfeeding can help babies develop a healthy gut.
15 Sep 2023
- Initial research findings from the project led by the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, focused on “Advancing Island Wildlife Materials.” - Contributing to securing wildlife and constructing utility information big data.
Reanalysis of studies on night shift naps reveals the ideal snoozing schedule
15 Sep 2023
A reanalysis of studies on night shift naps reveals the ideal snoozing schedule that may help combat fatigue and drowsiness when staying up all night.
IMAGE
14 Sep 2023
Scientists have found that extracellular calcium mediates the activation of a membrane protein that waves the flag signalling cell death
11 Sep 2023
Researchers have unveiled an intriguing phenomenon of cellular reprogramming in mature adult organs, shedding light on a novel mechanism of adaptive growth. The study, which was conducted on fruit flies (Drosophila), provides further insights into dedifferentiation - where specialized cells that have specific functions transform into less specialized, undifferentiated cells like stem cells.
Monitoring participants’ brain activity while viewing food images.
11 Sep 2023
Patients with a specific form of chronic indigestion react differently to images of food, compared to healthy control subjects or patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
Walking with prostheses
10 Sep 2023
In this collaborative project between Newcastle University and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), the team aimed to create a sustainable, cost-effective lower limb prosthetic socket (LLPS) using natural fiber-reinforced composites. The objectives included designing a green LLPS, assessing its environmental impact, and engaging stakeholders. Pineapple Leaf Fiber (PALF) was chosen for sustainability. The project has also inspired worldwide interest in sustainable LLPS development through a press release, receiving inquiries from students at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and a group of 7th graders in the USA.
08 Sep 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a new species of fish that was spotted being sold at local markets, how humans almost went extinct, and an Earth-like planet that may be lurking in our solar system.
Asia Research News monthly Editor's Choice
08 Sep 2023
Capturing carbon dioxide, Shells go nuclear, Worms surf electric fields, Brain repair & Creating matter from light. Plus from our blog: Monitoring research for further impact. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
04 Sep 2023
Researchers from Osaka University have revealed that the expression of a specific isoform of GREB1 Is4 is induced in malignant melanoma cells by the melanocyte-specific transcription factor, MITF. They revealed that GREB1 Is4 stimulates pyrimidine biosynthesis and promotes cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, the anti-tumor effect of antisense nucleic acids against GREB1 showed a potential new modality for malignant melanoma.
04 Sep 2023
In recent years, an emerging zoonotic pathogen called E. albertii, transmitted by wild animals such as raccoons, has garnered attention due to its remarkable similarities to several strains of Escherichia coli (E. coli), including O157, and its potential to cause severe illness, particularly in children. A research group at Osaka Metropolitan University has developed a novel culture medium that allows for the selective cultivation of E. albertii from raccoon fecal samples. This enabled the successful isolation of E. albertii even from samples with very low quantities of this bacterium. Their findings are expected to further elucidate the bacteriological characteristics of E. albertii and to contribute to the control of foodborne illnesses.
01 Sep 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the detection of a rare isotope of oxygen, converting waste coconut fibers into a flavoring compound, and a smart contact lens battery that can be powered by tears.
31 Aug 2023
Roughly 10% of the proteins in our body rely on zinc. A group of researchers has unearthed the secrets behind a tiny but crucial protein that shuttles zinc ions within our bodies, offering a deeper understanding of how our cells maintain optimal health.
30 Aug 2023
How much is adequate screen time for a child? It is the question at the forefront of many parents’ minds. Now, a recent cohort study has found that the amount of screen time spent by one-year-olds is associated with developmental delays.
29 Aug 2023
It is the first local research and innovation platform enabling Primary Care Professionals from public and private healthcare to deliver stronger primary care and improve patients’ health outcomes
23 Aug 2023
Osaka Metropolitan University researchers conducted a 5-year claims-based study of 655 non-frail or pre-frail older adults who were certified as having low care needs to investigate the relationship between the risk of frailty and two types of care services. The results showed that users of community-based adult care services had a 40% reduced risk of developing frailty compared to non-users. This suggests that utilizing appropriate support and services can prevent the progression of frailty.
first aid kit
21 Aug 2023
Deepak Verma from Chulalongkorn University and his international team of researchers are exploring ways to enhance chitosan using techniques like adding photosensitizers, dendrimers, and chemical modifications. They also surveyed the use of chitosan nanoparticles for medical purposes, notably wound dressings.
Illustration depicting the effects of anti-estrogenic therapies on cancers that are not estrogen-sensitive (Illustration provided by Nabeel Kajihara)
21 Aug 2023
Anti-estrogenic therapies can suppress the growth of cancer that does not express estrogen receptors; when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapies, they halt tumor progression in mice models.
18 Aug 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are vegan 3D printed calamari rings, 4 000-year-old ceramic pipes and ditches, and how swirling stars make some rethink how gravity works.
Asia Research News Editors Choice
17 Aug 2023
Japanese fossil forest found, AI finds a way to people’s hearts, Language diversity and child social development & Supplement for kidney disease. Plus Submissions open for Asia Research News 2024. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.
16 Aug 2023
Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have developed an AI model that accurately estimates a patient’s age, using chest radiographs of healthy individuals collected from multiple facilities. Furthermore, they found a positive relationship between differences in the AI-estimated and chronological ages and a variety of chronic diseases, such as hypertension, hyperuricemia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In the future, it is expected that AI biomarkers will be developed to predict life expectancy, estimate the severity of chronic diseases, and forecast surgery-related risks.
16 Aug 2023
A research team co-led by City University of Hong Kong (CityU) and The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has recently made a significant advancement in spinal cord injury treatment by using genetically modified human neural stem cells (hNSCs). They found that specifically modulating a gene expression to a certain level in hNSCs can effectively promote reconstruction of damaged neural circuits and restore locomotor functions, offering great potential for new therapeutic opportunities for patients with spinal cord injury.
15 Aug 2023
Innovators from 10 Countries Compete for the Coveted Advanced Healthcare and Life Sciences International Innovation Awards at MTE 2023
JHSSR Vol. 5 (1) Jul. 2023
14 Aug 2023
Greetings from JHSSR, Horizon is proud to announce the highly acclaimed publication of the latest issue of 2023, Vol. 5, Issue 1 (Jul. 2023). The issue is now live at the Journal’s webpage. You may explore our range of contributions within this Issue. Explore this issue, click the links below.
11 Aug 2023
Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are particle pollution linked to antibiotic resistance and microplastics being found in the body, fossils that show a marine reptile that used filter feeding, and how a connection in our brains compares our rewards to ones that others received.
09 Aug 2023
Researchers from Osaka University clarified the interactions of the proteins Tejas (Tej), Vasa (Vas), and Spindle-E (Spn-E) in the formation of cellular compartments known as nuage and the processing of PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) precursors in Drosophila melanogaster ovaries. piRNAs help prevent the transmission of genetic mutations through reproductive cells, and insight into the dynamics of piRNA formation and processing may contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying reproductive disorders, including infertility.
09 Aug 2023
- Collaborative study by Choi, Head of the DGIST Core Protein Resource Center, and Prof. Park from Kyungpook National University uncovers the alarming impact of secondary microplastics on human health! - Environmental model exposes harmful effects of naturally altered secondary microplastic production

Events

16 Nov 2020
Optimising Clinical Trials | Commercialising Great Science | Partnering for Growth
02 Nov 2020
We invite scientists, doctors, students and other delegates engaging in scientific research related to cancer to join us at Singapore’s preferred cancer conference.
01 Oct 2020
The 6th annual RNA Biology Symposium jointly organized by the RNA Biology Centre of CSI Singapore (NUS), Skin Research Institute of Singapore (A*STAR), Duke-NUS Medical School, School of Biological Sciences (NTU) and Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)
The Khwarizmi International Award (KIA) acknowledges the efforts made by researchers, innovators and inventors from across the globe and to appreciate their high quality research work and contributions to different fields of science and technology.
26 Jun 2020
Flattening the Curve with Digital Health: Episode 7 - Australia
18 Jun 2020
Flattening the Curve with Digital Health: Episode 6 - Thailand
10 Jun 2020
Flattening the Curve with Digital Health: Episode 5 - Japan
23 Sep 2020
Adapting to COVID 19, and driving a pivotal change in drug trials, market penetration, pricing and regulatory compliance
02 Sep 2020
Celebrating and learning from COVID 19 success stories to shape new frontiers in patient experience, healthtech and innovation.
14 Oct 2020
Asia's Premier Partnering Event for the Global Biotechnology Industry. This year’s exhibition will be held as originally planned at Pacifico Yokohama. BioJapan partnering is available both physically and virtually. Plus some seminars will be available online.
22 Jul 2020
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting international travel, this year's event will be a unique blend of online and live gatherings — BIO Asia–Taiwan 2020 Online + Live, to be held July 22-26 in Taipei, Taiwan.
09 Dec 2020
Singapore's long-running Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry learning and networking event, featuring a stellar profile of C-suite experts and firms.
03 Nov 2020
Your go-to event to reach out to key decision makers in the pharmaceutical industry. The event will be delivered digitally from 3-5 November 2020.
17 Jul 2020
Asia’s annual premier healthcare platform CAREhab 2020 and conference element 6th Singapore Rehabilitation Conference, will now be held online on the 17 – 18 July 2020.
07 Jul 2020
IMAPAC is bringing to you 3 focus areas: Bio-Manufacturing, Bio-Analytics, and Cell Therapy Bioprocessing as part of Asia's biggest, most focussed annual bioprocessing virtual conference!
09 Dec 2019
The ASEAN Emerging Researchers Conference is a flagship programme of the ASEAN Young Scientists Network; the official platform for young researchers in the region.
08 Dec 2020
Asia's pharma & biotech virtual festival - Phar-East is the premier meeting place for senior executives from Asia’s pharma and biotech industry.
26 Nov 2019
Vaccine World Asia 2019 will bring together leading experts to discuss the latest technological advancements and spearhead scientific innovation in the development and manufacture of vaccines for key diseases such as Dengue, Chikungunya, Malaria, Tuberculosis etc.
02 Oct 2019
Launching on 2nd October 2019 in Singapore
13 Jan 2020
Duxes is pleased to announce the launch of the Smart Wearable Device Asia Pacific Summit 2020 (SWAP), that will take place in Shenzhen, China. January 13-14. This upcoming event aims to meet the latest demands of companies in the smart wearable device market, shedding light on current hot topics, industry concerns and the latest innovations.
07 Oct 2019
Tracks include: Sustainability & Growth; Patient Experience; Unlocking the Value of AI; Value-based Care.
24 Sep 2019
The leading event that brings together Asia’s pharmaceutical companies and supplies all in one place

Researchers

Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
Dr. Iyaswamy Ashok
Dr. Iyaswamy Ashok is currently a Research Assistant Professor at School of Chinese Medicine.
Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST)
Minseok S. Kim
Minseok S. Kim is an Assistant Professor of New Biology at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science & Technology (DGIST)
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Henry Ho Chun-yip
Dr. Henry Ho is a Registered Psychologist (RP) of the Hong Kong Psychological Society and a Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) of the British Psychological Society. His current research aims to examine the impact of psychological capital on work performance and well-being.
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
Prof. Cai Zongwei is now the Chair Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Director of both State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis as well as Dioxin Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University.
Lingnan University (LU)
Lam Woo & Co Ltd Chair Professor Siu Oi-ling is Chair Professor teaching psychology courses. Her research interests are in Occupational Health Psychology, specifically occupational stress, psychology of safety and work-life balance.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Dr. Brian Man Yu Bon
Dr. Brian Man Yu Bon is currently serving as an Assistant Professor in Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Education University of Hong Kong.
Duke-NUS Medical School
Dr Kwa is currently a Pharmacy Clinician Scientist and Assistant Director, Pharmacy (Research), at the Singapore General Hospital. She specializes in critical care medicine, infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance research.
Suraj Bhattarai
Suraj Bhattarai is a global health specialist and tropical medicine physician with research interests in infectious disease epidemiology and surveillance, health systems, and urban health. He is a co-founder and research fellow at the Global Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies, a Kathmandu-based academic institute that promotes and conducts interdisciplinary research. He is a member of Global Young Academy and an Alumni steering committee member of IAP-Young Physician Leaders Programme. He obtained medical training in Nepal and masters in Tropical Medicine & International Health from the LSHTM, UK.
I am a Health Economist/Researcher, working with UN agencies in the development of policy documents for developing countries including Nepal, Ethiopia and Pakistan.
Osaka City University
Takashi Hashimoto's major expertise is clinical and basic research for both autoimmune bullous diseases and hereditary skin diseases.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Professor Chou has wide research interests in areas concerning geriatric psychiatry, elderly policies, population policy especially immigrant policy, poverty, welfare reform, income inequality and health policy.
