
28th June 2023
And this just happened!!🥳
We're in the top 1% globally!
Couldn't be prouder than to be an alumna and a Researcher working at the National University of Singapore !!
Awesome going to work everyday and mingling with the best minds !
And this just happened!!🥳
We're in the top 1% globally!
Couldn't be prouder than to be an alumna and a Researcher working at the National University of Singapore !!
Awesome going to work everyday and mingling with the best minds !

June 21st 2023 - LAB OUTREACH
Happy to have had 3 very talented students from the International French School Singapore spend some time with us to gain insights into how we study chemoresistance in cancer cells and various approaches used to tackle this important clinical challenge at our laboratory at the National University of Singapore, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine! Thanks for dropping by Selma, Clemence and Sophia!
|
May 13th 2023
"Being a Woman in Science and especially serving as a Mentor to young ladies interested in scientific research has always been of importance to me." - Karen Crasta Karen is honoured to have been invited to serve as "Mentor for SINDA's Mentorship to Let Her Shine" . Link to know more for the Indian Community in Singapore: https://www.sinda.org.sg/youth/mentorshiplhs/ |

Do tune in: Karen will be speaking about our recent work on therapy-induced senescence and extracellular vesicles at the Healthy Longevity Webinar May 11th 7pm-8pm (SG time).
In case you miss it, it will be on the NUSMedicine YouTube channel.
Post-webinar note: NUSMedicine YouTube Channel Webinar link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVilmosnfdU
10th May 2023
Great News!!
Karen has been awarded the Swee-Liew Wadsworth Intra-departmental Grant from the NUS Department of Physiology.
The pilot study examining effect of exercise-induced metabolic changes in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy will be in collaboration together with Dr. Jorming Goh at Centre for Healthy Longevity and Dr Elaine Lim at the National Cancer Centre.
We are very grateful to the Swee-Liew Wadsworth Foundation.
Feb 2023 CDM5101 Interested to know more about the consequences of defective DNA damage response and repair pathway, and how to exploit them for cancer therapy?? CDM5101 Module - Karen's lecture.
19th Jan 2023 PAPER ACCEPTED!
Pleasure and priviledge working with Suresh Jesuthasan (exceptionally brilliant neuroscientist and colleague) and be a part of his team's collaborative work with Israel. Discovered a super-interesting mechanistic pathway involving exosomes for photoreceptor cell survival in the zebrafish pineal gland. Showed me how very cool and versatile zebrafish are as model organisms!
UPDATE, IT's OUT: Elazary Y, Cheow K, Cheng RK, Ghosh R, Shainer I, Wexler Y, Crasta K, Gothilf Y, Jesuthasan SJ. Glial cells expressing visual cycle genes are vital for photoreceptor survival in the zebrafish pineal gland. J Pineal Res. 2023 Jan 24:e12854. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12854. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36692235.
NEXT IMMEDIATE STEPS: DECIPHERING CARGO AND DELINEATING FUNCTION!! STAY TUNED!
Pleasure and priviledge working with Suresh Jesuthasan (exceptionally brilliant neuroscientist and colleague) and be a part of his team's collaborative work with Israel. Discovered a super-interesting mechanistic pathway involving exosomes for photoreceptor cell survival in the zebrafish pineal gland. Showed me how very cool and versatile zebrafish are as model organisms!
UPDATE, IT's OUT: Elazary Y, Cheow K, Cheng RK, Ghosh R, Shainer I, Wexler Y, Crasta K, Gothilf Y, Jesuthasan SJ. Glial cells expressing visual cycle genes are vital for photoreceptor survival in the zebrafish pineal gland. J Pineal Res. 2023 Jan 24:e12854. doi: 10.1111/jpi.12854. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36692235.
NEXT IMMEDIATE STEPS: DECIPHERING CARGO AND DELINEATING FUNCTION!! STAY TUNED!

Dec 13th 2022: Year-end Lab Lunch
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2022!

