Bridging disciplines to extend human health and wellbeing

Q: What is your vision for research at NTU and what do you think is the future of the University’s research?

A: NTU’s journey over the past 30 years has been amazing. To have started as a new university, set up all the different teaching programmes and, at the same time, developed world-leading research within this short period is truly astounding. In the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject, NTU had 11 subjects ranked top 10 in the world. Our accomplishments place us on a par with universities that have considerably longer histories.

We have outstanding opportunities at NTU because we are embedded in a strong ecosystem, together with other institutions. The programmes in our various schools are rigorous and well structured. We are also investing heavily and doing research in areas such as artificial intelligence, and data and computer sciences.

Now, we need the different expertise at NTU to converge to solve problems. An example of such a problem is climate change, which involves various areas, such as climate science, earth science, social science, communications, international studies and medicine. We also need financial experts to think about the systems to finance the measures required to tackle climate change. As such, we must create opportunities for people at NTU to interact and find one another.

It is like a sports team. Every player needs to be good at what they do to win.

Q: What perspectives do you bring to your role as Vice President (Research) from your experiences as a medical doctor?

A: I have seen healthcare change drastically over my 30 years as a medical doctor. Many of these changes come from the interactions of disciplines. For example, I have done extensive research with mathematicians on healthcare modelling to determine which healthcare interventions are the most effective.

A: There are several. Firstly, although advancements in healthcare have increased life expectancies, healthy lifespans have not really changed. People are spending more years living with disease instead of living longer in good health.

Also, healthcare has remained very labour-intensive. Unfortunately, with ageing populations and people living longer with disease, the current system will not be able to keep up. We need to reinvent the way we provide healthcare.

Furthermore, the World Health Organisation has listed climate change as a significant threat to health. The effects of climate change are not just limited to severe weather events like heat waves. Large bush fires will cause the quality of air to deteriorate, resulting in a spike in respiratory conditions. Rising temperatures and sea levels will increase the occurrence of severe flooding events, which impacts water quality and the spread of infectious diseases.

Climate change will also accelerate the development of antimicrobial resistance. Due to the overuse of antimicrobials, the number of people suffering from infectious diseases that cannot be treated with existing drugs is exponentially growing. Changes in climate cause more severe flooding events, which fuel the spread of microorganisms from sewage. It also impacts migration and, consequently, the spread of microorganisms when people bring them from one place to another. These issues raise the incidence of infectious diseases, driving up the frequency of antimicrobial usage and thus the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance may bring us back to before 1928, when Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic, penicillin. By 2050, drug-resistant infections are projected to kill more people than all cancers combined, unless we take specific measures.

These issues show how the challenges are interrelated and underscore how complex they are to solve.

Q: What role can NTU play in mitigating these issues?

A: International collaboration is the only way to prevent infectious disease epidemics. We need to develop new treatments as well as protocols and guidelines to ensure that everyone works in the same way as much as possible.

To reduce antimicrobial resistance, we need to use new antimicrobials in a targeted and restrictive manner.

International surveillance systems are crucial in containing the spread of infectious diseases because other areas can be informed if an outbreak has occurred. There is also a need to monitor closely the use of antimicrobials in agriculture and livestock to prevent the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in these areas.

Q: What lessons can we learn from COVID-19 that can be applied to managing future infectious disease outbreaks?

A: There are two important principles to recognise when addressing chronic diseases: prevention as well as early detection and targeting. Most think that health screening and disease detection are only for the elderly. But we cannot focus only on people with the highest risk.

To effectively tackle chronic diseases at the population level, we need to target the largest group with the lowest risk instead of the small high-risk group. This is known as the prevention paradox.

The prevention of chronic diseases should start at a young age. In fact, healthy ageing starts before birth. Healthy pregnancies and being healthy in the first years of life are crucial for wellbeing later in an individual’s life.

Q: What are some elements of a good quality of life? How is research at NTU enabling us to lead long, healthy and productive lives?

A: A common universal aspect of a good quality of life is having a strong social network of family and friends. Another indicator is good health. The third important aspect is to have adequate access to food, housing and education.

NTU either contributes or delivers in these aspects. The University provides quality education programmes and is home to the National Institute of Education, Singapore’s teacher education institute.

We also have world-class research aimed at increasing food supply and improving the quality of food.

Q: How can we leverage technologies – such as artificial intelligence, robotics and data science – to develop every individual to their fullest potential and to improve human health?

A: Researchers at NTU are working towards making our society better. Research done at the University benefits all areas. For example, artificial intelligence, robotics and data science will enable digital and remote monitoring of health. These technologies also facilitate the production of our food, the way we teach and learn, and so on.

Q: How can researchers at NTU work together to advance human health and wellbeing?

A: We should have our eyes and ears open to connect in whatever way possible. It could be by actively reaching out, going to a meeting or reading. NTU is an environment with many opportunities, so let’s make full use of them.

I know everyone is busy, but if you are approached by a colleague at NTU for collaboration, be open and have that conversation. Collaboration will expand your knowledge and bring new horizons.

The article appeared first in NTU's research & innovation magazine Pushing Frontiers (issue #25, August 2025).