Prof. Wen Shan Yew
Associate Professor, Biochemistry
National University of Singapore
Associate Professor Yew Wen Shan is the Head of Department of Biochemistry at the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. His other academic appointments include Assistant Dean (Graduate Studies), Deputy Director of the NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), Deputy Director and Research Director of the Synthetic Biology Translational Research Programme, and Director of the HH@NUS SINERGY Laboratory. He is the current President of the Singapore Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a Council Member of the Singapore National Academy of Science. He trained as a mechanistic enzymologist with Professor John A. Gerlt from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, laying the foundation for his career as a biochemistry professor and synthetic biology researcher.
His current and future research is centred on expanding the multi-faceted interface between enzymology, biological chemistry and synthetic biology, in an area he terms “synthetic enzymology”. In particular, his research is focused on the use of structural and mechanistic enzymological knowledge for protein engineering (exploring, defining and modulating substrate specificities), biocatalysis, biotransformation, therapeutic development (against metabolic diseases, infectious diseases, cancer and ageing), bioremediation (towards urban sustainability) and impactful maintenance of planetary health.
His research is closely aligned with industrial needs and solutions, and he is currently part of the Wilmar@NUS Corporate Laboratory, the HH@NUS SINERGY Laboratory, the Centre for Precision Fermentation and Sustainability (PreFerS), the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein, and the National Centre for Engineering Biology of Singapore.
Research Interests
Defining Synthetic Enzymology as an enabling platform for the Construction of Next-Generation Synthetic Biology solutions for Pharma and Consumer Businesses. Using Synthetic Enzymology to discover and develop novel therapeutic biomolecules, in the areas of infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer and aging. Developing anti-virulence Quorum-Based Technology for use in the biomedical industry. Using Synthetic Lixiviant Enzymology for Biomining of Electronic Wastes for Environmental Sustainability. Development of Lead Compounds Targeting Enzymes involved in Metabolic Cancer. Using Synthetic Enzymology for the Construction of Therapeutic (Probiotic) Cells for the Treatment of Metabolic Diseases and Infectious Diseases.
Research Areas
Rational design and directed evolution of enzymatic activities. Drug design and therapeutics against infectious diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer and aging. Synthetic Enzymology for biomedical and bioremediation applications. Deciphering enzyme specificity. Mechanistic enzymology of enzymes of pharmaceutical and industrial importance. Discovery of new enzymatic functions.
Publications
Selected Publications
Lim, Y.P., Go, M.K., Raida, M., Inoue, T., Wenk, M.R., Keasling, J.D., Chang, M.W., and Yew, W.S. (2018) Synthetic Enzymology and the Fountain of Youth: Repurposing Biology for Longevity. ACS Omega. Lubkowicz, D., Ho, C.L., Hwang, I.Y., Yew, W.S., Lee, Y.S., and Chang, M.W. (2018) Reprogramming Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri as a Biosensor for Staphylococcus aureus Derived AIP-I Detection. ACS Synth Biol. 7(5):1229-1237. Go, M.K., Chow, J.Y., and Yew, W.S. (2018) Directed Evolution of Quorum-Quenching Enzymes: A Method for the Construction of a Directed Evolution Platform and Characterization of a Quorum-Quenching Lactonase from Geobacillus kaustophilus. Methods Mol Biol. 1673:311-323. Ho, C.L., Tan, H.Q., Chua, K.J., Kang, A., Lim, K.H., Ling, K.L., Yew, W.S., Lee, Y.S., Thiery, J.P., and Chang, M.W. (2018) Engineered commensal microbes for diet-mediated colorectal-cancer chemoprevention. Nature Biomedical Engineering. 2:27-37. Pham, H.L., Wong, A., Chua, N., Teo, W.S., Yew, W.S., Chang, M.W. (2017) Engineering a Riboswitch-based Genetic Platform for the Self-directed Evolution of Acid-tolerant Phenotypes. Nature Commun. 8(1):411 Lim, Y.P., Go, M.K., and Yew, W.S. (2016) Exploiting the Biosynthetic Potential of Type III Polyketide Synthases. Molecules Jun 22: 21(6). pii: E806. doi: 10.3390/molecules21060806. Go, M.K., Wongsantichon, J., Cheung, V.W.N., Chow, J.Y., Robinson, R.C., and Yew, W.S. (2015) Synthetic Polyketide Enzymology: Platform for Biosynthesis of Novel Anti-Microbial Polyketides. ACS Catalysis 5(7): 4033–4042. Go, M.K., Zhang, W.C., Lim, B., and Yew, W.S. (2014) Glycine Decarboxylase is an Unusual Amino Acid Decarboxylase Involved in Tumorigenesis. Biochemistry 53, 947-956. Tay, S.B., Natarajan, G., Rahim, M.N., Tan, H.T., Chung, M.C., Ting, Y.P., and Yew, W.S. (2013) Enhancing gold recovery from electronic waste via lixiviant metabolic engineering in Chromobacterium violaceum. Sci Rep. 3, 2236. doi: 10.1038/srep02236. Go, M.K., Chow, J.Y., Cheung, V.W.N., Lim, Y.P., and Yew, W.S. (2012) Establishing a Toolkit for Precursor-directed Polyketide Biosynthesis: Exploring Substrate Promiscuities of Acid-CoA Ligases. Biochemistry 51, 4568-4579.
