RP student explores gender differences in muscle ageing through histology research

Parashu Raam Subramanian, a final-year student in the Diploma in Biological Sciences, was inspired to pursue the course after growing up with immunity-related health issues. “I noticed that medications often treat symptoms rather than root causes, which motivated me to explore the science behind the body’s functions,” he shares.

For his final-year project, Raam and his team examined how muscle atrophy and damage during ageing differ between genders. Their histological research showed that specific gene modifications triggered muscle fibre growth in males, while females displayed more damaged muscle fibre membranes, suggesting a higher susceptibility to cellular stress with age.

“Learning histology from scratch was challenging, especially using complex imaging systems every day,” says Raam. “My principal investigator and mentor encouraged me to ask questions and made sure I understood each step.”

Raam is currently interning at the Aging and Metabolism Research Laboratory at the National University of Singapore’s Medicine Faculty, where he works on muscle sample sectioning, immunohistological staining, and data quantification.

With graduation approaching, Raam hopes to pursue a career in neuroscience research, inspired by his grandfather’s experience with Parkinson’s disease.

The Diploma in Biological Sciences offers two specialised majors — Biotechnology and Food & Agricultural Science — designed to prepare students for impactful careers in research and applied science. Learn more about the Diploma in Biological Sciences.