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
Dr. Salizar Binti Mohamed Ludin is an Assoc. Prof at the Kulliyyah of Nursing of International Islamic University Malaysia.
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)
Department of Microbiology / Biomolecular Sciences Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Dr. Louisa Chung is a Registered Nutritionist of Association for Nutrition (UK) with ten years experience in weight management and physical fitness projects. She is now working on an innovative dietary intake method which aims better result in weight loss and nutrition education.
Osaka City University
Dr. Akira Kaneko
Akira Kaneko was appointed as Professor of Parasitology of Osaka City University in 2010. Since then, he has conducted global health research with a particular focus on malaria elimination on islands in Vanuatu, Oceania and Lake Victoria, Kenya.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Dr. Esther Lau Yuet-ying
Dr Esther Lau specializes in clinical psychology and clinical neuropsychology. Currently, her primary line of research aims to uncover some of the complex relationships between sleep, emotional and cognitive functioning.
Osaka City University
Picture of Prof. Jun-Seok Oh
Prof. Jun-Seok Oh is currently working at the Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka City University, He does research in Experimental Plasma Physics and is currently interested in atmospheric pressure plasma applications, 'Plasma Medicine' and 'Plasma Agriculture'.
Osaka City University
Picture of Prof. Eriko Kage-Nakadai
Eriko Kage-Nakadai is a professor at the Graduate School of Human Life Science of Osaka City University.
Osaka City University
Kazuhisa Asai
Kazuhisa Asai is currently an associate professor at the Graduate School of Medicine of Osaka City University.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Picture of Dr. Anna Kam Chi-shan
Dr.Anna Kam's research interests include advanced technologies in aural rehabilitation, automated hearing screening, tinnitus management and auditory processing.
The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK)
Dr. Yuen has dual professional qualifications as an audiologist and a speech-language pathologist (or speech therapist). He is also an experienced cochlear implant clinical specialist audiologist.
Duke-NUS Medical School
Prof. Patrick Tan's research focuses on developing genomic approaches to unlock the molecular and clinical diversity of gastric cancer (aka stomach cancer)- a leading cause of global cancer mortality.
Duke-NUS Medical School
Picture of Prof. David Bruce Matchar
Prof Matchar's research relates to clinical practice improvement - from the development of clinical policies to their implementation in real world clinical settings
Duke-NUS Medical School
Picture of Prof. Gavin James Smith
Prof Smith’s research programme primarily investigates the ecology and evolution of zoonotic viruses and the molecular epidemiology of human respiratory pathogens.
Duke-NUS Medical School
Prof. Ooi Eng Eong
Professor Ooi Eng Eong is a clinician-scientist by training and his research on dengue is positioned at the interface between clinical epidemiology, virology and immunology. His laboratory is interested in how antibodies either protect against or enhance dengue virus infection and what viral factors influence epidemic dengue activity.
Hiroshima University
Yohei Kawano is currently and Associate Professor at the Department of Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University.
Hiroshima University
Prof. Kiyomi Shitaoka's research aims to obtain effective antibody genes and T cell receptor genes by single-cell analysis of B cell and T cell receptors on lymphocytes. In addition, to apply these genes to develop new treatments for overcoming infectious diseases and cancer.
Duke-NUS Medical School
Picture of Semra Ozdemir Van Dyk
Semra Ozdemir is an Assistant Professor at Lien Centre for Palliative Care and the Signature Programme in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS. Her main research areas are medical decision making and health economics
Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU)
Picture of Dr. Ren Kangning
Dr. Ken is currently an assistant professor in the department of Chemistry at HKBU. His current research interests center on advanced analytical chemistry technologies, with particular emphasis on creating and applying novel instrumental analysis technologies based on microfluidics and materials engineering.
Hiroshima University
Prof. Tomoharu Yasuda
Prof. Tomoharu Yasuda's laboratory studies how immune system is regulated through the antigen receptor, intracellular signaling and lymphocyte programming.

Giants in history

Chinese biochemist Chi Che Wang (1894 - 1979), one of the first Chinese women to study abroad, advanced to prominent research positions at American institutions including the University of Chicago and the Northwestern University Medical School.
Ruby Sakae Hirose (1904 – 1960) was a Japanese-American scientist whose research contributed significantly to our understanding of blood clotting, allergies and cancer.
