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Home , 2018 in science

JAN 2019

NEW PROGRAMMES AT SCELSE’S 7TH SCIENTIFIC RETREAT CELSE’s annual scientific retreat marked its seventh year on the Sfirst of November 2018 at the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa. Situated metres away from beach-goers and rollercoaster riders, the Centre’s researchers had equal thrill sharing their work and discovering that of their peers in the resort’s grand ballroom over two days. This year’s scientific retreat was noted for the inclusions of a few novel events on its agenda, notably the return of breakout sessions since 2016 and a recycled poster session. Following convention, Centre Director Prof. Staffan Kjelleberg gave the welcome address and shared the SCELSE at the end of the 7th scientific retreat vision for SCELSE that will be enabled by the extended funding beyond year- of higher learning, government Colleagues seized their chance to 10 of the centre. agencies and businesses to address seek the expertise of their peers or issues of biofilm detection and control share their own during the talks. Dr Prof. Kjelleberg also announced the for industry needs. Both will be Foo Yong Hwee shared his search set-up of a collaboration between launched in February 2019. for those who work with aptamers, SCELSE and the National Biofilm while Dr Artur Matysik exposed the Innovation Centre (NBIC) in the UK. Amid the news of exciting pitfalls in image acquisition and In addition, the upcoming Singapore developments, there were also analysis. Pictures of Pablo, his cat National Biofilm Consortium (SNBC) farewells to address, namely the with a grayscale coat proved to be brings together researchers, institutes departures of SCELSE’s deputy director popular and useful in illustrating his Prof. Yehuda Cohen, deputy research recommendations on achieving better director A/Prof. Yang Liang, and Assist. images. Taking the opportunity to Prof Enrico Marsili (see page 5). remind the 150-strong audience of a Calendar pertinent issue in , Dr Matysik Learning from also made a call out to inclusivity with Conferences in 2019 suggestions on using tones friendly The scientific programme opened to the colour-blind when producing with a talk that many from SCELSE microscopy images. 21-22 Feb: World Congress were looking forward to and given on Microbiology & Applied by new visiting professor, Prof. Alain Novel programmes Microbiology. Paris, . Filloux from the MRC Centre for Abstract deadline: 07 Feb 2019. Molecular Bacteriology and Infection There were also smaller breakout Registration deadline: 14 Feb 2019 at . sessions that allowed for more intensive discussions and interactions. 10-14 Mar: Keystone Conference - Sharing his research on the The sessions ranged from the technical Microbiome: Chemical Mechanisms capabilities of the Pseudomonas – imaging methods, options and and Biological Consequences (C3). aeruginosa type VI secretion system as applications by Prof. Peter Török – to Québec, . Discounted an antibacterial , Prof. Filloux oft-neglected skills in the field, such highlighted how the mechanism may registration deadline: 16 Jan 2019 as Dr Sean Booth and Dr Viduthalai contribute to the manipulation of the Rasheedkhan Regina’s session on microbial community in environments asking questions in scientific seminars. 08-11 Apr: The Microbiology such as the gut. Society Annual Conference 2019. “For the last couple of years, we’ve Belfast, UK. Early registration “I focused on a particular set of had a talk-heavy programme,” admits deadline: 4 Mar 2019 toxins in the talk, but this is an on- Dr Rohan Williams, head of the going project,” says Prof. Filloux. “The Integrative Analysis Unit and one 07-11 Jul: 8th Congress of European overall message I wanted to convey of the retreat organisers. “We have Microbiologists - FEMS 2019. about type VI’s manipulation of the rebalanced it with new programmes Glasgow, Scotland. microbial population was that we can so there is something catering to learn from them and develop clever everyone.” Abstract deadline: 15 Jan 2019. strategies to fight against bacterial Registration deadline: 30 Jun 2019 pathogens in the same way other Long-time attendees of the retreat bacteria fight each other,” he explains. favoured the new (cont. on next page) QUORUM JAN 2019

Dr Artur Matysik’s pet cat Pablo was well received as a sample illustration (from left) Dr Sumitra Debina Mitra, Samarpita Roy, during a presentation on acquiring better microscopy images Dr Irina Afonina and Dr Lucinda Doyle

