Our Education
For information on the undergraduate education, click here.
For information on the postgraduate training, click here.
Our Research
Awards and Significant Achievements
- Best Poster Award at the 20th ASEAN Congress of Anaesthesiologist
2017
Siem Reap Cambodia (Sokha Siem Reap Resort and Convention Center)
Factors Affecting 30-day and 1-year Mortality Risk after Major Non-Cardiac Surgery in a South-East Asian Population
Winner: Dr Lydia Liew, Associate Consultant
Co-authors: Lyn Li, Irene, Ambika, Shi Hui, Joanna, Charis, Annabelle and Prof Ti Lian Kah
- Grant Award “Pitch for Funds $10000 research grant”
2017
Pitch for Funds Round
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUHS Leadership in Academic Medicine (NLAM) Program
Winner: Dr Elizabeth Ng Shu Hui, Senior Resident
Participants: Foong Theng Wai and Elizabeth Ng Shu Hui
- Best Oral Presentation Award
2017
Anaesthesia ACP Academic Day 2017
Risk factors for Acute Kidney Injury in a Southeast Asian General Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Winner: Dr Joseph W. E Wong
Participants: Keith Yong Juin, Sherlyn Y. Y. Tham, Soh Chai Rick, Lian Kah Ti, Sophia T. H. Chew
For 2016 & 2015 Awards, click here.
Research Groups
- Pain Research (Basic Science) Group
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The Research Laboratory of the Department of Anaesthesia, National University of Singapore, is supervised by Professor Lee Tat Leang and Associate Professor Low Chian Ming, and headed by Associate Professor Ti Lian Kah.
The research emphasis of the laboratory is on translational clinical research which is geared towards patient care.
Major research themes of the laboratory are:
- Isolation of novel neuropeptides involved in chronic pain
- Identification of the mechanisms of neuropeptides for analgesic development
- Chronic pain and sensory research using animal models
- Biomarkers for chronic pain assessments
Several faculty members are active members of the Special Interest Group in Pain Research under NUSMed since 2008. Strong and active collaboration with A/P Sanjay Khanna from the Department of Physiology and clinicians have generated productive research outputs in terms of scientific publications, securing competitive national research grants, the generation of chronic pain animal models and the training of research students and staff.
Team Leader:Supervisors:Team Members:- Dr Li Chunmei (Laboratory Executive)
- Dr Tan Chee Kuan Francis (Research Fellow)
- Ms Liu Weiling (Research Assistant / M.Sc Candidate)







The Cardiac Anaesthesia Research Group actively publishes on outcomes after cardiac surgery, particularly in the fields of acute kidney injury and atrial fibrillation. The Group, headed by A/Prof Ti Lian Kah and Dr Sophia Chew, together with team members Dr Roderica Ng, Dr Risha Ayuningtyas and Ms Liu Weiling, strives to investigate important adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery, particularly as it relates to the different ethnic groups in our South-East Asian population. An important goal of the Group is to focus on identifying unique risk factors, particularly modifiable ones, leading to improved outcomes after cardiac surgery for our patients.
The Group has the advantage of being able to combine outcome data from two of the national heart centres in Singapore – National University Heart Centre, Singapore and National Heart Centre Singapore – which accounts for the vast majority of heart surgeries performed in our country. We actively collaborate with our health care partners, particularly in the area of cardiothoracic surgery and perfusion, and welcome new partners and collaborators.
Team Leader:
Team Members:
- Ms Liu Weiling (Research Assistant / M.Sc Candidate)
- Dr Sophia Tsong Huey Chew
- Dr Roderica Ng
The Department teaches Anaesthesia to all undergraduate students of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, during a dedicated two-week posting in the fourth year of their 5-year medical school. The Department also teaches Anaesthesia to our residents as well as rotating residents from other disciplines and restructured hospitals. The Education Research Group publishes research on new pedagogical methods, particularly in the learning of essential skills such as endotracheal intubation, and in simulation, such as the Cardiac Anaesthesia Simulation Training. These research projects, funded by grants obtained from the University, have been implemented into the teaching curriculum.
