OUR RESEARCH

OUR GOALS

Immediate goals: To understand the gut-brain mechanisms controlling brain function and behaviour, especially mental and cognitive health.

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

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.

TRANSLATION AND APPLICATION

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

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

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!

KEY COLLABORATORS

Zebrafish Neural Circuits and Disease Models

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)