(cont. from previous page) agenda. “This new concept of questions, Prof. Zehnder regaled retreat participants with recyclable poster sessions is a good platform for people to his history as a young researcher. Recalling one of his know what others have presented at various conferences first conferences, he spoke of his surprise at an attendee and it’s good to know what they’re doing,” says research who announced publicly that they did not understand his associate Krithika Arumugam, who has attended every presentation. He realised that it was an opportune moment retreat since SCELSE began. to elucidate his talking points to audience members who might not have dared to ask for clarification, and he was First-year PhD student Omkar Shashikan Kulkarni was grateful for the attendee’s question. taken in by his first experience of the retreat. “It’s been fun and I liked Tan Wee Boon’s talk on transposon sequencing, While Prof. Zehnder was impressed by the work which they used to create mutant libraries and screen entire presented at the retreat, the seamless run of its programme libraries using a high throughput technique,” says Omkar. “I also has to be credited to the corporate services staff who think it’s a really good technology and when you integrate sat quietly at the back of the ballroom. it with something like microbiomes or microbial ecology, it could give you good insights into these fields,” he adds. To that end, many thanks to Ying Ting, Nathasha, Allen, Rehan, Patrick, Smitha, Wey Yeeng, Kartini, Sow Chin Giving thanks to audiences and Soon Lay for the behind the scenes work; Dr Rohan Williams, A/Prof. Scott , Dr Bae Sung Woo, A/Prof. The retreat closed with an adherence to tradition, with Kimberly Kline, A/Prof. Yang Liang for organising; students final remarks given by the SAB Chair, Prof. Alexander and everyone else who have contributed to the retreat in Zehnder. With reference to the breakout session on asking their own way.

RESEARCH UPDATE

Alarmed zebrafish, air in homes projects receive NIMBELS grant

cientists at SCELSE and the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKC Medicine) will be keeping an (from left) SCELSE research director Prof. Michael Givskov and eye on fearful zebrafish over the next two years. A visiting professor Prof. Alain Filloux happy at lunch S project between A/Prof. Suresh Jesuthasan and Prof. Peter Török, director of the SCELSE imaging facility, that seeks to illuminate the neurological basis of fear responses in zebrafish was awarded the NIMBELS grant in November 2018. The grant is aimed at facilitating joint research projects between two different institutions. The seed fund will provide up to $200,000 SGD over a two-year period. The shortlisted project involves the development of an imaging system to characterise the neural circuits that mediate the alarm response in zebrafish. Aggrieved zebrafish is not the only focus of SCELSE-LKC Medicine joint research in the slew of NIMBELS grant (from left) A/Prof. Diane McDougald, Prof. Hans Curt-Flemming, Prof. projects. Asst Prof. Sanjay Chotirmall and SCELSE’s research Givskov, Dr Rohan Williams, Prof. Staffan Kjelleberg, Prof. Stefan Wuertz, Prof. director of the Meta-‘omics & Microbiomes cluster Prof. Peter Steinberg, Prof. Alexander Zehnder, Prof. Peter Little, Prof. Peter Török, Stephan Schuster are leading the charge in investigating Prof. Jürg Keller, A/Prof. Paul MacAry, A/Prof. Sanjay Swarup indoor air microbiomes and its links to respiratory disease.