Currently, the Group is working on a variety of projects, including simulation, learning of skills, patient safety, peer teaching, learning through gaming, and provision of feedback. An important goal of the Group is to translate what works in our research to the teaching of our students and residents.
Team Leader:
Team Members:
- Quality Improvement & Patient Safety (QuIPS) Group
The QuIPS workgroup was set up in 2011 under the leadership of Associate Professor Eugene Liu. The workgroup aims to execute the patient safety plans of the department through a systematic approach. This includes providing leadership, setting up and executing policies, ensuring information flow, identifying and correcting problems, promoting organisational and individual learning and setting standards for structure, process and outcomes. One key component of the workgroup involves the continual audit of key performance indicators for patient safety and outcomes through the collection of data and analysing these data on a quarterly basis. Areas of deficiencies are identified and interventions are implemented to improve patient safety and quality of care. Examples of recent projects include patient handovers in Post Anaesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and nurse controlled analgesia to improve patient’s pain management in the PACU.
Clinical Lead, QI and Patient Safety:
Hospital Patient Safety Officer:
Department Patient Safety Officer:
Team Advisors:
Team Members:
Research Students (Current and Past Mentees)
Research Fellows:
Medical Students and Residents:
Publication Lists
2019 Journal Publications
- Low S, Vathsala A, Murali TM, Pang L, MacLaren G, Ng WY, Haroon S, Mukhopadhyay A, Lim SL, Tan BH, Lau T, Chua HR. Electronic health records accurately predict renal replacement therapy in acute kidney injury. BMC Nephrol 20, 32 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12882-019-1206-4
- Alaa M,
Tsopanomichalou Gklotsou M, Vu TD, Ti LK, Lee CN, Kofidis T. Comprehensive and
integrative experimentation setup for large animal hybrid valvular heart
surgery. J Surg Res. 2019 Feb;234:249-261. doi: 10.1016/j.jss.2018.09.019.
- Yik JH, Tham WYW, Tay
KH, Shen L, Krishna L. Perioperative pregabalin does not reduce opioid
requirements in total knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc.
2019 Feb 9. doi: 10.1007/s00167-019-05385-7. [Epub ahead of print]
- Yap PAA, Lopez-Olivo
MA, Dubowitz J, Hiller J, Riedel B; Global Onco-Anesthesia Research
Collaboration Group. Anesthetic technique and cancer outcomes: a meta-analysis
of total intravenous versus volatile anesthesia. Can J Anesth 2019;
66(5):546-561 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12630-019-01330-x
- Saw KME, Ng RGR, Chan
SP, Ang YH, Ti LK, Chew STH. Association of genetic polymorphisms with acute
kidney injury after cardiac surgery in a Southeast Asian population. PLoS ONE
14(4): e0213997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213997
- Chew STH, Ti LK. Research
in Anaesthesia - The PEGASUS Journey. TAPS 2019, 4(2).
- Chan HM, Loh NHW, Yeo TT, Teo K. Awake
Craniotomy and Excision of a Diffuse Low-Grade Glioma in a Multilingual
Patient: Neuropsychology and Language. World Neurosurg. 2019
Aug;128:91-97. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.04.181.
- Moorthy V, Sim MA, Liu W, Chew STH, Ti LK. Risk
factors and impact of post-operative hyperglycemia in non-diabetic patients
after cardiac surgery: a prospective study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019
Jun;98(23):e15911. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000015911.
- Liaw SY, Tee A,
Carpio GAC, Ang SBL, Chua WL. Review of systems for recognising and responding
to clinical deterioration in Singapore hospitals: A nationwide cross-sectional
study. Singapore Med J. 2019 Jun 14. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2019050.
- Moorthy V, Liu W,
Chan SP, Chew STH, Ti LK. Elucidation of the novel role of ethnicity and
diabetes in poorer outcomes after cardiac surgery in a multiethnic southeast
asian cohort. J Diabetes. 2019 Jun 18. doi: 10.1111/1753-0407.12961. [Epub
ahead of print]
- Tan YW, Lean LL,
Paramasivan A. Cerebral oxygenation in hemodialysed patients. J
Anesth. 2019 Jul 23. doi: 10.1007/s00540-019-02664-y. [Epub ahead of
print]
- Tan YHA, Chakraborty N.
