Dr Wan Yue joins international CIFAR research programme.

Singapore – Dr Wan Yue, Senior Research Scientist and Principal Investigator at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*STAR) Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), was welcomed to CIFAR as a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar in the Molecular Architecture of Life programme. The Canadian-based international research institute announced its 2018 cohort of 12 exceptional early career investigators on 6th September 2018. The programme funds and supports researchers within five years of their first academic appointment, helping them build research networks and develop leadership skills.

As a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar, Dr Wan Yue will receive CDN100,000 in unrestricted research support, as well as a two-year membership to a CIFAR research programme with outstanding research leaders from across disciplines. She will also receive the coveted opportunity to undergo specialised leadership and communication skills training by many of the world’s best minds, invitations to exclusive networking sessions with other Global Scholars and prospects for collaborations.

Dr Wan Yue joined GIS as a GIS Fellow in September 2016. She later became a Principal Investigator of RNA Genomics. Her research interests are in using and developing new tools to study ribonucleic acid (RNA) function.

Dr Wan Yue said, “I am honoured to join CIFAR under its Molecular Architecture of Life programme. I look forward to working with other fellows in the programme and contributing to it.”

“Young people are the future of research,” said CIFAR President and CEO Alan Bernstein. “CIFAR is exceptionally pleased to provide financial and other support to this phenomenal group of young researchers to advance their leadership and financial skills. Their enthusiasm and energy leads to new ways of thinking that will advance science and create solutions for the challenges facing our world today.”

Established in 1982, CIFAR is a Canadian-based, global research organization, comprised of nearly 400 fellows, scholars and advisors from 18 countries. They are generously supported by the governments of Canada, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, Canadian and international partners, as well as individuals, foundations and corporations. On top of bringing outstanding researchers from across disciplines and borders together to address important challenges facing the world, they also support leading edge research with the potential for global impact.

GIS Executive Director Prof Ng Huck Hui said, “Dr Wan Yue is one of Singapore’s many up and rising scientists. We are truly honoured that CIFAR has also recognised her outstanding work and look forward to the opportunities this programme has to offer.”

Dr Wan Yue was elected as a Young Investigator by EMBO in 2017. She was also awarded the L'Oréal Singapore For Women In Science National Fellowships in 2016, and the Young Scientist Award (Biological and Biomedical Sciences) in 2015. In 2014, she became the first Singaporean to receive the prestigious Branco Weiss Fellowship from the ‘Society in Science’ organisation for her pioneering work on a high throughput approach to study RNA shapes.

About A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS)

The Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is an institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). It has a global vision that seeks to use genomic sciences to achieve extraordinary improvements in human health and public prosperity. Established in 2000 as a centre for genomic discovery, the GIS will pursue the integration of technology, genetics and biology towards academic, economic and societal impact.

The key research areas at the GIS include Human Genetics, Infectious Diseases, Cancer Therapeutics and Stratified Oncology, Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Cancer Stem Cell Biology, Computational and Systems Biology, and Translational Research.

The genomics infrastructure at the GIS is utilised to train new scientific talent, to function as a bridge for academic and industrial research, and to explore scientific questions of high impact.
For more information about GIS, please visit www.gis.a-star.edu.sg.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector agency that spearheads economic oriented research to advance scientific discovery and develop innovative technology. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit society.

As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by contributing to societal benefits such as improving outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability.

We play a key role in nurturing and developing a diversity of talent and leaders in our Agency and research entities, the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.

About the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars programme

The CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars programme provides funding and support to help scholars build their network and develop essential skills to become the next generation of research leaders. Researchers within five years of their first academic appointment from anywhere in the world are eligible to apply.

CIFAR invites exceptional early career researchers to join CIFAR's global network of 370 researchers from 18 countries who together are pursuing answers to some of the most complex challenges facing the world today. The CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars programme provides funding, skills training, mentorship, and opportunities to collaborate with outstanding colleagues from diverse disciplines to position scholars as leaders and agents of change within academia and beyond.