2 SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg QUORUM JAN 2019

PUBLICATION PROFILE CONFERENCE REPORT

Sequencing tropical air bacterium

here is something in the air; in fact, there are plenty and more yet to be sequenced as far as the research of TSCELSE’s air microbiome programme goes. A collection of papers on the complete sequence of various bacterium in Singapore’s tropical air space was published in Genome Announcements by the American Society for Microbiology between May to July 2018. The selection of sequenced bacterium includes Acinetobacter indicus1, Lelliottia nimipressuralis2, Staphylococcus haemolyticus3, Pseudomonas stutzeri4, Acinetobacter tyria in the southeast of Austria is known as the schindleri5, Geobacillus thermoleovorans6, Serratia country’s ‘Green Heart’ and its most fertile state. For marcescens7, Bacillus velezensis8 and Pantoea ananatis9. Sthe last two years, researchers have descended upon its municipiality of Vorau or rather, have ascended its peaks This work by the Centre’s air microbiome group for the annual Mountain Village Science Series (MOVISS) contributes to an open access public database on new conference. SCELSE research associate Ms Saw Nay Min Min Thaw was one such hiker and conference participant genome sequences and methodologies for attaining and in September 2018. She shares her experience of discussing assembling them. More importantly, the functional analysis metabolomics in the mountains: and annotation results of these sequenced bacterium may serve to highlight and potential mechanisms for The MOVISS conference was filled with discussions and further study. For example, Serratia marcescens, which questions about metabolomics and statistics, and had a may present as an opportunistic bacterium associated with focus on experimental design and critical issues of data pre- urinary tract and other hospital-acquired infections, showed processing in metabolomics data. genes associated with virulence, disease, defense. My supervisor Dr Among these genes, several have potential links with Rohan Williams had resistance. This array of genes highlighted in encouraged me to submit Serratia marcescens may help the bacterial strain achieve my abstract. I gave a multidrug resistance and contribute to the occurrence of 5-minute oral presentation hospital-acquired infections. titled “Application of generalised additive A. schindleri is also another opportunistic pathogen models in metabolic involved in hospital-acquired infections, particularly changes of microbial affecting immunocompromised patients and those in community in enhanced intensive care units. Although known for its ability to biological phosphate survive on inert surfaces for long periods of time, the removal”. My presentation researchers noted that the phenotypic identification of its was targeted at fellow isolates remains indistinct. The complete genome sequences researchers who are of the strain as provided by the researchers’ work may go working on time-resolved some way in providing molecular markers for identification experiments and at the in the future. conference, produced fruitful discussions on the *Titles and DOI numbers of the papers are as follows: time-series analysis of Nay Min hiking, hand on knee 1 Complete Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter indicus Type Strain SGAir0564 metabolomics data. Isolated from Tropical Air Collected in Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1128/ genomeA.00230-18 What caught my interest at MOVISS was the presentation 2 Complete Genome Sequence of Lelliottia nimipressuralis Type Strain SGAir0187, by Professor Beata Walczak from the University of Silesia Isolated from Tropical Air Collected in Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1128/ in Katowice, Poland, which showcased a new approach genomeA.00231-18 to normalisation of metabolomics data. It is based on 3 Complete Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus haemolyticus Type Strain compositional data analysis (CODA) and involves working SGAir0252. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00229-18 with log ratios. She compared the performance of the 4 Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas stutzeri Type Strain SGAir0442, new approach to other techniques like pair-wise log Isolated from Singapore Air Samples. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00424-18 ratios, probabilistic quotient normalisation and total sum normalisation. Her presentation also touched on some 5 Complete Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter schindleri SGAir0122 Isolated from Singapore Air. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00567-18 problems in data pre-processing and rules to counter them. I also enjoyed the Data Clinic where you could present 6 Genome Sequence of Geobacillus thermoleovorans SGAir0734 Isolated from Singapore Air. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00636-18 your data and solve your problems with experts in the field. 7 Complete Genome Sequence of the Bacterium Serratia marcescens SGAir0764, The workshop was great for showing me new techniques Isolated from Singapore Air. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00637-18 and provoking discussions on the latest challenges in 8 Genome Sequence of Bacillus velezensis SGAir0473, Isolated from Tropical Air the field of metabolomics and statistics. The MOVISS Collected in Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00642-18 conference also came with hiking tours to encourage us to 9 Genome Sequence of Pantoea ananatis SGAir0210, Isolated from Outdoor Air in explore Austria’s natural offerings – true to the name of the Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1128/genomeA.00643-18 conference!

SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg 3 QUORUM JAN 2019 SCELSE OUTREACH

he closing months of 2018 saw several research sharing sessions and a bevy of visitors to SCELSE. TThese are some of the highlights of a memorable year: A showcase of ‘alien life forms’ at Van Kleef Centre Visiting PhD student Lucía Chavez Díaz presenting to H.E Margriet Vonno iofilms are a daily – if not hourly – preoccupation for researchers at SCELSE, but can be seen as something Bentirely different to others. This came to the forefront at a showcase of Singapore’s research on urban waterways to Her Excellency Margriet Vonno, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Singapore and Brunei.

