RCE in Mechanobiology management

Prof. Michael Sheetz

Director of the Mechanobiology RCE and Professor of the Department of Biological Sciences at Columbia University

Prof. Michael Sheetz has more than 30 years' experience in the biomedical field. Introduced to Singapore by Prof. Hew Choy Leong of the NUS Department of Biological Sciences, Prof Sheetz was sought to lead an RCE project. This resulted in a two-year effort to organize and submit a proposal on Mechanobiology where Prof Sheetz set the theme and direction of the RCE. As Executive Director of the Mechanobiology RCE, he will be spending nine months a year in Singapore to oversee the Centre's programmes. More about Prof. Sheetz.

Prof. Paul Matsudaira

Co-Director of the Mechanobiology RCE and Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS

Formerly a biology and bioengineering professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Prof. Paul Matsudaira achieved significant discoveries on podosomes and polymer-based molecular motors for cell movement during his 24 years there. Appointed the Co-Director of the Mechanobiology RCE last June, Prof. Matsudaira presently heads the NUS Department of Biological Sciences. More about Prof. Matsudaira.

Prof. Hew Choy Leong

Deputy Director of the Mechanobiology RCE and Emeritus Professor of the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS

After faculty positions at University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children, Professor Hew returned to Singapore in 1999 as Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS, guiding the Department from a predominantly teaching faculty to a research-intensive department, and in the process, making it a leader in Life Sciences research today. Engaging the department in an ambitious joint PhD programme with MIT under the Singapore-MIT Alliance programme, Prof. Hew lobbied successfully for the setting up of the Research Centre of Excellence in Mechanobiology, the newest RCE in Singapore. More about Prof. Hew.