Flora Zaibun Majid ( 1939–2018) was an accomplished Bangladeshi researcher in botany and nutrition science and the first female chairperson of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Iranian physician and bacteriologist Azar Andami (8 December 1926 – 19 August 1984) developed a cholera vaccine to combat an outbreak that swept through the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, and Africa in 1937.
Irene Ayako Uchida’s (8 April 1917 – 30 July 2013) strides to understand genetic diseases such as Down syndrome paved the way for early screening of chromosomal abnormalities in foetuses.
Baron Kitasato Shibasaburo (29 January 1856 – 13 June 1931) was a Japanese physician and bacteriologist whose work led to a new understanding of preventing and treating tetanus, diphtheria and anthrax.
Maggie Lim (5 January 1913 – November 1995) was a Singaporean physician who promoted family planning and expanded the access to clinics to improve the quality of life for mothers and children in Singapore’s early days.
By isolating soil microorganisms and studying the compounds they produce, Satoshi Omura (born 1935) discovered almost 500 organic compounds with unique properties that were produced by these microorganisms, including many new antibiotics.
The founder of the Adyar Cancer Institute in India, Muthulakshmi Reddy (30 July 1886 – 22 July 1968), fought to uplift women and girls from impoverished situations.
Chinese-American virologist and molecular biologist Flossie Wong-Staal (27 August 1946 – 8 July 2020) was the first scientist to clone HIV and determine the function of its genes.
Maharani Chakravorty (1937 – 2015) was one of India’s earliest molecular biologists whose research paved the way for advances in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections.
Archana Sharma (16 February 1932 - 14 January 2008) conducted research into plant and human genetics that expanded the understanding of both botany and human health. In relation to botany, she uncovered the means by which asexually-reproducing plants evolve into new species.
The first Thai woman to receive a degree in medicine, Margaret Lin Xavier (29 May 1898 – 6 December 1932), is best remembered for her compassion towards her less privileged patients.
In 1915, pathologist Katsusaburo Yamagiwa and his research assistant Koichi Ichikawa became the first to prove that chronic exposure to chemicals can cause cancer.
Filipino chemist and pharmacist Manuel A. Zamora (29 March 1870 – 9 July 1929) is best remembered for his discovery of the tiki-tiki formula to combat beriberi, a disease caused by Vitamin B1 deficiency.
After witnessing death and suffering as a youth in his home village during World War II, Nguyễn Tài Thu (6 April 1931 – 14 February 2021) set his sights on alleviating pain by becoming a doctor. After studying Traditional Chinese Medicine in China in the 1950s, Thu returned to Vietnam to serve in military hospitals. Eventually, he became the country’s foremost practitioner of acupuncture, a technique he first learned by inserting needles into himself.
David T. Wong (born 1936) is a Hong Kong-born American neuroscientist who is best known for discovering the antidepressant drug fluoxetine, better known as Prozac.
Indian organic chemist Asima Chatterjee (1917 to 2006) studied the medicinal properties of plant products, especially compounds known as vinca alkaloids.
Hsien Wu (24 November 1893 – 8 August 1959) is widely regarded as the founder of biochemistry and nutrition science in China. He was the first to propose that protein denaturation was caused by the unfolding of the protein, instead of chemical alteration.
Umetaro Suzuki (7 April 1874 – 20 September 1943) was a Japanese scientist best remembered for his research on beriberi, a disease caused by vitamin B1 deficiency, characterized by limb stiffness, paralysis and pain.
Syed Qasim Mehdi (13 February 1941 – 28 September 2016) was a Pakistani molecular biologist who was a founding member of the Human Genome Diversity Project (HGDP), which assessed human diversity by studying human migration, mutation rates, relationships between different populations, genes involved in height and selective pressure.
Tsai-Fan Yu (1911 – 2 March 2007) was a Chinese-American physician and researcher who was the first female full professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She discovered that gout, a condition characterized by the painful inflammation of joints, was caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the bloodstream.
Min Chueh Chang (10 October 1908 – 5 June 1991) was a Chinese-American biologist who studied fertilization in mammalian reproduction.
A Japanese surgeon, Tetsuzo Akutsu (20 August 1922 – 9 August 2007) built the first artificial heart capable of keeping an animal alive.
Ogino Ginko (3 March 1851 – 23 June 1913) was the first registered female doctor to practise modern medicine in Japan.