Held at the end of October last year, the event showcased on-going research done by various institutions such as NUS and SCELSE at the Van Kleef Centre (VKC). A team from SCELSE comprising research fellow Dr Stan Chan Siew Herng, visiting PhD student Lucía Chavez Díaz and research associate Elton Lim was invited to present a scaled down replication of an upcoming flumes project.

Planned for early 2019, the experiment will look at The SCELSE team and PUB delegation with H.E Margriet Vonno, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Singapore and Brunei biofilm formation on sediments in seawater and their interactions with through their formation and detachment stages and during resuspension events. “Getting such a response is encouraging because it Observation of these bacterial processes will be done informs us how we can communicate our work to a wider through flumes set up on St. John’s Island. range of people outside of the research community, and interest them in what microorganisms can do,” he adds. “We will add in bacteria such as a fish pathogen Tenacibaculum maritimum that is known to affect a In turn, the ambassador spoke of how impressed she wide variety of fishes, a faecal indicator bacteria and a was by the range of research she witnessed at VKC, while bacterial phage as a tracer,” explains Dr Chan. “Through reaffirming the ties and close history of friendship between this experiment, we may see how this pathogen affects the Netherlands and Singapore. fisheries and the possible reinfection process.” “It was my first time talking about this project with “The ambassador was interested to know how the people outside of SCELSE and my lab group back in flumes experiment could apply to the aquaculture Argentina are very proud of the showcase too,” says Lucía, community in Singapore and the impact of pathogens who is visiting from the National University of Salta. “I’m on the fish,” says Dr Chan. “She was also curious about very happy to have participated in this and to be part of biofilms and thought it was like an interesting alien life SCELSE as I believe it is very important to inform society form in how they can form a sticky layer on a surface and about our research work and the results.” disperse when they find it unsuitable for them.”

A roundtable with Moscow

esearch fellow Dr Lu Yang played host to researchers from the Winogradsky Institute of RMicrobiology in November this year. Hailing from the institute’s Laboratory of Microbiology of Anthropogenic Habits, Prof. Alla Nozhevnikova and Dr Yuriy Litty had been prompted to visit SCELSE on the recommendation of SAB Chair Prof. Alexander Zehnder. Our visitors were taken on a tour of the laboratories and engaged in a round table discussion with SCELSE reseachers – a pertinent activity for this first visit, given the common subjects of research between SCELSE and their laboratory in Moscow, . Research fellow Dr Lu Yang taking our visitors from the Winogradsky Institute of Microbiology on a tour, including through the bioreactor lab “We found that there were many common objectives in our respective research, including features of biofilms possible use of new compounds, such as new extracellular formation comprising Anammox bacteria and their in biotechnology,” says Prof. Nozhevnikova of the , and the matrix of biofilms structure for the discussions. (cont. on next page)

4 SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg QUORUM JAN 2019 (cont. from previous page) “Our SCELSE colleagues spoke about the increase in the loading of nitrogen to the mineral nutrient solution leading to the biomass production consisting of genus Brocadia representatives, but we obtained in similar research that the representatives of the genus Jettenia were those mainly developed,” highlights Prof. Nozhevnikova. She also raises that the discussion of the issues relating to the influence of electroconductive materials on the process of methanogenesis was particularly impressive. “We are also working on the mechanisms involved in enriching Jettenia and it was helpful to learn from the experiences of our fellow researchers,” adds Dr Lu.

Prof. Nozhevniko sums up, “we look forward to building a closer cooperation in the field ofour professional studies from this very successful initial visit.” SCELSE researchers with visitors Prof. Alla Nozhevnikova and Dr Yuriy Litty staff Asst. Prof Enrico Marsili SCELSE profile Principal

ome 2019, the whistling in the corridors of B1 will cease. At least, for a few months until Asst. CProf Enrico Marsili returns to SCELSE as a visiting scientist. The energetic principal scientist at SCELSE who regularly announces his presence with a tune before you see him is due to start his new appointment at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan in January.

The last four years at SCELSE has seen Asst. Prof. Enrico work on the electroconductivity and microbially influenced corrosion in the tropical and equatorial environment. But based in a new geographical location and climate, Enrico’s focus will shift to Arctic and sub- Arctic research for the first time. “Going cold is an advantage. Some of the bacteria in cold environments produce resistant which are great as antimicrobials,” he says.