Chapter 24: Intravenous Fluids (pp243-250). Textbook of Ventilation, Fluids,
Electrolytes and Blood Gases. First Edition, 2020. Jaypee Brothers Medical
Publishers (P) Ltd., New Delhi. ISBN: 9789389188059
- Saito T, Asai T,
Taguchi A, Chew STH, Liu W, Thinn KK, Ti LK. Correlation between failed facemask
ventilation, failed ventilation through a supraglottic airway and difficult
tracheal intubation in unexpected difficult airways: An observational study. J
Clin Anesth. 2019 Aug 20;60:34-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2019.08.024. [Epub
ahead of print]
- Ng ESH, Loh NHW. Chapter
49, Neurointensive Care. Immunonutrition. Oxford University Press 2019.
ISBN-13: 978-0199481439
- Sim MA, Lee SH, Phan
P H, Lateef A. Quality improvement at an acute medical unit in an Asian
Academic Center: A mixed methods study of nursing work dynamics. Nurs Outlook.
pii: S0029-6554(18)30761-9. doi: 10.1016/j.outlook.2019.09.002. [Epub ahead of
print]
- Moorthy V, Liu W, Chew STH,
Ti LK. Impact of diabetes on outcomes of cardiac surgery in a multiethnic
Southeast Asian population. Diab Vasc Dis Res, 2019 Nov;16(6):549-555
- Chew SH, Lim JZM, Chin ZBB,
Chan JX, Siew RCH. Intubation with channeled versus non-channeled video
laryngoscopes in simulated difficult airway by junior doctors in an
out-of-hospital setting: A crossover manikin study. PLoS One. 2019 Oct
22;14(10):e0224017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224017. eCollection 2019.
- Goh EZ, Loh NHW, Loh JSP. Submental
intubation in oral and maxillofacial surgery: a systematic review 1986–2018. Br
J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2020 Jan;58(1):43-50. doi: 10.1016/j.bjoms.2019.10.314.
Epub 2019 Nov 11.
- Sazzad MF, Ghafoor N, Roy
S, Munshi S, Khanam F, Chanda P, Wadud A, Islam S, Ahmed F, Siraj M, Ti LK,
Kofidis T. Use of Suture tightening automated device COR-KNOT® for minimally
invasive heart valve surgery: Our initial experience in Bangladesh. Bangladesh
Heart Journal, 34(2), 127-131. https://doi.org/10.3329/bhj.v34i2.44444
- Thampi S, Lee CCM, Agrawal
RV, Balakrishnan A, Ti LK, Paranjothy S, Ponnamperuma GG. Ideal Sequence of
Didactic Lectures and Simulation in Teaching Transesophageal Echocardiography
among Anesthesiologists. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2019 Dec 16. pii:
S1053-0770(19)31265-0. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2019.12.011. [Epub ahead of print]
- Paramasivan A, Khoo XLD. Standardized
Patients Versus Peer Role Play-Exploring the Experience, Efficacy, and
Cost-Effectiveness in Residency Training Module for Breaking Bad News. J Surg
Educ. 2020 Mar - Apr;77(2):479-484. doi: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2019.10.009. Epub 2019
Dec 27.
2018 Journal Publications
- Shehabi, Yahya; Bellomo, Rinaldo; Kadiman, Suhaini; Ti, Lian Kah; Howe, Belinda; Reade, Michael C.; Khoo, Tien Meng; Alias, Anita; Wong, Yu-Lin; Mukhopadhyay, Amartya; McArthur, Colin; Seppelt, Ian; Webb, Steven A.; Green, Maja; Bailey, Michael J.; for the Sedation Practice in Intensive Care Evaluation (SPICE) Study Investigators and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group. Sedation Intensity in the First 48 Hours of Mechanical Ventilation and 180-Day Mortality: A Multinational Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. Critical Care Medicine. 2018, Mar 1 – Volume Online First Issue (Published Ahead of Print Articles)
- Ariffin MZ, Ibrahim KM, Lee ATH, Lee RZ, Poon SY, Thong HK, Liu EHC, Low CM, Khanna S. Forebrain Medial Septum Sustains Experimental Neuropathic Pain. (2018) Scientific Reports, 8(1), pp.
