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HIGHLIGHTING THE BEST OF A*STAR
OCTOBER 2009 – MARCH 2010
A*STAR
Research
is a new online and print publication that highlights the very best research emerging romA*STAR. The publication o this inaugural issue o A*STAR
Research
marks the launch o A*STAR’s biannual,interdisciplinary research journal. I would like to thank Pro. Charles Zukoski and his team o editors or a job well done in making this publication possible.Since its establishment in 2002, A*STAR has extended its strengths in the physical sciences andengineering to include the biomedical sciences, thereby broadening our spectrum o research capabilities.Many talented individuals rom around the world and Singapore have joined us—scientific leaders,researchers, postdocs and PhD students rom over 50 countries work in our 14 research institutes and nineconsortia and centers. The contributions o these top minds have been instrumental in propelling A*STAR to the oreront o scientific research that is both meaningul and impactul or Singapore and the world.We have truly come a long way in less than ten years.As the world enters the next decade, however, the challenges aced by society are becoming increasinglycomplex. Overcoming these challenges requires solutions that cut across many diferent disciplines andcollaborations that span many diferent communities o researchers. A*STAR has taken gradual steps over the years to oster a strong interdisciplinary and collaborative culture among its scientists. These include the co-location o scientists rom a range o disciplines in our twin research powerhouses, Biopolis andFusionopolis; the setting up o a Joint Research Council to promote interdisciplinary collaboration; and theormation o partnerships with other R&D organizations rom both the public and private sector.A*STAR
Research
is part o this broader efort o ostering a collaborative culture. In this publication weseek to share the entire span o research activities in our institutes. Through this, we hope not only tostimulate more collaboration within the A*STAR community, but also build more connections with both thelocal and international as well as public and private R&D communities. In addition, we want to reach out to the students in our schools to ignite in them a passion or science and discovery and to develop theirappreciation o how they can make a diference to society as a scientist.The organization o this publication reflects the key strengths and core mission o A*STAR. In ResearchHighlights, we celebrate the recent achievements o our scientists in diverse areas such as Cell Biology& Signaling, Engineering & Nanotechnology, Genetics & Disease, Physical & Lie Science Technologiesand Chemistry & Materials. In Features & Innovations, we ocus on the talented individuals behind theachievements and learn more about them and their research through in-depth interviews and coverageo their latest projects. We also showcase how our discoverieslead to tangible benefits or society. Through it all, we wish toshare the excitement o discovery and open up our minds touture possibilities.I hope all o you will enjoy reading A*STAR
Research
and that, over time, this publication will help to bring all o us closer togetheras a community to collectively use our knowledge in science and technology to bring about even greater benefits or humanity.
A*STAR Chairman Lim Chuan Poh
© 2010 A*STAR
CONTENTS
Research Highlights
3
CELL BIOLOGY & SIGNALING
Diferentiate or die | A new part o the program | Quality improvement | Maintaining ‘arrested development’ | Turning back the clock | Stopping bad news rom spreading | Helping receptors arrange transportation | Finding the right way to move |Protein stability’s dark side | Breaking the cycle | Finding patterns in repetition | Finding the of switch | Little triggers, bigchanges | Standing out in a crowd | Reading the stop signs
19
CHEMISTRY & MATERIALS
Edgy mechanics | Butterfly light | Twin tricks | Illuminated treatments | Switched-on color-changing polymers | Side by sideby synthesis | Doing what comes naturally | Guided by nature | A phobia o light | Liver repairs | Three times the connection |A good match | Imprinted cleanliness
33
GENETICS & DISEASE
More diversity than meets the eye | Following regulation to the letter | Invitations to inection | Building a multi-nationalamily tree | Non-linear thinking | Stick-on protection | Old beore their time | Keeping death in check | Epidemic ignitedby environmental conditions | Taming the virus | A shot in the arm or treatment options | Arming the body against livercancer | Evolution runs deep
47
PHYSICAL & LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGIES
See the light | Useul imperections | Watching the heart | A quantum leap | Combating atal brain inections | Bridging the gap |A lasting impact | Pin-sized probes | Keeping an eye on cancer | Dyeing or diabetes | Color by nanoparticles | Synchronizedscrutiny | On a roll
61
ENGINEERING & NANOTECHNOLOGY
Bright attractions | Molecular machines shit into gear | Breaking down barriers | Bridging spheres | It takes two | Thin end o thewedge | An optimal harvest | Memory boost on a wire | Hard-to-break hard drives | Sliding touchdown | At the cutting edge |Stress management | Shaping up | Fine-lined patterns refined | Vocal fingerprints
78
New brain atlases rewrite thetextbooks on brain anatomy
80
Display technology gets a shot ofrealism
82
Tackling the ever-growing threatof dengue fever
84
Organocatalysts turn carbondioxide into useful energy
85
Advanced protection for plasticelectronics
Features & Innovations
A*STAR
Research
www.astar-research.com
A*STAR
Research
is a publication o the Agency or Science, Technologyand Research (A*STAR)—Singapore’s lead government agency orostering world-class scientific research.A*STAR
Research
is published twice a year, presenting researchhighlights and eature articles. All articles are first published online on the A*STAR
Research
website and available ree to all readers. Registeronline to receive the table o contents by email as each biweekly onlineissue is published.© 2010 A*STAR. This publication may be reproduced in its original ormor personal use only. Modification or commercial use without priorpermission rom the copyright holder is prohibited.
Editorial
Agency or Science, Technology and Research1 Fusionopolis Way, #20-10 Connexis North TowerSingapore 138632, SingaporeEditor-in-chie Charles ZukoskiEditorial Board Paola CastagnoliNeal CopelandKwong Dim-LeeLim Khiang WeeEdison LiuPernille RorthManaging editor Kostas RepanasAdministrative Assistant Fion CheongISSN 2010-0531© 2010 A*STAR
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