“Can we find bacteria that can do better than (from left) Enrico, Dr Dan Roizman and Dr Prasanna Jogdeo at the 4th Geobacter?” he surmises when he touches on the topic SCELSE Scientific Retreat in Nov 2015. “Just a good time between PhD of electroconductive bacteria. “It’s impossible that students, friends and co-supervisor (the borders get fuzzy at the retreat)” only gave us one Geobacter that works well on electrodes! I can’t believe it! I am making this quest for the next ten years – to search for the next one”. The subsequent years of his education play out in a rich narrative replete with unorthodox deals and exposure Into the deep end of history to the hardship of a country’s economy unfavourable to young professionals. The PhD student was paid under But Enrico’s journey in academia started in an unlikely the table in cash for moonlighting, worked weekends as field – protohistoric archaeology. In 1991, 17-year old a school teacher and picked up a third job as a private Enrico was stepping up to the field of research as a semi- environmental consultant. professional archaeologist in a research group, carrying out collaborations with university departments. “After two years of this life, I was done,” declared Enrico. “I wanted to leave Italy, and my professor said ‘Enrico, “You excavate three thousand year-old pieces which there’s this new thing called , let’s play with it. have substantial economic value, talk about history to What do you want to do?’ I had never used Google to find audiences and work with a multi-disciplinary team of a job, and was working with biomass at that time, so I said geologists, historians and paleobotanists,” Enrico describes biofilms. The first result that came up was Montana State of his formative summer job. “It exposed me to a research University’s Center for Biofilm Engineering (CBE).” environment.” With that serendipitous Google result, young Enrico Not that Enrico could see the affinities between both wrote an email to Professor Zbignew Lewandowski, then fields then. When recruiters came to his high school, he the head of the biofilm structure and function cluster at told them he wanted to study chemical engineering, even CBE. “After two hours, I got a ‘yes, when can you come?’ though he had no idea what that meant. He only knew he I used my scholarship from Italy to go to the U.S and had recently been swayed towards engineering thanks to a met who would be my academic grandfather and supportive teacher, and that his own father was a chemist. – Professor Lewandowski and Professor Haluk Beyenal,” Enrico narrates. “The very same day, I saw the prospectus by the local university and that they offered this course and took it up,” Enrico describes his two-year experience of the U.S as explains Enrico of his propitious beginnings. “amazing”, even if he had to live on (cont. on next page)

SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg 5 QUORUM JAN 2019 A year later, Enrico was offered a visiting scientist position and subsequently, principal scientist in 2015. What he is most proud of though is less his accolades but his training of the next generation of students, some of whom are making headways in their own careers.

Enrico pulls a drawer open and shows me a heap of thank you letters and cards, “each and every one of them a good ”. “You give me your time – the most thoughtful gift of all,” he reads. “When a nineteen-year-old gives you a little gift like this, you know it’s not formality. It’s real.”

For previous and future students in SCELSE, Kazakhstan and wherever he chooses to go, the 44-year old offers this piece of advice: “Don’t focus so much on the number of papers but the quality and pick up that damn Python programming book now or you’ll be lost in five years.” SCELSE kenpō karate class in March 2016, with several SCELSE personnel including Dr Eze Santillan, Dr Jamie Hinks, Dr Artur Matysik, Sol Enrico sums his lesson up in a story he says resonates Astorga, Dr Sharon Longford, and sensei Dr Damien Keogh with his academic journey: “A guy was walking down “A great group of friends on the tatami and in the laboratory.” the street when he saw another guy under a street lamp searching for something. The first guy says, ‘what are you (cont. from previous page) a shoestring budget and give searching for?’ The second guy says, ‘Oh, I’m looking for private Italian language lessons. There, he picked up new my keys.’ ‘You lost it here?’ ‘Nope, but there is here.’” knowledge on electrochemistry and most importantly, microbial fuel cells. “What does that tell you about research?” Enrico continues. “If you keep moving in your comfort zone, you After a brief stint in the Netherlands as an environmental will produce papers, but no more. You need to jump in the specialist in a university, he went back to the US and joined dark. We need to dare to do more and this will inspire not A/Prof. Daniel Bond’s group at the University of Minnesota’s only us, but also those we are teaching.” BioTechnology Institute. It was there where he learnt more about microbiology and published his best known paper. Published in PNAS in 2008, the paper discussed SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS TO SCELSE: the involvement of flavins in the extracellular transfer of from electroconductive bacteria Shewanella to To A/Prof. Scott Rice: Thanks for your continuous support and conductive surfaces and has collected 850 citations to date. acknowledgment, especially during the tough times. Definitely.

