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World’s first malaria diagnosis using graphene transistor A cross-disciplinary team at NUS created an efficient device for malaria detection using graphene transistor in a microfluidic channel. The team comprising Professor Loh Kian Ping from the Department of Chemistry and NUS Graphene Research Centre, Ms Priscilla Ang from the NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering, Professor Lim Chwee Teck from the Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering and his former research fellow, Dr Li Ang published a paper on this research in Nano Letters. Malaria detection commonly relies on microscopy and antibody staining procedures, which require specialised training and may incur human error, resulting in misdiagnosis. Such measurements are also insensitive to changes in individual cells, given the non-uniformity of cellular morphology in a large population of cells. The team’s method overcomes these problems by enabling individual malaria-infected red blood cells to be discerned visually and detected electrically without fluorescent staining. They can detect change in cell surface charge at the single cell level through a “flow-catch-release” sensing device which exploits the characteristics of both malaria-infected cells and the sensitivity of graphene to its local charge environment. Ms Ang said: “Our method will produce more accurate results as only malaria infected red cells adhere to the graphene coated with biorecognition proteins. As long as one diseased cell is detected, we know the person has been infected.” Their fast, simple and less labour intensive method can also be used to obtain a statistical percentage count of the infected cells as the population of infected and healthy cells flow through the graphene transistors in a microfluidic channel. This is important for clinicians to gauge the severity of the infection. KNOWLEDGE ENTERPRISE Why some spiders self-castrate when mating Desperate situations call for extreme measures. The threat of death could be a key reason why some spiders break off their palps, or sexual organs, in the course of mating. Studying a species of orbweb spider known as Nephilengys malabarensis, Associate Professor Li Daiqin from the NUS Department of Biological Sciences and his research team uncovered strong grounds for such selfmutilation. Male spiders, being much smaller than their female counterparts, often risk being eaten up by their partners during copulation. To escape from their partners, a common measure is to break off the tip of their palp. But some spider species go to the extent of severing the entire palp, which leave biologists befuddled, as the eunuchs with damaged or severed palps are both functionally sterile. Besides, entire emasculation is unnecessary for effective plugging into the female genitals. What advantage can be gained then from their extreme action? Assoc Prof Li and his team found the answer from mating trials they set up between 25 pairs of virgin spiders, which left 22 male spiders with their palps completely severed and three with partially damaged genitals. They dissected the females to extract their reproductive organs and counted the sperm present there as well as in the used palp. The results demonstrated that a totally severed palp prevents females from re-mating and facilitates continuous sperm transfer. The remote copulation both prolongs the transfer duration and increases the amount of transferred sperm, thus enhancing the eunuch’s fertilisation success and paternity. The researchers shared their findings in the February issue of Biology Letters. They believe that remote copulation may have evolved as a male adaptation to sexual cannibalism and femaleenforced short copulation durations. The sexually cannibalistic female orb-web spider Photo: Li Daiqin 6
Tribute to Dr Toh Chin Chye Former Deputy Prime Minister and University of Singapore Vice-Chancellor, Dr Toh Chin Chye, passed away on 3 February 2012 at the age of 90. Dr Toh, a key pioneer of modern Singapore, was the founding Chairman of the nation’s ruling party. He was Minister for Science and Technology from 1968 to 1975 and Minister for Health from 1975 to 1981. Dr Toh’s long association with NUS dated back to the 1940s when he read for a Diploma in Science at Raffles College. He later joined the University of Singapore’s Department of Physiology in 1953 after obtaining his doctorate from the National Institute for Medical Research in London. Dr Toh eventually became the University’s Vice-Chancellor from 1968 to 1975. Dr Toh was instrumental in establishing the Faculties of Engineering and Architecture, areas of study previously offered by Singapore Polytechnic. He also launched the Faculty of Arts and Social Dr Toh Chin Chye, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Singapore In remembrance of Dr Andrew Chew One of NUS’ long-serving Pro-Chancellors, Dr Andrew Chew Guan Khuan, passed away on 29 February 2012. He was 82 years old. Said NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan: “Dr Chew had been our Pro-Chancellor since 1996, and was much respected within the NUS community. He was a constant, and well-liked, figure at our events and the University has benefitted greatly from his support and encouragement. We will miss his presence deeply.” An alumnus of NUS’ predecessor institution, the University of Malaya, Dr Chew graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) in 1955. He subsequently joined Singapore’s Ministry of Health as a Medical Officer, and rose through the ranks from Medical Superintendent at various hospitals to Director of Medical Services in 1977 and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary in 1978. Dr Chew held many prominent leadership roles throughout his 52 years in the civil service. He was concurrently Permanent Secretary of the Public Service Division in the Prime Minister’s Office and Head of the Civil Service for 10 years. He also served as Chairman of the Central Provident Fund Board (1994 to 1998), Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC) (1998 to 2008), and was member of the Presidential Council for Minority Rights. Photo: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Ltd Sciences to promote the flow of talent and ideas across a larger community. Under his leadership, faculty members were encouraged to serve on statutory boards and extend their service to the nation. Dr Toh also initiated the University’s relocation from various campuses to its current home at Kent Ridge. “As Vice-Chancellor, he re-oriented the institution to become a national university, free of its colonial past and ready to support the needs of our nationbuilding, and our education and development goals,” said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his eulogy for Dr Toh. NUS Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost Professor Tan Eng Chye said: “Dr Toh had laid a strong foundation for the University, a legacy that has contributed towards the transformation of NUS, and higher education in Singapore.” Paying tribute to Dr Chew upon his retirement as PSC Chairman in 2008, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong commended him for having exemplified the best traditions of the public service and done the nation proud. He described Dr Chew’s contributions to Singapore as “singularly outstanding”, and gave recognition to the instrumental role Dr Chew had played in creating a high-quality Singapore Public Service that is today admired across the world. The late NUS Pro-Chancellor Dr Andrew Chew MARCH 2012 7
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Page 3 and 4: Celebrating a multidimensional NUS
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