Formulation and Nutrition Science

Metal based chemotherapeutic agent: Synthesis of metal coordination complexes with photo induced and potential-modulated DNA cleavage activity
Lead investigator: Dr Susmita Ban & Dr Alvin Teo
 

Study on myopia, food response, diet and life-styles using the Nutrigenomics approach
Lead investigator: Hon Sook Mei & Dr Michelle Siow

Genomic Approach to assess Genetic Toxicity in Herbal Medicines and Supplements Lead investigator: Dr Alvin Teo

Determination, separation and purification of proanthocyanidins in crude plant extracts
Lead investigator: Dr Ke Jinxia
 

Optimization of tablet compression based on the physical properties and dose of active pharmaceutical ingredient in the tablet formulation
Lead investigator: Dr Michelle Siow & Dr Irene Yap
 

Optimal Fluid and Electrolyte Replacement following Exhaustive Physical Exertion
Lead investigator: Edmund Foo (School of Sports, Health & Leisure) and Dr Michelle Siow (School of Applied Science)
 

Formulation of Nutraceuticals in the Development of Functional Foods
Lead investigator: Dr Michelle Siow

Nutraceuticals and functional foods are food components that claim to provide physiological benefits or reduce the risk of chronic disease, above and beyond their basic nutritional functions. A functional food is similar to a conventional food, while a nutraceuticals is isolated from food and sold in a dosage form. In both cases, the active components occur naturally in the food. In recent years, consumers, and the pharmaceutical and agri-food sector, have begun to look at food not only for basic nutrition, but for health benefits. The market for nutraceuticals and functional foods (which is large, global and growing), is being driven by a growing consumer understanding of diet/disease links, aging populations, rising health care costs, and advances in food technology and nutrition. To support the growing needs of the industry, the CAM TDC endeavors to be the leading nutraceuticals research centre in Singapore, leveraging on the professional expertise of its staff members in the School of Applied Science, employing our individual strengths and cumulative knowledge, towards achieving our objective to develop a standing presence in the nutraceuticals sciences and technology arena.

A cell-assay system would be developed to profile the cell growth characteristics of cancer cell models to unravel the anticancer activities in herbal medicines. In addition to drug discovery, such bio-assays would also be essential for anti-cancer drug development. Therefore, this project intends to involve students and staff to develop a critical technology that is needed to integrate herbal medicines into mainstream medicines.

Cancer prevention and treatment using medicinal plants (e.g. traditional Chinese medicines –TCMs) have attracted increasing interest. This project focuses on the development of a novel technology platform for the rapid screening of new compounds with anticancer activity in medicinal plants and their structural analysis.

There are many sites with contaminated soil or water that are polluted by petroleum, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, incinerated wastes and other consumer products. These sites must be cleaned up to eliminate any potential threat to human health and the environment from the chemicals that have been released. There are several physical and chemical remedial technologies for the cleanup of contaminated sites. However, as these techniques are labour intensive and expensive these polluted sites have been left contaminated. The project aims to identify indigenous plants which have the potential to be exploited for the removal of harmful metals from polluted sites within tropical regions. The project will focus on developing an effective remedial technology that can be easily and economically deployed for field use.