Wei-Yi Ong
Department of Anatomy
National University of Singapore, Singapore
Dr. Wei-Yi Ong graduated with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 1985, served as a Dental Officer in the Singapore Armed Forces from 1985-1987, and obtained a PhD in Neuroscience from NUS in 1991. He did his postdoctoral training at the Laboratory of Neurobiology, National Institute for Medical Research, London, U.K. from 1990- 1992; and joined the Department of Anatomy, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, thereafter. His research interests include: neurochemical changes during excitotoxicity; role of lipids and free radicals in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases; orofacial pain; health effects of engineered nanomaterials; and applications of electron microscopy and ion beam techniques in medical science. He is currently Deputy Director of the Electron Microscopy Unit, and Chairman, Committee on Water and Nanotechnology at Spring Singapore. He has published more than 150 papers in International Journals and several book chapters.
My research has been focussed on neurochemical changes in the brain after excitotoxic brain injury. This is the pathological process by which nerve cells are damaged and killed by excessive stimulation by neurotransmitters such as glutamate, leading to death of the neuron. My research is focussed on unravelling the complex and changing neurochemical scenarios during the days and weeks after excitotoxicity, with the view of achieving a greater understanding of the evolving milleau in which surviving neurons find themselves, after the initial neuronal injury.