After that significant coup, Enrico took the leap and To A/Prof. Kimberly Kline: Thanks for sharing your projects and a lot moved to Dublin City University in Ireland, which proved of interesting chats over the last two years. I’ve learnt how to explore to be an ill fit for the Italian, although he managed to add a crazy ideas with you! second child to his family.

A jump into the dark SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS FROM SCELSE:

Amid his hectic life, Enrico flew to Berlin for a From A/Prof. Scott Rice: I would describe Enrico as the hardest conference. “I sat together with a guy called Mike Givskov.” working man in science. He has an amazing capacity to push through (now research director of SCELSE’s Public Health & Medical the late hours. This is a reflection of his excitement and passion for Biofilms cluster). “He told me, from behind his beard, ‘we’re both science and teaching. He also has an amazing memory for opening a new centre in Singapore, are you interested in publications, which for the forgetful – like me – is impressive. joining for a sabbatical?’ I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and the rest Enrico’s departure will leave a big gap in our projects but fortunately, is history!’” Enrico he is happy to come back and ensure we are on the right path. Best of beams. luck with the new adventure and I look forward to hearing about the next big thing. Arriving in 2012 with a third kid in From research fellow Dr Lucinda Doyle: When he was teaching me tow, Enrico delights as an undergrad in Dublin, he was always very energetic and never in reminiscing boring. He manages to get the best out of you because you feel about his first appreciated and that what you’re doing is worthwhile. experience of Singapore and One favourite memory I have of him was when we worked on a SCELSE: “Day One review together. It was coming up to the deadline and there was this was awesome! I constant exchange of emails and WhatsApp texts to get it together and loved the place, the happiness when it was finished. the people, the open space, the He’s always been a very strong mentor and I would always want to research, I’ve had maintain close links with him over my career. I’m very grateful that a really really good I got to know him and have had his mentorship because it has been time here. So many significant in my life and development. I would not have moved to stories here that Singapore if I didn’t know who I would be working with, and I came Enrico’s last day in the lab; with Dr it is impossible to primarily to work with him on my PhD. It will be very different with Lucinda Doyle who moved to Singapore share in a short him gone because I’ve only ever known Singapore with him in it. from Ireland to work on her PhD with him piece.”

6 SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg QUORUM JAN 2019 student July Fong SCELSE profile PhD Student uly Fong prides herself on engaging in ‘active ageing’. In spite of being just 28 years of age, the PhD student is an Jearly adopter of the national programme to keep senior citizens active, healthy and socially engaged. She shares how she keeps herself active in and outside of the research world:

What has led you to your current PhD journey in SCELSE?

My favourite subject in secondary school back then was organic chemistry where you break down complex molecules and figure out how to synthesise them. I was still very naïve then and thought ‘yay, I wanna discover a molecule or drug that can save people’, not realising that it’s not so easy.

