Research Focus: Liquid Biopsy of Cancer through Early Detection of Circulating Tumor DNA with Next-Generation Sequencing Capture Panel

Research Focus: Crystallographic Investigation of Nucleosome-Linker Histone Assemblies• Optimized protocols for the extraction and purification of h1.x linker histone with Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography, preventing bottleneck in the material preparation stage.• Conducted initial screening procedure to identify optimal crystallization condition for nucleosome-linker histone assemblies using Hanging Drop Vapor Diffusion method.• Succeeded in crystallization of nucleosome-h1.x assemblies with bivalent and tetravalent salt-based buffers.

Research Focus: Generation of Broad Spectrum H9N2 Vaccine Through Modification of Neutralizing Epitopes• Conducted Site-Directed Mutagenesis for the conversion of immunogenic epitopes on hemagglutinin (HA) of H9N2 (2009 strain) to amino acid sequences conserved across different strains of H9N2. • Generated HA-displaying baculoviral vaccine through cloning of mutated gene construct into pFastBac1 vector and transfection of the vector into Spodoptera frugiperda (SF9III). • Employed Reverse Genetics strategy to produce infectious influenza virus (PR8) displaying HA corresponding to newer strain of H9N2, which is used for challenging our immunization model.

Research Focus: Development of Antibody-Based Pneumococcal Pneumonia Therapy and Dengue Diagnostic Tool• Synthesized and purified pneumolysin, cANGPTL4 and monoclonal antibody (mAb) through cell culturing and Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography. • Examined the pathological effect of pneumolysin and evaluated the efficacy of anti-pneumolysin mAb therapy through live cell imaging to verify mechanism of therapeutic action. • Conducted histological analysis of disease model (mouse) treated prophylactically and therapeutically with anti-pneumolysin mAb to evaluate the efficacy of antibody-based therapy under in-vivo conditions. • Analyzed the potential of cANGPTL4 biomarker in dengue infection diagnosis through interrogation with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing anti-cANGPTL4 monoclonal antibody. • Competed in The Undergraduate Awards 2017, an international program recognizing top undergraduate research, and achieved the award; Highly Commended Entrant.

Research Focus: Engineered tissues as three-dimensional models for bone metastatic disease• Experimented with the spheroidal culturing of Prostate Cancer Cells (PC3) and Mesenchymal Stem Cells to introduce structural complexities that more closely mimics in-vivo bone environment.• Conducted compression studies on prototypical 3D bone metastasis model in a bioreactor to examine the effect of compression on cancer cell proliferation within a structurally complex model.• Interrogated the proliferation rate of PC3 cells in 3D bone metastasis model and monolayer culture model to compare the effect of model disparity on cancer cell proliferation.• Presented the research at 2016 Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society – Asia Pacific Meeting (TERMIS-AP 2016) held in Taipei, Taiwan.

- Instructed trainees in the methods of aerial delivery, equipping them with practical and theoretical knowledge on airdrop. - Trained in rigging of loads for Aerial Cargo Delivery, including airdrop and underslung, and performed in military exercises. - Managed administrative aspect of courses, including the preparation of lesson notes and tests, and the partake in production of aerial delivery manuals.