- Ke YH, Wong WJ, Ayuningtyas R, Chew STH, Ti LK. Postoperative Residual Neuromuscular Blockade (rNMB) Following Low-Dose (<2xED95) Atracurium in Patients Receiving Laryngeal Mask Airway – An Audit Study. Med Saf Glob Health 2018, 7:1. DOI: 10.4172/2574-0407.1000142
- Vu TD, Nguyen DV, Oo MZ, Alaa M, Ocampo EM, Cheyyatraivendran-Arularasu S, Wai Win P, Ja’afar N, Si-Guim G, Ong P, Ti LK, Richards AM, Kofidis T. On-pump transapical cardioscopic mitral valve replacement with cardiac arrest: short-term results in a porcine survival model. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2018 Sep 1;27(3):437-445. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivy076.
- Wong DT, Metha A, Singh KP, Leong SM, Ooi A, Niazi A, You-Ten E, Okrainec A, Patel R, Singh M, Wong J. The effect of virtual reality bronchoscopy simulator training on performance of bronchoscopic-guided intubation in patients: A randomised controlled trial. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2018 Sep 17. doi: 10.1097/EJA.0000000000000890. [Epub ahead of print]
- Tan Y, Loganathan N, Thinn KK, Liu EHC, Loh NW. Dental injury in anaesthesia: a tertiary hospital's experience. BMC Anesthesiol. 2018 Aug 16;18(1):108. doi: 10.1186/s12871-018-0569-6.
- Phoon PHY, MacLaren G, Ti LK, Tan JSK, Hwang NC. History and Current Status of Cardiac Anesthesia in Singapore. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2018 Jul 20. pii: S1053-0770(18)30519-6. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2018.07.018. [Epub ahead of print]
- Shehabi Y, Bellomo R, Kadiman S, Ti LK, Howe B, Reade MC, Khoo TM, Alias A, Wong YL, Mukhopadhyay A, McArthur C, Seppelt I, Webb SA, Green M, Bailey MJ, Sedation Practice in Intensive Care Evaluation (SPICE) Study Investigators and the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society Clinical Trials Group. Sedation Intensity in the First 48 Hours of Mechanical Ventilation and 180-Day Mortality: A Multinational Prospective Longitudinal Cohort Study. Crit Care Med. 2018 Jun;46(6):850-859. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000003071.
- Sim MA, Liu W, Chew STH, Ti LK. Wider perioperative glycemic fluctuations increase risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation and ICU length of stay. PLoS One. 2018 Jun 8;13(6):e0198533. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198533. eCollection 2018.
- Foong TW, Tan YKG. Over-delivery of desflurane via Aisys Carestation Aladin2 Cassette™ vaporiser. British Journal of Anaesthesia, Volume 120 , Issue 6 , 1434 – 1435 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2018.03.001
- Chew SH, Ibrahim I, Yong YZ, Shi LM, Zheng QS, Samarasekera DD, Ooi SB. Factors influencing the decision to pursue emergency medicine as a career among medical students in Singapore. Singapore Med J. 2018 Mar;59(3):126-132. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2018027.
- Wang Z, Loh KY, Liew QE, Siew CH, Tan GL. An uncommon association with sub-arachnoid hemorrhage in a young man. Urol Case Rep. 2018 Mar; 17: 34–35. doi: 10.1016/j.eucr.2017.12.010
- Moorthy V, Sim MA, Liu W, Ti LK, Chew STH. Association Between Ethnicity and Postoperative Hyperglycemia in a Southeast Asian Population Undergoing Cardiac Surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2018 Mar 7. pii: S1053-0770(18)30198-8. doi: 10.1053/j.jvca.2018.03.010. [Epub ahead of print]
- Leong SM, Tiwari A, Chung F, Wong DT. Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor associated with difficult airway management - A narrative review. J Clin Anesth. 2018 Mar;45:63-68. doi: 10.1016/j.jclinane.2017.12.024. Epub 2018 Jan 4.