Nov 4th 2022
Surprise visit by Bryan Lim to our lab!
So delighted to see Bryan again!
Bryan is a KC Lab alumnus currently carrying out his PhD in Tumor Immunology
at Duke University, Durham USA. He is in Singapore to attend the Frontiers in Cancer Science 2022 Annual Meeting. Do check out his poster! Mighty proud of him!
POST CONFERENCE NOTE: Bryan was awarded a Poster Prize! Yay!
Surprise visit by Bryan Lim to our lab!
So delighted to see Bryan again!
Bryan is a KC Lab alumnus currently carrying out his PhD in Tumor Immunology
at Duke University, Durham USA. He is in Singapore to attend the Frontiers in Cancer Science 2022 Annual Meeting. Do check out his poster! Mighty proud of him!
POST CONFERENCE NOTE: Bryan was awarded a Poster Prize! Yay!
24th Oct 2022
Karen Crasta was interviewed by The Straits Times as External Expert to comment on aging study.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sugar-makes-roundworms-live-longer-finding-could-help-to-slow-ageing-in-humans
Karen Crasta was interviewed by The Straits Times as External Expert to comment on aging study.
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/sugar-makes-roundworms-live-longer-finding-could-help-to-slow-ageing-in-humans

EMBO Workshop on DNA damage response, immunity and aging.
10th - 13th October, 2022
Venue: Centre for Life Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456
Karen Crasta is Invited Distinguished Speaker at the EMBO Workshop #DNAge happening at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and will be speaking about our latest findings on therapy-induced senescence.
Looking forward to fantastic talks by experts in the field and interacting with all conference participants. Come say Hello!
10th - 13th October, 2022
Venue: Centre for Life Sciences, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore 117456
Karen Crasta is Invited Distinguished Speaker at the EMBO Workshop #DNAge happening at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and will be speaking about our latest findings on therapy-induced senescence.
Looking forward to fantastic talks by experts in the field and interacting with all conference participants. Come say Hello!
SEPT 29th - 1st Oct 2022
7th ICSA CONFERENCE - Groningen, Netherlands
Looking forward to this conference with fantastic speakers. Our very own Prof Andrea Maier is one of the organizers!
Karen will be speaking on our work on therapy-induced senescence and EVs. Day 1, Session 3 : Do check it out and come say HALLO !
Also check out Anna Eisenmenger's Poster on Diet and Senescence in human cohorts! Others on the study are Lihuan Guan also supervised by Andrea Maier, and Elena Sandalova.
7th and 8th Sept 2022:
AND THE EVENT WE HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!!!
THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE CENTRE FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY & INAUGURAL LONGEVITY SCIENCE SINGAPORE CONFERENCE !
HEAR FROM OUR DIRECTORS PROF BRIAN KENNEDY AND PROF ANDREA MAIER WITH AN EXCITING LINE-UP OF DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS AND ESTEEMED PANEL MEMBERS ON SEPT 7th.
Also, Matius Robert from our lab will be presenting a Research Poster on his exciting work on EVs in therapy-induced senescence. Do check it out and come say Hello!

(Left) Entire CHL Team. (Right) Karen and Matius at our Lab's Poster on antitumour function of senescent EVs in triple-negative breast cancers.
5th Sept 2022:
Great to have Dr. Rekha Jakhar back in our lab. Rekha took a pandemic-enforced "break" for two years. WELCOME BACK Rekha!
22nd Aug 2022:
A big WELCOME BACK to Silky Hou whom we are excited to have back in the lab for her Capstone Project! Silky was previously with us in 2021 for her Yale-NUS Summer Research Project. Here's wishing you a productive and fun Capstone Project Year with us, Silky!
A big WELCOME BACK to Silky Hou whom we are excited to have back in the lab for her Capstone Project! Silky was previously with us in 2021 for her Yale-NUS Summer Research Project. Here's wishing you a productive and fun Capstone Project Year with us, Silky!
Welcome to the New Semester!!!
Karen is teaching NUS LSM3217 Human Ageing.
She will focus on the Biology of Aging, Genomic Instability, Cellular Senescence and Senolytics.
A fun course to sign up for! Enjoy the Module!
Aug 4th 2022 Must-attend Seminar
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Title: Reproductive longevity and ovarian ageing in women
Speaker: Prof Eva Hoffmann
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Title: Reproductive longevity and ovarian ageing in women
Speaker: Prof Eva Hoffmann
July 7th 2022 Must-attend Seminar
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Title: Solving ageing from home with computational approaches
Speaker: Prof João Pedro de Magalhães
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Title: Solving ageing from home with computational approaches
Speaker: Prof João Pedro de Magalhães
MAY 25th -29th 2022 : INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) Annual Meeting
Karen Crasta and Matius Robert will be at the conference at the Annual Meeting of International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV 2022) in Lyon, France.
Note: Karen's Talk: "EVs from therapy-induced senescent breast cancer cells elicit STING-dependent inflammatory signaling" Session Name: OF17: EVs in Breast and Prostate Cancers.
Session Date: Friday May 27, 2022.
Looking forward to an exciting conference and scientific travel after a really long time! Hope to see you there!
MUST-ATTEND SEMINAR
April 14th 2022
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Title: From cellular senescence to tissue regeneration
Speaker: Assoc Prof Johannes Grillari
4th National University of Singapore (Singapore) - China Medical University (Taiwan) Joint Symposium
Date: 24th and 25th February 2021
Date: 24th and 25th February 2021

