top of page

OUR RESEARCH

IMG_20200103_114950-01-Biopolis1_edited.jpg

OUR GOALS

Immediate goals: To understand the gut-brain mechanisms controlling dietary decisions and their effects on health and behaviour.

​

Ultimate goals: To generate new scientific knowledge which could optimise human health and potential and promote a sustainable society.

Zebrafish.jpeg

WHY ZEBRAFISH?

The zebrafish is a vertebrate that shares genes, physiology, gut-brain anatomy and behaviours with mammals, while at the same time being small and tractable enough to gain a holistic perspective of organ and brain function. 

​

It is also cost-effective and amenable to high-throughput genetic and pharmacological screening studies, particularly at the larval stages. 

Image by National Cancer Institute

TRANSLATION AND APPLICATION

Although we are a basic research lab, we also run translational projects in the domains of nutrition and human health (e.g. microbiome and multi-omics studies on human cohorts, clinical neuroimaging), drug discovery, and aquaculture. 


We continue to be interested in forming impactful collaborations with industry and clinical partners.  

AVG_OMPTRPC2andHuCGC6s.png

OUR TECHNIQUES

  • Functional Imaging

  • Multi-omics Approaches

  • Microbiome Analysis

  • Electrophysiology

  • Quantitative Behavioural Analysis

  • Circuit Manipulation 

  • Genetic Modelling 

  • Pharmacological Screening

  • Machine Learning

  • Whatever you can bring! 

SJlab_NCommsjpg.jpg

KEY COLLABORATORS

Zebrafish Neural Circuits and Disease Models â€‹

  • Ajay Mathuru (Yale-NUS College)

  • Stefan Oehlers (Infectious Diseases Labs, A*STAR)

  • Florian Engert and Mark Fishman (Harvard University)​​

  • Suresh Jesuthasan (Umea University, Sweden)

 

Brain-Body Interactions and the Microbiome

  • Division of Neurometabolism (Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR)

  • GUSTO research team (Institute of Human Development and Potential, A*STAR)

  • Anand Andiappan (Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR)

  • James Chan (Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation, A*STAR)

  • Eric Chan (NUS Pharmacy)

  • Vincenzo Sorrentino (NUS Biochemistry)

​​

Technology Development and Translation

  • Peter Torok (SCELSE, NTU)

  • Shi Yan Ng (Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR)

  • Maria De Iorio (NUS Statistics)

  • Kok Hao Chen (Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR)

 

Food and Nutrition / Aquaculture

  • Alvin Loo (Food Science and Technology, NUS)

  • Xiaodi Su and Laura Sutarlie (Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR

  • Shubha Vij (Republic Polytechnic)​

bottom of page