What does your poop reveal about your health and how to keep your gut happy?
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY JOYCE WONG JIN YI HAVE you ever taken a moment to ponder the signals your poop might be trying to convey about your health? Surprisingly, the characteristics of your bowel movements can be a window into your overall well-being. One intriguing aspect is whether your stool floats or sinks in the toilet bowl. The […]
Role of nutrition in paediatric cancer
Reading Time: 3 minutesFACING childhood cancer is never easy. It becomes a devastating journey when a loved one, especially if your child is diagnosed with life-threatening cancer. Parents with a cancer-stricken child face several daunting challenges – one of which is dietary concerns. Let’s walk through this topic and handle it together! Food is medicine. Consuming a balanced […]
Handy tips for choosing the right probiotic supplements
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY JOYCE WONG JIN YI PROBIOTICS have gained immense popularity in recent years for their potential health benefits. These live bacteria and yeasts promote a healthy balance of gut flora and offer a wide range of advantages, such as improving digestion, boosting immunity, and supporting overall well-being. However, with the abundance of probiotic supplements available on […]
Precision drug repurposing ‘Fast Track’ to treat Cancer
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY JOTISRI VASUDEVAN Two distinct tracks have emerged in the race to treat cancer: drug discovery and precision drug repurposing. Think of it as the classic marathon versus an unexpected shortcut. Drug discovery resembles an arduous marathon. Researchers, like dedicated runners, meticulously create new drugs from scratch. This journey involves designing molecules, conducting preclinical studies, […]
Complementary sequencing technology gives new insight into gut microbiome
Reading Time: 3 minutesSINGAPORE scientists have reached a new milestone in sequencing technology that unravels the mysteries of microbial communities in our food and their profound effects on the human microbiome. Scientists from AMILI, Southeast Asia’s first and only precision gut microbiome company, have utilised a game-changing methodology in sequencing – which paves the way for an “unbiased” exploration […]
A Different Path with Fabry
Reading Time: 4 minutesRare diseases often occur in childhood but when it strikes in adulthood, life takes a different course. For Merpati, a school teacher, husband, and father, the burden of Fabry disease was a heavy blow but one he chooses to bear with grace and acceptance. A warm, sunny climate and an abundance of delicious food sounds […]
Maternal immunisation, Tdap vaccination improves survival of newborns
Reading Time: 3 minutesI AM WRITING to support the recent the Ministry of Health’s recent consideration of including the 3-in-1 Tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) vaccine in the public vaccination program for expectant mothers – especially with the latest rise in pertussis cases in the country namely in Rompin and Alor Gajah. I am heartened by the fact that the ministry is […]
Sweet Alternatives: Exploring different sugar substitutes
Reading Time: 3 minutesBY JOYCE WONG JIN YI We have been brainwashed into thinking dietary fat causes heart disease and obesity. Sugar is the real culprit behind most of the common diseases in society right now. Sugar speeds up the ageing process in cells, including the neurons in your brain, leading to an increased risk of dementia. It […]
Natural Killer cells can beat cancer
Reading Time: 3 minutesNATURAL KILLER (NK) Cells in the immune system bring a beacon of hope to cancer patients and those in fear of suffering from relapse. Dr Danaraj Navaratnam the resident doctor with special interest in Cellular Therapy & Regenerative Medicine from CELLAAX Therapy (CELLAAX), a homegrown biopharmaceutical company told The Petri Dish during a recent interview […]
Scientist: Restoring key enzyme to treat Fabry disease
Reading Time: 2 minutesFABRY disease is a rare genetically inherited disorder. It occurs when a specific enzyme known as alpha-galactosidase (a-gal A) is absent from human cells. The body loses the ability to produce this enzyme when there is a mutation in the gene Galactosidase Alpha (GLA). “Although it is a rare genetic condition, its effect is life-threatening. When […]