And this is happening!
Karen will be speaking on Aging and CIN . Honoured to be speaking in the company of esteemed speakers!
Karen will be speaking on Aging and CIN . Honoured to be speaking in the company of esteemed speakers!
Feb 10th 2022
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Genome Stability in Ageing and Disease: New Perspectives from C.elegans | Prof Bjoern Schumacher
Post-talk note: Described DNA damage as driver/trigger for several hallmarks of aging (something I always say! :-))
JAN 13th 2022
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Interdisciplinary Approach to Healthy Ageing | Prof Lene Juel Rasmussen
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
Interdisciplinary Approach to Healthy Ageing | Prof Lene Juel Rasmussen

DEC 16th 2021
LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
[LAST EPISODE OF 2021] Our supercool Directors at the NUHS Centre for Healthy Longevity Prof Brian Kennedy and Prof Andrea Maier in Conversation! They will discuss current developments in ageing research and the importance of targeting ageing NOW! Definitely looking forward to this one....

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS:
6th ICSA CONFERENCE
DEC 12th-15th 2021
A NEW ERA OF SENESCENCE RESEARCH
THE CHALLENGE OF CONTROLLING AGING AND CANCER

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
DEC 9TH 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
- Nov 29th 2021 PAPER ACCEPTED AND PUBLISHED !!
Karen is Guest Editor on it. Editorial link here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1e8aK3si8PnKmT
Review by Matius Robert and Karen Crasta.
Breaking the vicious circle: Extrachromosomal circular DNA as an emerging player in tumour evolution. Review Link here: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1e9xf3si8PnKkX
- Nov 4th 2021
Dr Karen Crasta will be presenting our latest lab findings as Invited Speaker at The 94th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Biochemical Society, Nov 3rd-5th 2021, "New Trends in Cellular Senescence" Session. STAY TUNED FOR THE PAPER!
Program | The 94th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Biochemical Society (aeplan.co.jp)

- Nov 1st - Nov 3rd 2021
13th Annual Frontiers in Cancer Science International Conference.
Nov 1st-3th. Registration Free!
https://www.csi.nus.edu.sg/FCS/
Yet another exciting FCS this year! We really enjoyed talks by Clothilde Thery, Jesus Gil, Charles Swanton, Franklin Zhong, Melissa Fullwood, Lisa Tucker-Kellogg among many many others!

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
OCT 14th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
OCT 14th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
OCT 7th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
OCT 7th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.

LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS!
SEPT 16th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
SEPT 16th 2021
NUSMedicine Healthy Longevity Seminar Series.
- Sept 1st 2021
Truly thrilled about Matius Robert's joining as he's our FIRST Staff recruit since we moved to NUS after MONTHS of COVID19-restrictions and delays! Well-worth the wait!
Mat is a highly-motivated and energetic Research Assistant and a recent graduate from the National University of Singapore. We are looking forward to his joining. WELCOME TO KC LAB, MAT!
- Aug 10th 2021
Welcome back to another exciting new semester! Have a good one!
Dr Karen Crasta will be teaching HUMAN AGING (LSM 3217)
- Lecture Wks: 10th-20th Aug, Tutorial: Sept, Personal Perspective on Aging: Oct 28th 2021.
- Aug 3rd 2021
Aliya is a final-year undergraduate student from Faculty of Science joining the lab for her Honours Year Project. She will be studying exosomes in chromosomal instability. We look forward to having her in the lab!
LAB SHIFTING TO FINAL LOCATION AT NUS CENTRE FOR HEALTHY LONGEVITY (12th July -23rd July 2021)
Much Thanks Silky and Nabilah for your time and effort in our lab shifting! Well-organised and ready for working full-speed! :-)
Much Thanks Silky and Nabilah for your time and effort in our lab shifting! Well-organised and ready for working full-speed! :-)
- July 12th 2021
Nabilah is a talented final-year undergraduate student from Yale-NUS joining the lab for her Capstone Project. She will be studying chromosome instability, stress response and inflammation. We look forward to have her in the lab!
MUST-ATTEND WEBINAR ! Extremely interesting webinar on insights gleaned from the lifestyles of Hunter-Gatherers
Topic: Healthy as a Hunter-Gatherer: Diet, Activity, and Energy in Humans
Speaker: Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer
Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer from Duke University shares about metabolism and how clues from the lifestyles of traditional hunter-gatherers may reveal new insights into how chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart diseases, can be managed with lifestyle modifications.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
(Post-Talk Note:
FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THIS, YOU CAN CATCH IT HERE @NUS MEDICINE: LINK BELOW)
Exciting talk and excellent moderation by Dr Jorming Goh, Centre for Healthy Longevity, NUSMedicine
Healthy as a Hunter-Gatherer: Diet, Activity, and Energy in Humans | Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer - YouTube
- June 17th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Healthy as a Hunter-Gatherer: Diet, Activity, and Energy in Humans
Speaker: Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer
Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer from Duke University shares about metabolism and how clues from the lifestyles of traditional hunter-gatherers may reveal new insights into how chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart diseases, can be managed with lifestyle modifications.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
(Post-Talk Note:
FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THIS, YOU CAN CATCH IT HERE @NUS MEDICINE: LINK BELOW)
Exciting talk and excellent moderation by Dr Jorming Goh, Centre for Healthy Longevity, NUSMedicine
Healthy as a Hunter-Gatherer: Diet, Activity, and Energy in Humans | Assoc Prof Herman Pontzer - YouTube
MUST-ATTEND WEBINAR !
Topic: Anti-ageing therapies targeting intrinsic mechanisms of genomic damage and immunosenescence.
Speaker: Prof Andrev V Gudkov
Andrev Gudkov is Prof of Oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY. He will discuss his work on the impact of genotoxic stress as a driver of cellular senescence and related anti-ageing interventions.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
(Post-Talk Note:
FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THIS, YOU CAN CATCH IT HERE @NUS MEDICINE: LINK BELOW)
Anti-ageing therapies targeting intrinsic mechanisms of genome damage | Prof Andrei Gudkov - YouTube
- June 3rd 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Anti-ageing therapies targeting intrinsic mechanisms of genomic damage and immunosenescence.
Speaker: Prof Andrev V Gudkov
Andrev Gudkov is Prof of Oncology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY. He will discuss his work on the impact of genotoxic stress as a driver of cellular senescence and related anti-ageing interventions.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
(Post-Talk Note:
FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THIS, YOU CAN CATCH IT HERE @NUS MEDICINE: LINK BELOW)
Anti-ageing therapies targeting intrinsic mechanisms of genome damage | Prof Andrei Gudkov - YouTube
Silky is an undergraduate student from Yale-NUS on a Summer Research Program Attachment. She will be working on an exciting joint project between the Crasta Lab and the Mathuru Lab at Yale-NUS, exploring a novel player in the chromosome instability field. |
- Apr 26th 2021
Karen has been awarded the Swee Liew-Wadsworth Grant 2021 from NUS Dept of Physiology.
"Grateful for the opportunity to elucidate mechanisms underlying micronuclear cell fates in aging together with A/P Mahmoud Pouladi's team and looking forward to some really cool science ! "
(PI: Karen Crasta, Physiology; Co-PI: Mahmoud Pouladi, Physiology; Collaborator: Jason Pitt, NUS Cancer Science Institute).
Week1 : April 10th-15th 2020
American Association for Cancer Research
Virtual Annual Meeting
Fantastic Plenary on Chromosomal Instability:
Karlene Cimprich, Samuel Backhoum, Stephen Jackson and David Pellman.
PLENARY SESSIONSDISCOVERY SCIENCE PLENARY SESSION: MECHANISMS, IMPACT, AND EXPLOITATION OF CANCER CHROMOSOMAL INSTABILITY – DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ANGELIKA AMON
CHAIR: ZUZANA STORCHOVA, TU KAISERSLAUTERN, KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANYSaturday, April 10; 9:30-11:30 a.m. EDT
Mechanisms driving the rapid evolution of cancer genomes
David Pellman, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
Chromosomal instability and tumor evolution
Samuel F. Bakhoum, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Exploiting genome instability for new cancer therapies: PARP inhibitors and beyond
Stephen P. Jackson, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The causes and consequences of replication stress
Karlene A. Cimprich, Stanford University, Stanford, California
American Association for Cancer Research
Virtual Annual Meeting
Fantastic Plenary on Chromosomal Instability:
Karlene Cimprich, Samuel Backhoum, Stephen Jackson and David Pellman.
PLENARY SESSIONSDISCOVERY SCIENCE PLENARY SESSION: MECHANISMS, IMPACT, AND EXPLOITATION OF CANCER CHROMOSOMAL INSTABILITY – DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF ANGELIKA AMON
CHAIR: ZUZANA STORCHOVA, TU KAISERSLAUTERN, KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANYSaturday, April 10; 9:30-11:30 a.m. EDT
Mechanisms driving the rapid evolution of cancer genomes
David Pellman, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
Chromosomal instability and tumor evolution
Samuel F. Bakhoum, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
Exploiting genome instability for new cancer therapies: PARP inhibitors and beyond
Stephen P. Jackson, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
The causes and consequences of replication stress
Karlene A. Cimprich, Stanford University, Stanford, California
MUST-ATTEND SEMINAR _ GENOME MAINTENANCE IN AGING
Topic: Interventions in premature aging.
Speaker: For Dr Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, M.D., Dr. Med. Sci., Ph.D., aging is the largest risk factor for most diseases and damage to our genome is likely the cause of aging. He is focused on exploring the physiological consequences of DNA damage and what we can do to intervene in genotoxic insults. His goal is to understand, modulate, and perhaps treat aging and age related diseases.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
In case you missed this - NUSMedicine Link: Interventions in Premature Ageing | Assoc Prof Morten Scheibye-Knudsen - YouTube
- Apr 8th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Interventions in premature aging.
Speaker: For Dr Morten Scheibye-Knudsen, M.D., Dr. Med. Sci., Ph.D., aging is the largest risk factor for most diseases and damage to our genome is likely the cause of aging. He is focused on exploring the physiological consequences of DNA damage and what we can do to intervene in genotoxic insults. His goal is to understand, modulate, and perhaps treat aging and age related diseases.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
In case you missed this - NUSMedicine Link: Interventions in Premature Ageing | Assoc Prof Morten Scheibye-Knudsen - YouTube
- Apr 1st 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Targeting the biology of ageing to prevent, treat and reverse age-related diseases.
Speaker: Dr. Joan Mannick co-founded resTORbio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for the treatment of aging-related diseases.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
MUST-ATTEND WEBINAR ! ANEUPLOIDY AND REPRODUCTIVE FITNESS
Topic: Connecting early egg development to reproductive aging.
Speaker 2: Iain Cheeseman, Professor of Biology at MIT, Boston, USA.
Topic: Safeguarding the cell division machinery in quiescent oocytes.
(Post-Talk:
In case you missed it, NUSMedicine Link here : Making Reproductive Longevity a Reality | Episode 6 - YouTube
Excellent Talks and Q&A session! )
- March 26th 2021 Making Reproductive Longevity a Reality
Topic: Connecting early egg development to reproductive aging.
Speaker 2: Iain Cheeseman, Professor of Biology at MIT, Boston, USA.
Topic: Safeguarding the cell division machinery in quiescent oocytes.
(Post-Talk:
In case you missed it, NUSMedicine Link here : Making Reproductive Longevity a Reality | Episode 6 - YouTube
Excellent Talks and Q&A session! )
- March 18th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Age Later: Lessons for this pandemic arrest and next
Speaker: Nir Barzilai
Nir Barzilai is Director, Institute of Ageing Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Director of the Paul F. Glenn Centre for the Biology of Human Ageing Research.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
Upcoming Event
SAVE THE DATE:
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY SYMPOSIUM
11th MARCH 2021, 9am-1pm

- March 4th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Gene Therapy for Human Ageing
Speaker: Elizabeth Parrish
Elizabeth Parrish is CEO of BioViva, USA. She will give an outline of what BioViva has achieved to extend human life span.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Feb 18th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Catalysing Innovation and Charting the Future of Healthy Longevity: Role of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
Speaker: Professor Victor J. Dzau
Prof Dzau is President of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), USA.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Feb 4th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Artificial Intelligence-based biomarkers of ageing
Speaker: Dr Alex Zhavoronkov
Dr Zhavoronkov is the CEO of Insilico Medicine, and CEO of Deep Longevity, where he applies deep learning to biomarker research for deciphering biological age.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Jan 21st 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Deconstructing the Epigenetic Aging Clock
Speaker: Dr Morgan Levine
Dr Levine is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pathology at the Yale School of Medicine and a member of both the Yale Combined Program in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, and the Yale Center for Research on Ageing.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Jan 14th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Trajectories and Heterogeneity of Aging in Human Populations
Speaker: Prof Jackie Han
Prof Han obtained her Ph.D. degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She had her postdoctoral training at The Rockefeller University and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. In 2004, she became an investigator/professor at the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In 2010-2019, she was a director of the CAS-Max Planck Partner Institute for Computational Biology. In 2019, she became a tenured professor at Peking University, and an adjunct professor at National University of Singapore. Her research focuses on the structure and dynamic inference of molecular networks, using a combination of large-scale experiments and computational analysis to explore the design principles of the networks and to find how the complex phenotypes, such as ageing, cancer and stem cell development are regulated through molecular networks.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Jan 7th 2021 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Epigenetic clocks for clinical and preclinical applications
Speaker: Prof Steve Horvath
Dr Steve Horvath is a Professor in Human Genetics and Biostatistics at UCLA. His methodological research area lies at the intersection of biostatistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, cancer research, genetics, epidemiology, machine learning, and systems biology. His group applies these methods to study a broad spectrum of diseases, e.g. aging research, cancer, cardiovascular disease, HIV, Huntington's disease, neurodegenerative diseases.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Jan 1st 2021 Appointment to NUHS Women in Science and Healthcare
CONGRATULATIONS KAREN! 🎈
Karen was nominated and appointed as NUHS Women in Science and Healthcare (WISH) Executive Council Member.

