Latest news with #Yeong
New Paper
3 days ago
- Health
- New Paper
Singapore AI system may help predict liver cancer recurrence
A scoring system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that was developed by researchers here could help predict the recurrence of a common form of liver cancer. Developed by scientists from A*Star's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the system can predict relapses of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Affecting more than 20 out of every 100,000 people here annually, HCC is the fourth-most-common cancer among men in Singapore, as well as the third-most-common cause of cancer deaths among males here. The Tumour Immune Microenvironment Spatial (Times) score analyses the precise spatial distribution, or the exact location, of immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells and five specific genes within liver tumour tissues. NK cells are a type of white blood cell that destroys diseased cells, such as cancer cells, and a lower number of NK cells is an indicator of a higher risk of relapse. "Instead of just counting how many NK cells are present, we analyse exactly where they are positioned relative to the cancer cells," said Dr Joe Yeong, a principal investigator at both A*Star IMCB and SGH's anatomical pathology department. "By understanding how NK cells are distributed and how they interact with cancer cells - for example, whether they are close enough to attack the cancer effectively - we can predict the likelihood of cancer returning after surgery," said Dr Yeong, one of the study's authors. Identifying these spatial patterns allows Times to predict the risk of recurrence with about 82 per cent accuracy. Existing staging methods - frameworks that evaluate how advanced the cancer is, allowing doctors to recommend the most suitable treatments - vary in their accuracy. Dr Yeong - who is also director of immunopathology at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Pathology Academic Clinical Programme - noted that up to 70 per cent of liver cancer patients experience recurrence within five years. An accurate prediction method would allow doctors to more easily identify patients at greater risk of cancer recurrence, he said. "Times offers a significant advancement in predicting these outcomes, enabling clinicians to intervene at the earliest possible stage. This can significantly enhance patient care and improve survival outcomes." He noted that the precision medicine approach seeks to tailor treatments that meet patients' specific needs, based on factors such as genetics and lifestyle. Even though a large proportion of liver cancer patients experience relapses, it is not viable to offer all of them therapeutics as it would be very costly to them, Dr Yeong said. Getting an accurate prediction of their risks would help optimise the costs to patients, he added. AI was used to analyse vast amounts of data, with more than 100 trillion data points gathered from liver tumour samples, as well as create a scoring system tailored to Asian patients. It is also currently being used to refine the Times score for clinical use, Dr Yeong said. "By automating the analysis of patients' surgical tissue samples, AI ensures the process is efficient and consistent, paving the way for integration into routine clinical workflows, such as through a potential diagnostic test kit," he added. The study was the cover story for the April 15, 2025, issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature. Ms Denise Goh, the study's co-first author, said the Times scoring system "transforms routine tissue slides into powerful predictive tools". "By identifying patients at higher risk of relapse, we can proactively alter treatment strategies and monitoring, potentially saving more lives," said the senior research officer at A*Star IMCB. The researchers validated the accuracy of the Times system using samples from 231 patients across five hospitals in Singapore and China. The technology is now accessible through a free web portal for research use, with plans under way to integrate Times into routine clinical workflows. The team is planning further studies at SGH and the National Cancer Centre Singapore to validate the technology, scheduled to begin later in 2025. Discussions are ongoing with partners to develop Times into a clinically approved diagnostic test kit.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Straits Times
AI system developed in Singapore could help predict liver cancer recurrence
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Dr Joe Yeong is a co-author of the study published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature. SINGAPORE - A scoring system powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that was developed by researchers here could help predict the recurrence of a common form of liver cancer. Developed by scientists from A*Star's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) and Singapore General Hospital (SGH), the system can predict relapses of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Affecting more than 20 out of every 100,000 people here annually, HCC is the fourth-most-common cancer among men in Singapore, as well as the third-most-common cause of cancer deaths among males here. The Tumour Immune Microenvironment Spatial (Times) score analyses the precise spatial distribution, or the exact location, of immune cells called natural killer (NK) cells and five specific genes within liver tumour tissues. NK cells are a type of white blood cell that destroys diseased cells, such as cancer cells, and a lower number of NK cells is an indicator of a higher risk of relapse. 'Instead of just counting how many NK cells are present, we analyse exactly where they are positioned relative to the cancer cells,' said Dr Joe Yeong, a principal investigator at both A*Star IMCB and SGH's anatomical pathology department. 