I did Chemistry as an undergrad in NTU and thought I could use that background towards medical research, so my PhD thesis is titled “Chemical Biology Approach as a Tool to Develop Anti-Pseudomonas Agents”. My project and work with Prof. Yang and Prof. Givskov involves using small molecules to study quorum sensing (QS) and biofilms development in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is so hard to eradicate. We have identified several compounds that can decrease QS and inhibit biofilm formation. Our next step is Third-year PhD student July on a four-day 400-km cycling trip in Tibet to look at how these compounds work and use these small molecules as a probe for further studies. I also appreciate my friendships here, especially with the ‘Geli Club’, which is a bunch of crazy girls I am close to. What is it about Chemistry that interests you so? We recently changed the name to ‘Active Ageing Club’ as we exercise together, like running or swimming. A few years ago, I read a Readers’ Digest article on a Thai chemist who always passed by poor and starving villagers on You’re clearly into taking inspiration from the deeds of her way home from work. She found a way to make vitamins others. Why do you collect these life chronicles? that were not patent-protected and distributed them to the villagers. I found this act of repurposing drugs very inspiring. I like to read biographies, like those of Benjamin Franklin, , Steve Jobs, Dalai Lama and my idol, Marie There’s also the Four Thieves Vinegar Collective in the Curie. If I had to recommend anyone’s story, it would be of U.S, a group of anarchists and hackers who volunteer to Benjamin Franklin, who offers lessons on how to improve synthesise and produce free alternatives to expensive drugs yourself. He and his friends formed a club where they sold by Big Pharma, like Naloxone (an opiate overdose would have intellectual parties. They would pick a topic and antidote) and Daraprim (to treat toxoplasmosis infections in debate about it through the evening. the HIV-positive). Imagine if your family member has a rare disease and the drug costs $100,000. I would not say no to a Reading biographies allows me to pick at the of cheaper and medically safe alternative. If I am as rich as Bill these people and possess a bit of their experiences and Gates, I would fund such groups. knowledge. I haven’t lived their but I can do so from the page and enrich my own life experience. What are some good of SCELSE you have? SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS FROM SCELSE: I went for my first conference in From research assistant Joyce Chin: I am glad July and I have crossed Spain, which was paths in this journey of life as she has pretty much influenced me in the the Federation building of my identity. A lot of my ‘first times’ were influenced by her of European such as my first overseas trip with friend, my first dive and my first hike. Microbiology I would like to say thank you to July as she has made me a fun person Society (FEMS) and has encouraged me many times to do things that I would never conference. It was have imagined doing on my own. I want her to know that she is truly a my introduction talented, smart, influential, adventurous, fun and interesting person! to the big names in the field. It’s so different and SPECIAL SHOUTOUTS TO SCELSE: inspiring when you see them in To the ‘Geli Club’: Thank you for all the crazy things we have done and person and the your friendship (you all know who you are)! It’s like sunshine in my life, cool science especially when I am struggling with experiments. they are doing at their seminars To the lab management team: I’m grateful to the lab management team. as compared to They do the housekeeping so we can focus on research. reading their paper in a journal. To my supervisors A/Prof. Yang Liang and Prof. Mike Givskov: Thank you “With ‘Geli Club’ peeps” for being so supportive and generous throughout my PhD journey!

SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg 7 QUORUM JAN 2019 My Year in Science OPINION by Dr Sharon Longford

highlight of 2018 in science for me involves not so Growing interest has also resulted in numerous media much a specific breakthrough, but a notable uptake pieces in print, broadcast and online, which explain this Aof microbiome research in international media and emerging field and its importance. As an example,the among the general public. Guardian article (26 March, 2018) on the microbiomes being directly involved in diseases from autism to obesity, We are increasingly seeing media reports of peer explains why the microbiome is such a “hot topic”, the reviewed science on the effect of our microbial ‘friends’ holobiont concept, and “why our microbes could be key to on all aspects of health and wellbeing, from diabetes to our health”, based on peer reviewed science. mental health to obesity, in as well as on other and plant hosts. These are just two of scores of examples of feature and review coverage of microbiomes in mainstream and A recent example is an article on preserving microbial specialist media alike, reflecting an increasing interest in diversity (Science 362: 6414) that was extensively reported and acknowledgement of the microbial world among lay around the world under variations of the headline “Noah’s audiences worldwide. Such broader engagement can only ark of microbes”. The article argued for establishing benefit research efforts to unravel the previously elusive a repository of intestinal microbes for future medical but highly influential world of microbial biofilms and treatments, in light of the diminishing microbial diversity microbiomes and, importantly, the mechanisms by which associated with modern lifestyles. they are linked to our health.

SCELSE CELEBRATIONS

Snaps from SCELSE’s“Holly Jolly Mega-Bite 2018” annual lunch. Happy new year to all!

First congratulations to Dr Law Yingyu and Dr Thomas Seviour on their October baby, Mabel (first photo above)!

Congratulations Send updates on your research work, too to Dr suggestions and comments to: Viduthalai Rasheedkhan Vicki: [email protected] Regina and Sharon: [email protected] his family on his second child and November SCELSE is on social media! baby, Viyan! @SCELSE @SCELSE_SG

8 SINGAPORE CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL LIFE SCIENCES ENGINEERING | www.scelse.sg