Biography:Lim Kah Leong

From HandWiki
Lim Kah Leong
Lim Kah Leong.jpg
Prof Lim Kah Leong at Duke-NUS
Born
Lim Kah Leong

NationalitySingaporean
Alma materJohns Hopkins University, Harvard University, IMCB
OccupationAcademic, Scientist
Websitewww.lkcmedicine.ntu.edu.sg/aboutus/Faculty-and-Staff/Pages/Lim-Kah-Leong.aspx

Lim Kah Leong, is a Singaporean neuroscientist and tenured full Professor and Vice Dean (Research) at the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he is also a President's Chair Professor in Translational Neuroscience. He is concurrently the Research Director for Biomedical and Life Sciences at NTU. He was previously Chair of the Department of Physiology at the National University of Singapore, Singapore and the deputy director for research at the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore. Dr. Lim is known for his research in Parkinson's Disease.[1][2] His research focuses on unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, with the view to develop novel therapies aimed at effectively treating the disease.

Academic background

Dr Lim obtained his PhD from the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Singapore under Dr. Catherine Pallen and performed his postdoctoral studies at the department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine with Ted M. Dawson and the department of pathology, Harvard Medical School.[3] He returned in to Singapore in 2002 to lead a laboratory at the National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore.

Research

His research has focused on identifying the molecular events underlying Parkinson's disease (PD). He co-led the creation of the first two-photon, small molecule fluorogenic probe that can serve as a useful tool for the rapid assessment of an individual's potential risk for Parkinson's disease.[4] He has also pioneered the use of umbilical cord lining stem cells to create new dopamine producing neurons in mice.[5] He has also studied the relationship between Parkinson's Disease and cancer and has uncovered the role of a tumor suppressor known as parkin in brain cancer.[6]

Awards and recognition

Prof. Lim Kah Leong has been awarded the Outstanding Mentor Award from the Science Mentorship Program, Ministry of Education, Singapore in 2008.[7] He was also awarded the Khoo Discovery Award by the Khoo Teck Puat Foundation, Duke-NUS, Singapore the same year. His team was awarded the NMRC Translational and Clinical Research Flagship Programme Grant of S$25 million for their work on the degenerative neurological disease Parkinson's in 2014.[8] In 2018, he was awarded Singapore's highest accolade in science, the President's Science Award.[9][10]

References

  1. "Lim Kah Leong at National University of Singapore". http://www.lsi.nus.edu.sg/corp/research-programmes/neurobiologyageing/principal-investigators/lim-kah-leong/. 
  2. "Lim Kah Leong, Duke-NUS". https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/content/lim-kah-leong. 
  3. "IMCB News". IMCB News. 2012-04-01. http://www.imcb.a-star.edu.sg/newsarchive/010408a.php. 
  4. Staff Reporter (2014-05-03). "First highly sensitive, small molecule fluorescence probe to evaluate risk, monitor progression of Parkinson's disease". ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140303083549.htm. 
  5. Boh, Samantha (2016-11-25). "Creating new nerve cells to treat Parkinson's". The Straits Times. http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/creating-new-nerve-cells-to-treat-parkinsons. 
  6. "New insight into brain cancer". Science Alert. 2012-06-11. http://www.sciencealert.com/new-insight-into-brain-cancer. 
  7. "AStar Profile Page". https://researchers.a-star.edu.sg/userprofile.aspx?userid=7692. 
  8. Staff Reporter (2014-12-29). "People and passion behind Parkinson's disease research". Tomorrow's Medicine. https://www.singhealth.com.sg/TomorrowsMed/Article/Pages/PeopleandpassionbehindParkinson%E2%80%99sdiseaseresearch.aspx. 
  9. Loh, Victor (2018-09-25). "Top research scientists and engineers receive highest accolade". Today. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/10-years-nurturing-talent-presidents-science-and-technology-awards. 
  10. Staff (2018-09-26). "Singapore Honors Outstanding Researchers At PSTA 2018". Asian Scientist. https://www.asianscientist.com/2018/09/topnews/singapore-honors-outstanding-researchers-at-psta-2018/.