FROM NATURAL MOLECULES TO SYNTHETIC MATERIALS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION, AND APPLICATIONS
PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
This programme demonstrates the link between molecules or materials (either natural or synthetic) and their functions, as well as their applications in our daily life.
At the end of the programme, participants should be able to understand, explain and/or evaluate
• the chemical structure of proteins and their function as enzymes;
• the different classes of anticancer drugs and their modes of action;
• the synthesis and applications of some useful fragrance and pharmaceutical molecules;
• the unique properties of nanomaterials and their applications;
• the performance of composite materials in medicine and biomedical applications.
PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

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Welcome message from Dean of NUS SCALE |
Tutorials conducted over Zoom |
PRE-REQUISITES
Participants should have basic knowledge in chemistry, physics, biology and/or material science/engineering.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Second or third-year undergraduate students with background in chemical, biological and materials.
MODE OF DELIVERY
20 hours of hybrid online programme, including asynchronous lessons, tutorials and a final project presentation.
MODE OF ASSESSMENT
- Assignments
- Group presentation
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Associate Professor Chng Shu Sin, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Chng Shu Sin received his PhD degree from Harvard University in 2010 and conducted post-doctoral research in Harvard Medical School before joining the University of Singapore (NUS) in 2011. His current research focuses on understanding how biological membranes are assembled in cells using bacterial outer membranes as models. He is the winner of the Walter Shaw Young Investigator Award for Lipid Research by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) in 2019. Since joining NUS, Associate Professor Chng has been teaching undergraduate modules on biomolecules and chemical biology and is the winner of the NUS Annual Teaching Excellence Award in AY2013/14, AY2014/15, AY2017/18 and the Honour Roll in 2020.
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Associate Professor Ang Wee Han, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Ang Wee Han received his PhD degree from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in 2007 and carried out post-doctoral research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the NUS Overseas Postdoctoral Fellowship during 2007–2009. His research interest is in the development of therapeutic metallopharmaceuticals and techniques to investigate the interactions of transition metal-based drugs with their biological targets. Since joining NUS in 2009, he has been teaching undergraduate and graduate modules on inorganic, organometallic and medicinal chemistry. He was the chair of the 9th Asian Biological Inorganic Chemistry (AsBIC-9) Conference in Singapore, 2018.
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Dr Hoang Truong Giang, Senior lecturer, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Senior Lecturer Dr Hoang Truong Giang received his PhD degree from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA in 2012 and has been teaching undergraduate modules on organic chemistry and experiments in NUS since then. His research interest is in the development of new organic synthesis methodologies via transition metal catalysed bond activation processes. He is keen on designing new organic and medicinal chemistry experiments to advance teaching in undergraduate laboratory, through the incorporation of guide-inquiry pedagogy and modern concept of green chemistry. Dr Hoang is the winner of the Faculty of Science Annual Teaching Excellence Award in AY2014/15
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Associate Professor Chin Wee Shong, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Chin Wee Shong received her PhD degree from NUS in 1993 and conducted post-doctoral research on the Commonwealth Fellowship at the University of Bristol. Her research interest focuses on the fabrication and applications of nanostructures and their hybrids. She has been teaching undergraduate modules on general and physical chemistry, spectroscopy and nanomaterials in NUS for more than 20 years and won the Faculty of Science Annual Teaching Excellence Award in AY 2006/07 and AY 2007/08. She also published widely in materials-focused journals and co-authored the book “Science and the Nanoscale – An Introductory Textbook” (ISBN:978-981-4241-03-8) in 2010.
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CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Successful participants who complete all requirements of the programme including passing the assessment will receive a certificate of completion issued by NUS SCALE.
A sample of the certificate of participation can be found here:

Participants from the project team with the highest score for the group project will also receive a commendation letter. A sample is shown below:

UPCOMING SESSIONS
Group Sign-up:
15 January to 27 February 2022
in collaboration with Looker Education Group
For programme enquiries, please fill the form here.