'By understanding how NK cells are distributed and how they interact with cancer cells – for example, whether they are close enough to attack the cancer effectively – we can predict the likelihood of cancer returning after surgery,' said Dr Yeong, one of the study's authors. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Dr Yeong – who is also director of immunopathology at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Pathology Academic Clinical Programme – noted that up to 70 per cent of liver cancer patients experience recurrence within five years. An accurate prediction method would allow doctors to more easily identify patients at greater risk of cancer recurrence, he said. 'Times offers a significant advancement in predicting these outcomes, enabling clinicians to intervene at the earliest possible stage. This can significantly enhance patient care and improve survival outcomes.' He noted that the precision medicine approach seeks to tailor treatments that meet patients' specific needs, based on factors such as genetics and lifestyle. Even though a large proportion of liver cancer patients experience relapses, it is not viable to offer all of them therapeutics as it would be very costly to them, Dr Yeong said. Getting an accurate prediction of their risks would help optimise the costs to patients, he added. AI was used to analyse vast amounts of data, with more than 100 trillion data points gathered from liver tumour samples, as well as create a scoring system tailored to Asian patients. It is also currently being used to refine the Times score for clinical use, Dr Yeong said. 'By automating the analysis of patients' surgical tissue samples, AI ensures the process is efficient and consistent, paving the way for integration into routine clinical workflows, such as through a potential diagnostic test kit,' he added. The study was the cover story for the April 15, 2025, issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature. Ms Denise Goh, the study's co-first author, said the Times scoring system 'transforms routine tissue slides into powerful predictive tools'. 'By identifying patients at higher risk of relapse, we can proactively alter treatment strategies and monitoring, potentially saving more lives,' said the senior research officer at A*Star IMCB. The researchers validated the accuracy of the Times system using samples from 231 patients across five hospitals in Singapore and China. The technology is now accessible through a free web portal for research use, with plans under way to integrate Times into routine clinical workflows. The team is planning further studies at SGH and the National Cancer Centre Singapore to validate the technology, scheduled to begin later in 2025. Discussions are ongoing with partners to develop Times into a clinically approved diagnostic test kit.
Straits Times
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singapore U-16 girls given footballing lesson in first match of inaugural Lion City Cup girls' tournament
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Singapore's Nur Ain Salleh trying to dribble past South Korea's Kang Gyu-eun during the national Under-16 girls' 9-0 loss in their Lion City Cup opener at the Jalan Besar Stadiun on July 8. SINGAPORE – Singapore's Under-16 girls' team were handed a valuable lesson on the football pitch during their debut in the Lion City Cup (LCC) on July 8. Their maiden appearance turned out to be a harrowing experience as the girls were outclassed 9-0 by South Korea at the Jalan Besar Stadium, with five goals coming in the first half. The match – which was not livestreamed locally – saw the South Koreans dominate from start to finish and exposed the gulf in standards between the hosts and the visitors, who were third in the 2024 U-17 Women's Asian Cup and qualified for the 2024 U-17 Women's World Cup. For the first time since its inception in 1977, the LCC features a girls' tournament, and Singapore's U-16 girls' coach Yeong Sheau Shyan was satisfied despite the lopsided result, highlighting the benefits of letting her team 'feel the difference between us and them'. Yeong, who is also the Lion City Sailors' head of women's football, said: 'We knew that South Korea are a top team... So for us to be able to play them and feel the difference between us and them is a good wake-up call for all the girls who maybe don't get enough chances (to play an opponent like South Korea). 'To play them now in our first match will give us a very good idea of how hard we have to work.' While South Korea were physically superior, confident in their passing and had the individual ability to take on their opponents in one-to-one battles across the pitch, the Singaporeans were unable to establish any kind of traction in the game and were often looking to clear the ball into space rather than to build an attack. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP celebrations to be held at 5 heartland sites, including Bishan and Punggol, on Aug 10 Singapore Keep citizens at the centre of public service, Chan Chun Sing tells civil servants Singapore Man arrested for allegedly throwing bottle at SMRT bus, injuring passenger Asia As Trump plays tariffs hard ball, Asean has little choice but to play on Asia PM Anwar called out by his own lawmakers as Malaysia's judicial crisis heats up Singapore SIA flight from Brisbane to Singapore diverted to Perth due to technical issue Sport Speeding likely cause of Diogo Jota car crash: Police Business Great Eastern could resume trading after delisting vote fails to pass; OCBC's exit offer lapses Only a string of saves from goalkeeper Chantale Lamasan, a Singapore Sports School student, kept the scoreline down. Yeong was cheered by the spirit of the girls at full-time. 