The research-intensive culture at Duke-NUS provides graduates with a foundation for driving healthcare innovation, enhancing patient care, and contributing to medical breakthroughs.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping healthcare, and Duke-NUS PhD graduates Dr. Yong Zixin and Dr. Joanna Sinnakannu are at the forefront of this transformation. Their work is driving innovations that enhance patient care and support groundbreaking medical treatments in Singapore.
Dr. Yong Zixin, who leads AI development at OutcomesAI, uses his research expertise to create artificial medical intelligence aimed at reducing healthcare professionals’ administrative burdens. By automating tasks like data collection and note-taking, AI allows doctors and nurses to focus more on patient care and complex needs, improving both job efficiency and the patient experience. Dr. Yong’s PhD studies at Duke-NUS, where he worked in the Neuroscience and Behavioural Disorders programme, emphasized the real-world application of research. He conducted studies to explore brain activity in patients in vegetative states, leveraging MRI to understand their responses to external stimuli. His experience in translational research at Duke-NUS ignited his passion for improving patient care through innovative technologies like AI.
Dr. Joanna Sinnakannu, a senior manager at Medisix Therapeutics, is contributing to the development of novel cancer treatments such as CAR T cell therapies. While her training wasn’t in immunology or cancer therapy, her PhD experience at Duke-NUS equipped her with the necessary scientific knowledge and project management skills to transition into the medical field. In her role, she manages the intellectual property for the company’s immune cell technologies, ensuring that Medisix’s therapies remain attractive to collaborators, investors, and licensees. Dr. Sinnakannu’s research on cancer resistance during her PhD laid the groundwork for her work at Medisix, where she continues to contribute to breakthrough treatments like the T cell therapy for T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, now in its clinical trials.
Both Dr. Yong and Dr. Sinnakannu are prime examples of how Duke-NUS’s innovative, research-driven culture fosters graduates who not only conduct cutting-edge research but also translate their findings into impactful solutions in healthcare. Their work is helping shape the future of medical treatments, from AI tools in patient care to novel cancer therapies, making a lasting difference in Singapore’s healthcare landscape.
