The Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (PPS) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) welcomed 25 international postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows during the Global Young Scientist Symposium (GYSS) visit on January 6, 2025. The visit showcased cutting-edge research and fostered meaningful collaborations between young scientists and the department’s leading researchers.

The event commenced with a warm welcome briefing by Prof. Giorgia Pastorin. Attendees were divided into two groups to maximize engagement and provide an intimate setting for discussion. Dr. Gloryn Chia and Dr. Alexandar Vinogradov presented their cutting-edge research on neoantigen cancer vaccine development and engineering of natural product biosynthesis, respectively.

Some examples of scientific poster discussion are summarized below.

S9 Level 15:

1. NanoTech meets Data Science – Associate Professor Matthias Gerhard Wacker’s research group shared insights into leveraging nanotechnology to address complex pharmaceutical challenges.
2. Biomaterials for Vaccine Delivery – Dr. Tang Wei’s research group presented innovations in vaccine delivery systems.
3. Protein Crystallization – Dr. Chen Wen Qian’s research group detailed advanced techniques for protein purification.

S9 Level 16:

1. Functional Molecules in Drug Discovery – Dr. Tian Chong’s research group unveiled new synthetic strategies for mechanically interlocked molecules.
2. Cyclophane-Containing Peptides – Dr. Brandon Isamu Morinaka’s research group highlighted novel peptide therapeutic modalities.
3. Targeting Acute Myeloid Leukemia – Dr. Shruti Bhatt’s research group discussed multifaceted approaches to combat leukemia.

The visit concluded with a networking session, fostering an exchange of ideas and building bridges between the global scientific community and NUS. The GYSS visit underscored the department’s commitment to advancing pharmaceutical sciences and nurturing the next generation of scientific leaders.