- DEC 18th 2020
-
- KC LAB COMMISSIONING:
- LET THE BENCHWORK BEGIN! 🎀
Special shout-out to Raj, Andrea and Shaun - Thanks for being so helpful and welcoming.....we look forward to working with you!
(Personal Note by Karen: Kudos to Joycelyn and Rekha for getting the lab up and ready for work. Much thanks to Clarinda Lim and Brian Kennedy's Lab for their help in many ways.)
- Dec 17th 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Be(come) active, stay healthy – A pathway to lasting change.
Speaker: Prof Beatrix Vereijken
Professor, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science @Norwegian University of Science and Technology
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Dec 10th 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: What drives ageing and can we slow down the clock?
Speaker: Prof Alexey Moskalev
Head, Laboratory of Geroprotective and Radioprotective Technologies @Institute of Biology, Federal Research Center ‘Komi Science Center’ of the Ural Division of the Russian Academy of Science.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
- Dec 3rd 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Fasting as an approach to achieve healthy longevity.
Speaker: Dr Valter Longo
Edna M. Jones Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California –Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, and the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at the IFOM Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.

Dec 2nd-Dec 16th 2020
- CELL BIO VIRTUAL 2020
- ONLINE ASCB-EMBO Annual Meeting
- This joint meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) and the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) will focus on cell biology as the fundamental basis of biology, and will offer sessions on emerging topics.
Missing the meeting up of Cell Biologist friends from the world over especially all Pellmanians! (and the after-parties). Enjoyed the awesome talks and posters nevertheless. (Another night event for this side of the world.... ). Recorded sessions available till Jan 15th !
Dec 1st 2020 NEWS WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
The Crasta Lab moves to NUS
It's been a trying time arranging a lab move during a pandemic but the Crasta Lab finally moves to the National University of Singapore, NUHS Centre for Healthy Longevity at the
Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS) building !!
We thank Prof Lim Kah Leong, Vice-Dean of Research at NTU LKCMedicine for permitting us to use the space and facilities in the interim, and his kind help in many other ways. We will also miss the many colleagues and friends we made during our stay at the LKCMedicine Experimental Medicine Building, and will cherish the memories and the fun times.
We are immensely grateful to the
Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) and Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE)
for funding state-of-the-art equipment that will allow us to do best research possible at NUS !
On to making new memories and fun exciting science at NUS!
The Crasta Lab moves to NUS
It's been a trying time arranging a lab move during a pandemic but the Crasta Lab finally moves to the National University of Singapore, NUHS Centre for Healthy Longevity at the
Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS) building !!
We thank Prof Lim Kah Leong, Vice-Dean of Research at NTU LKCMedicine for permitting us to use the space and facilities in the interim, and his kind help in many other ways. We will also miss the many colleagues and friends we made during our stay at the LKCMedicine Experimental Medicine Building, and will cherish the memories and the fun times.
We are immensely grateful to the
Singapore National Research Foundation (NRF) and Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE)
for funding state-of-the-art equipment that will allow us to do best research possible at NUS !
On to making new memories and fun exciting science at NUS!