- Lean LL, Hong RYS, Ti LK. How the personalities of medical students at the National University of Singapore differ from the local non-medical undergraduate population: a cross-sectional study. Singapore Med J. 2018 Feb 12. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2018018. [Epub ahead of print]
- Lee YL, Ganesh K, Ti LK, Ng SY. A prospective, observational, longitudinal cohort study of sedation practices in SGH intensive care units. (2018) Proceedings of Singapore Healthcare, 27 (2), pp. 103-109.
- Vu TD, Oo MZ, Nguyen DV, Ocampo EM, Ong Y, Cheyyatraivendran-Arularasu S, Ti LK, Richards MA, Kofidis T. Transapical cardioscopic mitral annuloplasty: a short-term survival study in a porcine model. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2018 Jan 1;26(1):131-138. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivx282.
2017 Journal Publications
- Lean LL, Hong RY, Ti LK. End-task versus in-task feedback to increase procedural learning retention during spinal anaesthesia training of novices. Adv Health Sci Educ Theory Pract. 2017 Aug;22(3):713-721.
- Rex Joseph Morais. Echocardiography for Intraoperative Decision Making in Mitral Valve Surgery – A Pilot Simulation Based Training Module. Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. Accepted and pending for publication in 2017. Epub 2017 Jun.
- Siddiqui S, Puthucheary Z, Phua J, Ho B, Tan J, Chuin S, Lim NL, Soh CR, Loo CM, Tan AYH, Mukhopadhyay A, Khan FA, Johan A, Tan AH, MacLaren G, Taculod J, Ramos B, Han TA, Cove ME. National survey of outcomes and practices in acute respiratory distress syndrome in Singapore. PLoS One. 2017 Jun 16;12(6):e0179343. eCollection 2017.
- Gosavi A, Vijayakumar PD, Ng BS, Loh MH, Tan LG, Johana N, Tan YW, Sandikin D, Su LL, Wataganara T, Biswas A, Choolani MA, Mattar CN. Rapid initiation of fetal therapy services with a system of learner-centred training under proctorship: the National University Hospital (Singapore) experience. Singapore Med J. 2017 Jun;58(6):311-320.
- Alfred Kow, Choon Seng CHONG; Sophia ANG; Wee Boon TAN; Raj Kumar MENON. PAtient Safety in Surgical EDucation (PASSED): A Pilot Study Using iPad Game to Teach Patient Safety in Undergraduate Medical Curriculum. Annals, Academy of Medicine, Singapore. 2017 May;46(5): 202-206.
- Zhang W, Chew ST, Liu W, Shen L, Ti LK. Anesth Analg. In Response. 2017 Mar;124(3):1012-1013.
- Eric Shih Hsiung Lee, Danny Tse Jiann Lim, Juvel Mabao Taculod, Juliet Tolentino Sahagun, Joerie Pasive Otero, Kaimin Teo, Will Ne Hooi Loh, Addy Yong Hui Tan. Factors Associated with Reintubation in an Intensive Care Unit: A Prospective Observational Study. Indian J Crit Care Med. 2017 Mar;21(3):131-137.
- Chew ST, Ng RR, Liu W, Chow KY, Ti LK. Acute kidney injury increases the risk of end-stage renal disease after cardiac surgery in an Asian population: a prospective cohort study. BMC Nephrol. 2017 Feb 13;18(1):60.
- V Ng, A Paramasivan, WS Loh, W Loh, D Khoo, TL Lee. Multiple episodes of airway management in a child with Klippel-Feil syndrome. Anaesthesia Cases. 2017 Feb 27; 2017-0042: ISSN 2396-8397
- For more information about Publications, click here.
Research Facilities
The Anaesthesia Research Laboratory is situated in MD4 (Level 2), in the National University of Singapore. The laboratory consists of an open laboratory for general molecular biology, as well as specialised rooms with HPLC facilities and cell culture.
Open laboratory for molecular biology research
High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) facilities
Cell culture facilities