'When we came back to the dressing room, (the feeling) was not negative. They are still ready to go. They are thinking of good things to come in the next match. And that's something that is heartening to see,' said Yeong. South Korea scored the opener in the 11th minute when midfielder Jeon Ha-eun's near post shot trickled in, despite the best efforts of Chantale. In the 18th minute, the Koreans added a second with a shot from outside the box from Ko Jie-un. In the 26th minute, forward Cho An scored the first of her three goals of the night when she was released through on goal and fired into the bottom of the net. Just four minutes later, South Korea's Park Na-young made it four. Cho scored her second in the 38th minute before completing her hat-trick three minutes into the second-half. Substitute Kim Hee-jin scored a brace, with strikes in the 68th and 74th minute, before another substitute Son Seoh-yeon added the ninth in stoppage time. Coach Kim Eun-jung, who has been involved in South Korean women's football since 2009, having served as a coach for the U-17, U-20 and senior women's national teams, said the scoreline was not unexpected and praised her team for their performance and commended Singapore's mentality. Kim said: 'It was a big win but the Singapore players kept going till the end. 'That kind of mentality is a positive step for women's football in Singapore.' Meanwhile, Yeong is hopeful of a better showing in their remaining two matches – against Hong Kong on July 10 and Cambodia two days later. She said: 'The mistakes that we made today, we will have to correct it and we want to be able to show a bit more of our style in the next two matches.' In the day's earlier kick-off, Hong Kong secured a 4-0 victory over Cambodia. The team who are top after the single round-robin stage will be crowned champions. The Republic's U-16 boys will kick off their campaign on July 9 against the Philippines, before facing off against Cambodia (July 11) and Hong Kong (July 13). All matches are played at the Jalan Besar Stadium with Singapore's games kicking off at 8pm.
Singapore Law Watch
28-05-2025
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
Beyond training, Singapore's legal industry needs a culture shift to curb attrition: Opinion
Beyond training, Singapore's legal industry needs a culture shift to curb attrition: Opinion Source: Business Times Article Date: 28 May 2025 Author: Tessa Oh A post-call survey found that 60% of new lawyers are likely to move out of legal practice within the next five years. As high attrition rates among young lawyers raise concern, a new structured training initiative seeks to curb the outflow of talent, among various aims. The Junior Lawyers Professional Certification Programme (JLP) by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) aims to help young lawyers stay ahead of the artificial intelligence (AI) curve, while also strengthening basic legal skills. Launched on May 21, the programme targets lawyers with up to five years of post-qualification experience. Yet, as SAL chief executive Yeong Zee Kin told The Business Times in an interview, the JLP focuses on skills and knowledge acquisition, while many young lawyers cite the demanding nature of legal practice as reason for leaving the industry. Said Yeong: 'The JLP can address one aspect, which is training, and hopefully also a nurturing environment in the office that supports training... 'But it won't address the workplace pressures, because clients are in competitive global markets and (local law firms) need to compete with foreign law firms for the same kind of work.' Some in this cohort have expressed disappointment via social media. Their beef is that the programme focuses on technical skills, and not solutions to address such workplace pressures. Excessive workload, poor work-life balance and negative work culture were reasons cited by young lawyers for leaving legal practice, according to a survey of post-call lawyers this year. It found that 60 per cent of respondents were likely to move out of legal practice within the next five years, to pursue an in-house career, academia or employment with other legal service providers. Slightly more than a third of the new lawyers said they are likely to leave the legal profession altogether. The reasons for such departures are cultural factors which training cannot address. Disruption To be sure, there is no denying that generative AI will disrupt the legal industry, and lawyers must prepare for that. As Yeong explained, the widespread accessibility of AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot means that clients can easily generate basic contracts and seek advice on legal strategies. A programme that informs lawyers of the developments and ethics of AI is thus necessary and important. Further, lawyers in smaller firms – which may have fewer resources for training – can also benefit from a structured programme that hones basic advocacy and drafting skills. One must also acknowledge that the legal industry is a challenging one. Singapore law firms face an increasingly competitive global market, and are up against international firms with significant resources. As a service industry, firms also face rising expectations from clients for better, faster and cheaper solutions. But training alone is not enough to incentivise young lawyers to stick it out in legal practice, if the more pressing push factors are not addressed. To meaningfully address attrition, the legal industry must make headway in addressing the cultural and environmental reasons pushing young lawyers away. In the long run, law firms will not be able to compete if they lack a healthy pool of new talent to refresh their ranks. It is thus in their interest to address these issues, as a dwindling workforce will hit them hardest. For instance, young lawyers have called for better protection against bullying and exploitation. Hence, it is a good start to see the SAL convening a legal profession symposium in July to discuss some of these issues. Spearheading change Still, to be fair to the SAL, as a promotion and development agency, it cannot prescribe how law firms develop and mentor their associates. It is for the senior lawyers to lead the change in the culture at their firms. As Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said at the JLP opening conference, any solution to address the