Visitor Seminar - Prof. Derrick Ong Sek Tong

Speaker: Prof. Derrick Ong Sek Tong, Department of Physiology, National University of Singapore (NUS)

Talk title: “Novel mechanisms of proliferation/self-renewal of cancerous and normal brain stem cells, and their therapeutic implications”

Abstract:

Brain stem cells play an essential role in mammalian brain development and homeostasis through their unique properties of self-renewal and differentiation. Dysregulated brain stem cell activity is linked to cancer, aging and neurodevelopmental disorders. We have a deep interest in uncovering novel mechanisms of proliferation/ self-renewal of cancerous and normal brain stem cells using glioblastoma (the most common malignant brain tumor in adults) and the embryonic mouse brain as our experimental models, for therapeutic intervention. In this talk, I will outline our published and ongoing work, and illustrate how some of our findings may be translated into actionable clinical modalities. The long-term goal of our research is to develop biomarkers for patient stratification so as to aid precision medicine in glioblastoma, as well as stem cell therapies to delay brain aging.