Assoc Professor Li Hsian Christopher Chen
ACCEPTING PHD STUDENTS
Faculty & Department
Education
Undergraduate (BA (Honours), University of Cambridge, UNITED KINGDOM)
Graduate (BMBCh, University of Oxford, UNITED KINGDOM)
Bio
As a Clinician-Scientist and Singapore Translational Research Award Investigator, my area of dementia research, of particular importance to Singapore and Asia, is Vascular and Neurodegenerative Mechanisms in Dementia. Vascular disease is prominent among ethnic Asian dementia patients. Compared to Caucasian populations, a higher prevalence of Vascular Dementia has been reported in Asian countries such as Japan and China. Moreover, studies have revealed a vascular basis contributing to the etiology and pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s Disease. The identification of biomarkers for vascular and neurodegenerative mechanisms, and insights into the mechanisms of interaction may lead to potential therapeutic approaches.
This will not only give rise to novel scientific insights and advances but also be of immense potential benefit to Singaporeans and the biomedical industry since the increasing numbers of patients suffering from dementia exact a massive toll in health care costs, disability and lost productivity for both patients and caregivers.
Contact Information
2006 – 2021 Senior Clinician Scientist Award, Biomedical & National Medical Research Councils Singapore
2007 Lilly-NUS/Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences Joint Fellow Investigational Medicine Award
2010 Glaxo Smith Kline Academic Centre of Excellence Award
2021-present Singapore Translational Research Investigator Award, National Medical Research Council
Core Research Interest and Projects:
1) Neurochemistry, Molecular Pathology and Biomarker Discovery
2) Dementia Neuroimaging using Multi-Modal Magnetic Resonance and Retinal Imaging
3) Artificial Intelligence applied to Biomarker Research
4) Epidemiology of Dementia in Singapore: Ethnicity and Risk Factors
5) Clinical Trials for Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
My Mentoring Style
How would you describe your mentoring style in terms of freedom given to your students?
Selecting Research Topics?
How do you guide your PhD students in selecting research topics?
Setbacks / Challenges
How do you handle setbacks or challenges faced by your PhD students?
Feedback
How do you give feedback on your students’ thesis drafts and progress?
Consultation Frequency
How often do you typically meet your PhD students one-on-one for consultation?
Research Group Meetings
How often do you typically hold lab meetings where your PhD students present their research work to the class?
Research guidance and graduate supervision: All graduate students are taught the scientific method : the importance of a comprehensive literature review, focusing on not only knowledge but also ignorance. so as to identify gaps worthy of research aims; the development of novel and impactful hypotheses which are testable, the importance of rigorous methods and analyses and most vital of all, scientific integrity. Compliance with regulations on IRB approval, confidentiality of data and safety are emphasised.
Students are advised on a regular basis but not micromanaged. They are encouraged to explore topics independently and to seek appropriate input from various other sources both within and without NUS.
There are regular laboratory and MACC meetings with opportunities to present ongoing work, papers of interest and presentations for conferences. These are meant to improve communication skills and the ability to constructively critique scientific work as well as to identify new areas of investigation.
There are also quarterly reviews of projects and publications with clear timelines set for PQEs and theses submission / defence. This helps with time and project management.
Professional Development: Students are provided hands on as well as formal training on writing and communication in regular presentations and revision of drafts, they are given the opportunity to teach and supervise other students, given responsibilities for leadership and management for laboratory safety, IRB compliance and databases, and provided guidance in professionalism.
Career guidance: Students are guided and provided support for their post-graduate careers. They are encouraged and aided in searching and securing posts which align with their career aspirations.