top of page

Our research is focused to understand the regulation of innate immune responses and dysregulation of cellular function by Annexin-1 in response to stress in cancer and infection 

MDA%20D4.jpg

Stress in the tumor microenvironment

​

​

Stress has long been known to enhance disease, and cause premature aging.  The biology of stress-induced cancer is not clear. As stress induces cortisol, a corticosteroid which regulates the immune system, we hypothesize that stress (acute or chronic) induces the production of stress hormones which can modulate the tumor microenvironment consisting of tumor cells and macrophages to promote tumor growth and metastasis.  In this proposal, we focus on how stress (social or physical) – and acute or chronic influences immune cells and enhances tumorigenesis, which we believe is an important topic to understand to change clinical and social practices in the future.

Electrochemotherapy to reduce advanced metastatic disease

​

The emerging application of electrochemotherapy (ECT), short electrical pulses to treat tumours by exposing cancer cells to otherwise poorly permeant chemotherapy agents, has surged over the past decades, particularly in Europe, where it is performed routinely in 140 cancer centres with 13,000 cancer patients being treated as of 2015 (17, 5). However, this practice is not performed in Singapore due to limited coverage and awareness of the efficacy of the technique,

​​​

Image by CDC

Influenza and SARS-CoV2 virus life cycle

​

​

The influenza virus infects millions of people each year and can result in severe or even fatal complications including pneumonia and respiratory distress syndrome. Similarly, COVID19 has devastated the whole world.  Understanding virus proteins, recognition and host responses to influenza infection will enable the future development of more effective anti-viral therapies.  Using yeast and mammalian cell models we strive to design and discover new targets for therapeutics and vaccine development.

bottom of page