sustainability of legal practice is unlikely to be effective unless the mindsets of both young and older lawyers change. On one hand, young lawyers must appreciate that a legal career is demanding and requires long-term commitment. Meanwhile, senior lawyers 'have a duty and a responsibility to impart their knowledge and experience to their juniors'. The Chief Justice added: 'Indeed, much of a young lawyer's development comes through mentors and seniors who maintain a personal interest in their welfare, and who invest the time and the effort to guide and support them in their work.' In this regard, in addition to catering programmes for young associates, there can be initiatives to engage older lawyers on these issues and on how to cultivate better workplace practices. After all, if the legal fraternity is serious about keeping young lawyers from leaving the profession, then it is key for the law firms and their leaders to lead the cultural change. Source: The Business Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
Business Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Beyond training, Singapore's legal industry needs a culture shift to curb attrition
[SINGAPORE] As high attrition rates among young lawyers raise concern, a new structured training initiative seeks to curb the outflow of talent, among various aims. The Junior Lawyers Certification Programme (JLP) by the Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) aims to help young lawyers stay ahead of the artificial intelligence (AI) curve, while also strengthening basic legal skills. Launched on May 21, the programme targets lawyers with five and fewer years of post-qualification experience. Yet, as SAL chief executive Yeong Zee Kin told The Business Times in an interview, the JLP focuses on skills and knowledge acquisition, while many young lawyers cite the demanding nature of legal practice as reason for leaving the industry. Said Yeong: 'The JLP can address one aspect, which is training, and hopefully also a nurturing environment in the office that supports training. 'But it won't address the workplace pressures, because clients are in competitive global markets and (local law firms) need to compete with foreign law firms for the same kind of work.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Some in this cohort have expressed disappointment via social media. Their beef is that the programme focuses on technical skills and not solutions to address such workplace pressures. Excessive workload, poor work-life balance, and negative work culture were reasons cited by young lawyers for leaving legal practice, according to a survey of post-call lawyers this year. It found that 60 per cent of respondents were likely to move out of legal practice within the next five years, to pursue an in-house career, academia or employment with other legal service providers. Slightly more than a third of the new lawyers said they are likely to leave the legal profession altogether. The reasons for such departures are cultural factors which training cannot address. Disruption To be sure, there is no denying that generative AI will disrupt the legal industry, and lawyers must prepare for that. As Yeong explained, the widespread accessibility of AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot means that clients can easily generate basic contracts and seek advice on legal strategies. A programme that informs lawyers of the developments and ethics of AI is thus necessary and important. Further, lawyers in smaller firms – which may have fewer resources for training – can also benefit from a structured programme that hones basic advocacy and drafting skills. One must also acknowledge that the legal industry is a challenging one. Singapore law firms face an increasingly competitive global market, and are up against international firms with significant resources. As a service industry, firms also face rising expectations from clients for better, faster and cheaper solutions. But training alone is not enough to incentivise young lawyers to stick it out in legal practice, if the more pressing push factors are not addressed. To meaningfully address attrition, the legal industry must make headway in addressing the cultural and environmental reasons pushing young lawyers away. In the long run, law firms will not be able to compete if they lack a healthy pool of new talent to refresh their ranks. It is thus in their interest to address these issues, as a dwindling workforce will hit them hardest. For instance, young lawyers have called for better protection against bullying and exploitation. Hence, it is a good start to see the SAL convening a legal profession symposium in July to discuss some of these issues. Spearheading change Still, to be fair to the SAL, as a promotion and development agency, it cannot prescribe how law firms develop and mentor their associates. It is for the senior lawyers to lead the change in the culture at their firms. As Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon said at the JLP opening conference, any solution to address the sustainability of legal practice is unlikely to be effective unless the mindsets of both young and older lawyers change. On one hand, young lawyers must appreciate that a legal career is demanding and requires long-term commitment. Meanwhile, senior lawyers 'have a duty and a responsibility to impart their knowledge and experience to their juniors'. 'Indeed, much of a young lawyer's development comes through mentors and seniors who maintain a personal interest in their welfare and who invest the time and the effort to guide and support them in their work,' he added. In this regard, in addition to catering programmes for young associates, there can be initiatives to engage older lawyers on these issues and on how to cultivate better workplace practices. After all, if the legal fraternity is serious about keeping young lawyers from leaving the profession, then it is key for the law firms and their leaders to lead the cultural change.