- Nov 19th 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Can damage repair give us indefinite youth?
Speaker: Dr Aubrey de Grey
Join Dr Aubrey de Grey, Chief Science Officer of the SENS Research Foundation and Prof Brian Kennedy for a science-backed and inspirational conversation on regenerative medicine and the implications of a population that lives longer and in good health.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
Please sign up here: https://bit.ly/3jhe0SB
- Nov 12th 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: The Impact of Population Aging
Speaker: Paul Irving
Paul Irving is Chairman at the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, Chairman of Encore.org, and distinguished scholar-in-residence at the University Of Southern California Davis School Of Gerontology. Prof Brian Kennedy and Paul Irving will have a conversation about the realities, impact, challenges and opportunities of population ageing.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
Please sign up here: https://bit.ly/351cUX8
- Nov 11th 2020 NUHS Women in Science and Healthcare (WISH) EVENT
Nov 11th Wed 3pm. https://bit.ly/37a3WZ6
- Nov 5th 2020 Healthy Longevity Webinar Series with Brian Kennedy
Topic: Targeting biological ageing: A new paradigm for 21st century medicine
Speaker: Dr Matt Kaeberlein from the University of Washington, School of Medicine. Dr Kaeberlein is an award-winning geroscientist and his research is focused on biological mechanisms of ageing and translational interventions that promote healthspan and improve quality of life.
Time: SGT 1900-2000.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nusmedicine_webinar-ageing-healthylongevity-activity-6728938663159439360-EZYg
Please sign up here: https://bit.ly/BKLIHL

Nov 2020 Frontiers in Cancer Science 2020
12th Annual Frontiers in Cancer Science International Conference.
Nov 2nd-6th. Registration Free!
https://www.csi.nus.edu.sg/FCS/
Yet another fantastic Annual Frontiers in Cancer Science (FCS) Meeting this year! What a priviledge to attend with the very best local and international Cancer experts as always. Plus registration was FREE this year! Loved the talks by peeps I first met at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Rani George and Takaomi Sanda... and the introduction to breast pathology by Dr. Puay Hoon Tan. Was great to see Distinguished Professor Ashok Venkitaraman, new Director at NUS Cancer Science Institute (CSI), give the opening address !
12th Annual Frontiers in Cancer Science International Conference.
Nov 2nd-6th. Registration Free!
https://www.csi.nus.edu.sg/FCS/
Yet another fantastic Annual Frontiers in Cancer Science (FCS) Meeting this year! What a priviledge to attend with the very best local and international Cancer experts as always. Plus registration was FREE this year! Loved the talks by peeps I first met at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Rani George and Takaomi Sanda... and the introduction to breast pathology by Dr. Puay Hoon Tan. Was great to see Distinguished Professor Ashok Venkitaraman, new Director at NUS Cancer Science Institute (CSI), give the opening address !
- Oct 2020 Breast Cancer Awareness Month 🎀https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/tackling-breast-cancer-public-health-issue-singapore
- Sept 9th 2020 NUHS Women in Science and Healthcare (WISH) EVENT
Sept 9th Wed 3pm. https://bit.ly/2G7hb1q
- Jul 29th 2020 NUHS Women in Science and Healthcare (WISH) EVENT
July 29th Wed 3pm. bit.ly/NUHSWISH-LnL1
- July 2020 PAPER ACCEPTED!
Bryan Lim and Karen Crasta collaborated with A/P Yunn Hwen Gan's laboratory at NUS YLLSOM, Dept of Biochemistry. The work described a novel pathway for micronuclei-mediated cGAS-STING pathway in bacterial pathogenesis. Yet another cool role for micronuclei!
Working with Joanne and Yunn-Hwen was really fun! Thanks for the invitation to collaborate!

