Ong Wei Yi
Professor, Department of Anatomy
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Tel: 6516 3662
Email: wei_yi_ong@nuhs.edu.sg

What are your present research interests or distinctive viewpoint to your research?

My research interest is an integrated anatomical-neurochemical approach to study the brain. I take the view that it is important to understanding the neurochemistry of the brain in the context of anatomical structures for the following reasons:

a) The brain is very complex anatomically, with point-to-point connections at the microscopic level, an area suited to my initial Ph.D. training in neuroanatomy and electron microscopy. For example, the lateral hypothalamus is involved in the feeling of hunger, whereas the closely related ventromedial hypothalamus mediates satiety. Likewise, the substantia nigra pars compacta contains mainly dopaminergic neurons, whereas its neighbor, the substantia nigra pars reticulata contains GABAergic neurons.

b) Neurochemically, the brain is very rich in lipids – it is whitish in colour due to its high lipid content. Changes in lipids on the cell membrane would affect the function of ion channels and transporters that are embedded in the cell membrane and neuronal signaling.

Moreover, many lipids and their metabolites are powerful signaling molecules with their own receptors, but anatomical localization of the vast majority of lipid metabolizing enzymes and receptors in the brain is unknown.

c) Many of the risk genes related to Alzheimer’s disease such as apoE are related to lipid metabolism, and more lipid-related genes have recently been discovered which are related to sporadic Alzheimer’s disease.

d) Very little is known about the distribution and function of brain lipids and their metabolizing enzymes and proteins from the time I started this line of investigation, but is attracting increasing attention internationally.

What do you see as your future research directions?

To advance the field of brain lipids for improving healthcare and patient outcome.

Does your laboratory have a particularly strong research expertise?

Our laboratory is particularly strong in immunoelectron microscopy.

Recent Publications

1. Chandrakanthan M, Nguyen TQ, Hasan Z, Muralidharan S, Vu TM, Li AWL, Le UTN, Thi Thuy Ha H, Baik SH, Tan SH, Foo JC, Wenk MR, Cazenave-Gassiot A, Torta F, Ong WY, Chan MYY, Nguyen LN. Deletion of Mfsd2b impairs thrombotic functions of platelets. Nat Commun. 2021 Apr 16;12(1):2286.
2. Xiang P, Chew WS, Seow WL, Lam BWS, Ong WY, Herr DR. The S1P2 receptor regulates blood-brain barrier integrity and leukocyte extravasation with implications for neurodegenerative disease. Neurochem Int. 2021 Mar 13;146:105018.
3. Gunaseelan S, Wang Z, Tong VKJ, Ming SWS, Razar RBBA, Srimasorn S, Ong WY, Lim KL, Chua JJE. Loss of FEZ1, a gene deleted in Jacobsen syndrome, causes locomotion defects and early mortality by impairing motor neuron development. Hum Mol Genet. 2021 Mar 25;30(1):5-20.
4. Lam BWS, Yam TYA, Chen CP, Lai MKP, Ong WY, Herr DR. The noncanonical
chronicles: Emerging roles of sphingolipid structural variants. Cell Signal. 2021 Mar;79:109890.
5. Chua XY, Ho LTY, Xiang P, Chew WS, Lam BWS, Chen CP, Ong WY, Lai MKP, Herr DR. Preclinical and Clinical Evidence for the Involvement of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Signaling in the Pathophysiology of Vascular Cognitive Impairment. Neuromolecular Med. 2021 Mar;23(1):47-67.
6. Kuo X, Herr DR, Ong WY. Anti-inflammatory and Cytoprotective Effect of
Clinacanthus nutans Leaf But Not Stem Extracts on 7-Ketocholesterol Induced Brain Endothelial Cell Injury. Neuromolecular Med. 2021 Mar;23(1):176-183.
7. Koh SS, Ooi SC, Lui NM, Qiong C, Ho LT, Cheah IK, Halliwell B, Herr DR, Ong WY. Effect of Ergothioneine on 7-Ketocholesterol-Induced Endothelial Injury. Neuromolecular Med. 2021 Mar;23(1):184-198.
8. Kao MH, Wu JS, Cheung WM, Chen JJ, Sun GY, Ong WY, Herr DR, Lin TN.
Clinacanthus nutans Mitigates Neuronal Death and Reduces Ischemic Brain Injury: Role of NF-kB-driven IL-1? Transcription. Neuromolecular Med. 2021 Mar;23(1):199-210.
9. Ong WY, Go ML, Wang DY, Cheah IK, Halliwell B. Effects of Antimalarial Drugs on Neuroinflammation-Potential Use for Treatment of COVID-19-Related Neurologic Complications. Mol Neurobiol. 2021 Jan;58(1):106-117.
10. Teh DBL, Bansal A, Chai C, Toh TB, Tucker RAJ, Gammad GGL, Yeo Y, Lei Z, Zheng X, Yang F, Ho JS, Bolem N, Wu BC, Gnanasammandhan MK, Hooi L, Dawe GS, Libedinsky C, Ong WY, Halliwell B, Chow EK, Lim KL, Zhang Y, Kennedy BK. A Flexi-PEGDA Upconversion Implant for Wireless Brain Photodynamic Therapy. Adv Mater. 2020 Jul;32(29):e2001459.
11. Herr DR, Yam TYA, Tan WSD, Koh SS, Wong WSF, Ong WY, Chayaburakul K. Ultrastructural Characteristics of DHA-Induced Pyroptosis. Neuromolecular Med. 2020 Jun;22(2):293-303.
12. Wang W, Xiang P, Chew WS, Torta F, Bandla A, Lopez V, Seow WL, Lam BWS, Chang JK, Wong P, Chayaburakul K, Ong WY, Wenk MR, Sundar R, Herr DR. Activation of sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 2 attenuates chemotherapy-induced neuropathy. J Biol Chem. 2020 Jan 24;295(4):1143-1152.
13. Herr DR, Chew WS, Satish RL, Ong WY. Pleotropic Roles of Autotaxin in the Nervous System Present Opportunities for the Development of Novel Therapeutics for Neurological Diseases. Mol Neurobiol. 2020 Jan;57(1):372-392.