Investigators


Melvin LEOW

 
melvin_leow@sics.a-star.edu.sg

Growth, Development and Metabolism Programme
Clinical Investigator

The clinical metabolic physiology group of SICS is devoted to translational and clinical research that helps in elucidating the pathophysiological basis of metabolic disorders in humans, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The major focus of our group is to understand the control over energy balance, neuroendocrine function and metabolism that is exerted through the critical centers of the brain and feedback loops involving the intricate network of the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, adipose tissue, liver and skeletal muscles. Given the diverse scientific and clinical expertise available within SICS, we collaborate extensively within the SICS framework with basic scientists as well as with clinical colleagues from the local teaching hospitals to achieve our objectives. The different research groups work closely together and use a variety of approaches to address this central theme, including studies of appropriate cell lines, animal models, in-vitro molecular assays investigating epigenetic regulation and human clinical studies. In this regard, we undertake clinical physiological studies which have the collective goal of understanding better the contribution of developmental factors to the emergent pattern of metabolic disease in the different ethnic populations in Singapore.
  1. Developmental Pathways to Metabolic Diseases: Metabolic Physiology, Epigenetics and Body Composition in Healthy Overweight and Obese Subjects with a Fixed Range of Body Mass Index in Singapore - To Investigate the Influence of Ethnicity
  2. Developmental pathways to Metabolic Diseases: To investigate the metabolic effects of birth weight on overweight and obese Chinese adults and their responses to weight loss over 16 weeks
  3. Influence of birth weight, genetic and epigenetic markers on site-specific adipose tissue gene expression profile among obese adults
  4. Phenotypic, Metabolic, Proteomic, Genetic, Epigenetic Assessment of Healthy Subjects and Subjects with Diabetes

Leow MK. The TSH-free thyroxine relationship: logarithmic-linear or error function? Eur J Endocrinol 2010; 163: 839-40.

Dalan R, Veerendra, Leow MK. Isolated Adrenal Mass in Cachectic Patients – Don’t Forget Malignant Pheochromocytoma. Ann Surg Oncol 2008; 15:655-6.

Leow MK, Chew DE, Zhu M, et al. Thyrotoxicosis and acute abdomen. Brief observations over the recent decade. QJM 2008; 101:943-7.

Leow MK, Loh KC, Kwek TK, Ng PY. Catecholamines and Metanephrines Excess in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Revisiting An Obscure Yet Common Pseudopheochromocytoma. J Clin Pathol 2007; 60: 583-4.

Leow MK. A Mathematical Model of Pituitary-Thyroid Interaction to Provide an Insight into the Nature of the Thyrotropin-Thyroid Hormone Relationship. J Theor Biol 2007; 248: 275-87.

Leow MK, Kwek DS, Ng AW, Ong KC, Kaw GJ, Lee LS. Hypocortisolism in survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2005 Aug; 63(2):197-202.

Leow MK, Wyckoff JA. Under-recognised paradox of neuropathy from rapid glycaemic control. Postgrad Med J. 2005 Feb; 81(952):103-7.

Leow MK, Wyckoff JA. Acute dysautonomia: a rare manifestation of diabetic autonomic neuropathy masquerading as pheochromocytoma. J Peripher Nerv Syst 2005; 10:382-383.

Leow MK, Addy CL, Mantzoros CS. Human immunodeficiency virus/highly active antiretroviral therapy-associated metabolic syndrome: clinical presentation, pathophysiology, and therapeutic strategies. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 May; 88(5):1961-76.

Leow MK, Loh KC, Kon WY, Wong DE, Tan BS, Soon PC. Clinical utility of selective intra-arterial calcium stimulated hepatic venous sampling in regionalization of insulinomas – the Singapore experience. Ann Acad Med Singapore 2003; 32: 86-91.

A/Prof. Lee Yung Seng

Clin A/Prof. Melvin Leow Khee Shing

Dr. Mary Chong

Ms. Verena Tan

Ms. Wu Ting

Ms. Hillary Chua