- June 22nd-24th 2020
- American Association for Cancer Research
- Virtual Annual Meeting II
Awesome AACR Annual Meeting yet again! Plus REGISTRATION WAS FREE !!! 👏
Put in an all-nighter again since we wanted to attend some talks first-hand, but will likely go through the recordings again as speakers/talks were soooooo good.
These were among our stand-out favourites:
June 22nd
(1) Opening-Plenary-Session-Turning-Science-into-Lifesaving-Care
Age against the machine: How the aging microenvironment governs response to therapy
Ashani T Weeraratna
(2) Sessions > One of These Things Is Not Like the Other: The Many Faces of Senescence in Cancer
- Senescence, cancer and tumor immunity: A challenging relationship
Andrea Alimonti
- The dynamic nature of senescence in cancer and its therapeutic relevance
Clemens A Schmitt
- From pro-senescence to senolytic therapy for cancer
René Bernards
June 23rd
(1) Tumour Cell Dormancy
Defining tumor cell dormancy: Learning lessons from myeloma
Peter Croucher
What wakes up dormant cancer cells? Intrinsic versus extrinsic control
Mikala Egeblad
How to target the seeds that contribute to future relapses
Maria Soledad Sosa
(2) Noncoding RNA in Cancer Progression
Introduction
Ahmad M. Khalil
Epigenetic regulation of the human genome by lincRNAs
Ahmad M. Khalil
Long noncoding RNAs as functional molecules in cancer pathways
Maite Huarte
About Chomsky, patterns, noncoding RNAs, and cancer patients
George A Calin
Functions of noncoding RNA and protein interactions in cancer cells
Colleen A. McHugh
(3) The Wound Healing that Never Heals: The Tumor Microenvironment (TME) in Cancer Progression
The importance of vascular permeability in tumor stroma generation and wound healing
Harold F Dvorak
Aging in the driver’s seat: Tumor progression and beyond
Sheila A Stewart
Why won’t CAFs stay normal?
Edna Cukierman
Put in an all-nighter again since we wanted to attend some talks first-hand, but will likely go through the recordings again as speakers/talks were soooooo good.
These were among our stand-out favourites:
June 22nd
(1) Opening-Plenary-Session-Turning-Science-into-Lifesaving-Care
Age against the machine: How the aging microenvironment governs response to therapy
Ashani T Weeraratna
(2) Sessions > One of These Things Is Not Like the Other: The Many Faces of Senescence in Cancer
- Senescence, cancer and tumor immunity: A challenging relationship
Andrea Alimonti
- The dynamic nature of senescence in cancer and its therapeutic relevance
Clemens A Schmitt
- From pro-senescence to senolytic therapy for cancer
René Bernards
June 23rd
(1) Tumour Cell Dormancy
Defining tumor cell dormancy: Learning lessons from myeloma
Peter Croucher
What wakes up dormant cancer cells? Intrinsic versus extrinsic control
Mikala Egeblad
How to target the seeds that contribute to future relapses
Maria Soledad Sosa
(2) Noncoding RNA in Cancer Progression
Introduction
Ahmad M. Khalil
Epigenetic regulation of the human genome by lincRNAs
Ahmad M. Khalil
Long noncoding RNAs as functional molecules in cancer pathways
Maite Huarte
About Chomsky, patterns, noncoding RNAs, and cancer patients
George A Calin
Functions of noncoding RNA and protein interactions in cancer cells
Colleen A. McHugh
(3) The Wound Healing that Never Heals: The Tumor Microenvironment (TME) in Cancer Progression
The importance of vascular permeability in tumor stroma generation and wound healing
Harold F Dvorak
Aging in the driver’s seat: Tumor progression and beyond
Sheila A Stewart
Why won’t CAFs stay normal?
Edna Cukierman

- April 27th-28th 2020
- American Association for Cancer Research
- Virtual Annual Meeting I
We're missing the AACR Annual Meeting (the largest, most educational and informative cancer conference in the world!) for the first time in years. Glad that the organisers made it easy to attend online though - THANK YOU AACR.
As usual fantastic talks by awesome cancer scientists and oncologists!
As usual fantastic talks by awesome cancer scientists and oncologists!

April-July 2020 COVID Lab shutdown :-(
- Will miss you, Lab Bench!
- See you in a few months while we stay safe at home....
A special shout-out and THANKS to all healthcare professionals and friends working hard 💖www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGKFVMgjrPc
- Feb 2020 KC LAB STARTS AT NUS