Bios2015: Biological Symposium
by the MBI WIS Initiative

16 October, 2015
Level 5, T-Lab, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore

Download BIOS2015 poster

A symposium brought to you by the Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) Women in Science (WIS) Initiative, BIOS2015 aims to promote biological sciences by bringing together scientists from diverse realms of life sciences research in Singapore.

This one-of-a-kind symposium will show case work from top research institutes in Singapore, including NUS, D3, IMB, NNS, NTU, NNI, DUKE NUS and TLL, spanning research in basic sciences, translational sciences and drug discovery.

With a specific focus on junior careers in academia for its first meeting planned on 16th October 2015, BIOS 2015 will also have a panel discussion towards the end of the symposium.

Keynote Speaker

Katharina Gaus, University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Talk: Molecular insights into the regulation of T cell signalling
Dr Katharina Gaus is head of the Cellular Membrane Biology Laboratory at the University of New South Wales. The main aim of her research has been to gain a mechanistic understanding of the organisation of the plasma membrane within cells. She has pioneered fluorescence microscopy approaches to examine and quantify cell signalling on a single molecule level (super-resolution microscopy) in living cells. Her work aims to link membrane organisation to cell signalling by implementing single-molecule imaging techniques and using novel cell-activating surfaces.

Panel discussion to follow the keynote speaker. Short talks will be selected from submitted abstracts.

Speakers

Yunn Hwen Gan, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS
Talk: Unraveling the mystery of an endemic bacterial pathogen which also happens to be a bioterrorism agent
Assoc Prof Gan’s research focuses on the interaction of Burkholderia pseudomallei with the host innate immune response, genetic regulation of virulence in Burkholderia pseudomallei, susceptibility factors in Type 2 diabetes to bacterial infections, and bacterial sensing of host environment and Type III/Type VI bacterial secretion systems.

Sheemei Lok, Emerging Infectious Diseases Program Duke-NUS
Talk: CryoEM structure shows antibody neutralize dengue virusserotype 2 by locking E protein dimers
Assistant Professor Lok is one of the recipients for the prestigious National Research Foundation fellowship. Dengue Virus (DENV) infects approximately 100 million people each year. Increased travel, together with global climate change will result in further geographical expansion of the territory of the dengue mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. There is an urgent need to develop safe and effective dengue therapeutics and vaccine.

Mary B Chan-Park, Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
Talk: Selective Antimicrobial Polysaccharides For Diverse Applications
Prof Chan-Park’s research includes: polymer applications in biotechnology and nanotechnology, antimicrobial polymers and hydrogels, carbon nanotubes and graphene dispersion and sorting and printed electronics – surface patterning and modification.

Hu Xian, MBI-NUS
Talk: How does the Stretch Cycles of Talin in Mature Adhesions Recruit Vinculin – A Time Resolved Single Molecule Analysis

Reshma Taneja, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine NUS
Talk: Unravelling epigenetic changes in skeletal myopathies
The long-term goal of our research program is to understand how basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family of transcription factors regulate cellular growth, differentiation and apoptosis. Our lab has been interested in understanding the function and regulation of the bHLH factors Stra13/Dec1 and Sharp-1/Dec2 in the differentiation and regeneration of skeletal muscle, as well as their potential roles in tumorigenesis.

Carol Tang, National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)
Talk: Targeting Brain Tumors: Improving lives through Precision Medicine
Our laboratory first started in June 2005 with a focus on the establishment of patient-derived glioma-propagating cells (GPCs) (Chong et al, Stem Cells, 2009). These stem-like cells exhibit many of the hallmarks of the primary tumor: stemness/ multipotentiality markers, karyotype and transcriptomic profile. Importantly, we and others showed that orthotopic xenografts established from GPCs recapitulate the pathophysiology of the patient’s original tumor.

Zhang Dan, Temasek Lifesciences Laboratory (TLL)
Talk: The cortical ER regulates actomyosin ring assembly through ER-PM contacts
Dr Zhang specializes in the study of membrane-bound organelles which establish multiple membrane contact sites (MCSs) through which they communicate and coordinate their functions. The broad goal of our lab is to elucidate the nature and functions of endomembrane contacts, and to integrate their roles into a general framework of cell physiology, using the fission yeastSchizosaccharomyces pombe as the main model organism.

Bee Luan, MBI-NUS
Talk: Short-term expansion of breast circulating cancer cells predicts response to Anti-cancer therapy

Priyanka Balaganapathy, NUS
Talk: The role of Notch in p53 mediated neuronal cell death in cerebral ischemia

Birgit Lane, A*Star Institute of Medical Biology (IMB)
Talk: Understanding keratin function through studying rare diseases
Prof Lane is known internationally for her work on keratins and has a long-standing interest in the function of the keratin cytoskeleton in epithelia and its importance in disease. She has made pioneering contributions to the use of monoclonal antibodies to keratins in diagnostic pathology and cell biology, and to the recognition of keratin mutations as causing inherited skin fragility disorders.

Veronica Diermayr, A*Star D3
Talk: Moving forward – Singapore’s successes in oncology drug development
Dr Diermayr has gained a wide area of expertise in preclinical and early clinical development while in charge of the animal pharmacology group as well as the biomarker group, working on S*BIO’s portfolio of small molecules, developing and applying biomarker strategies during Phase I/II oncology trials. She has gained further insights at D3 (A*Star) on the development of biologics and the operational aspects of early clinical trials. Her continued focus of interest is oncology drug development as well as the development of biomarkers for targeted therapeutics.

Lee Wei Lin, IMCB
Talk: Yersinia effector YopO uses actin as bait to phosphorylate proteins that regulate actin polymerization

Charlotte Guetta, MBI-NUS
Talk: Protrusive Waves Guide 3D Cell Migration Along Nanofibers

Jolene Tan, AWARE
Jolene Tan is the Programmes and Communications Senior Manager for the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE), an organization in Singapore that works to support, educate and advocate women’s civil and legal rights.

 Program

16 October, 2015
Level 5, T-Lab, Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore

Download full program (PDF)

 Sponsors