On March 18, an academic event organized by the School of Public Health was held at the Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST). Professor Koh Woon Puay from the Clinician Scientist Development Unit, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, and Dr. Rajkumar Dorajoo, Senior Scientist at the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), addressed the participants on the topics of “Multi-dimensional Research in Ageing – Findings from the Singapore Chinese Health Study” and “Genetic associations with ageing biomarkers and health outcomes”, respectively. The lecture was chaired by Professor Pan An, Dean of the School of Public Health, with over a hundred participants joining online or offline.

Professor Pan An warmly welcomed Professor Koh Woon Puay and Dr. Rajkumar Dorajoo, expressing gratitude for their visit. Professor Pan reviewed his fruitful collaborative research in Singapore with Professor Koh, particularly in longitudinal cohort studies, and emphasized their continued close communication and cooperation since Pan's return to China.

Professor Koh Woon Puay first briefed the population ageing issue in Singapore and introduced the concept of healthy ageing. She then discussed research from the Singapore Chinese Health Study on the impact of lifestyle changes on healthy ageing among Asian adults. The findings suggest that adherence to healthy lifestyles and improving lifestyle behaviors contribute to healthy ageing, crucial for reducing disease burden and maintaining the quality of life in ageing. Professor Koh also shed light on another study conducted in the Singapore Chinese Health Study among senior citizens over 85 years old. By describing both objective and subjective markers of successful ageing, the research reveals that emotions and mental health can influence the mortality risk in senior citizens, emphasizing the importance of a positive psychological state in offsetting adverse effects on health associated with ageing.

During the discussion session, the participants engaged in in-depth discussions with Professor Koh on various topics, including the definition of indicators related to successful ageing and whether there are gene-environment interactions. Professor Koh provided detailed responses to each topic.

Dr. Rajkumar Dorajoo presented on genetic variations associated with ageing biomarkers and health. Utilizing data from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, his research pinpointed genetic loci associated with healthy ageing, which are closely correlated with health outcomes such as grip strength. Furthermore, constructing polygenic risk scores using genetic variation loci identified in previous studies to further assess associations with health outcomes and to infer potential causal relationships between early life exposure and later life health. The report provided new insights into performing genetic analyses through two different research methods.

During the discussion session, Professor Liu Gang and Professor Guo Huan engaged in in-depth exchange of ideas with Dr. Rajkumar Dorajoo.

Written by: Zhou Enlin

Edited by: Zhang Shiyu, Ye Yixiang, Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng