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Inspired by her father and her own curiosity, Dr Su Xinyi decided to take up science and make new discoveries
 WHEN she was a young girl, Dr Su Xinyi’s father once brought home a pig’s heart for her to dissect. On another occasion, the businessman spent time with her little daughter who was learning why morning glory flowers bloom only in the morning. He also started a hydroponics project and bought her books on gene therapy. “My father played a big role in sparking my interest in research,” says Dr Su, 30, who is now undergoing her residency programme in ophthalmology at the National University Hospital. “He often challenged me with questions and encouraged me to go into medical research.” Once the scholarship opportunity arose, the Gifted Education programme student from Raffles Girls’ Secondary and Raffles Junior College, who had aspired to be a doctor since she was a little girl, signed on to do a PhD in molecular biology at Cambridge University. “That was probably a turning point for me,” says Dr Su, on the National Science Scholarship (MBBS/ PhD) from A*STAR which she had been awarded for the research she did while in junior college.
Her research centred on developing a molecular tool-kit to help counsel parents on whether their unborn child could potentially develop eye cancer or retinoblastoma. “I was 17 and had not taken my A levels, but I signed on the dotted line because I enjoyed my research experience!” she says. “I also knew that while I wanted to go into medicine, I would be limited by treatment options if I stayed a doctor. Therefore I decided to go into science to make new discoveries.”
She spent nine years in Britain on the scholarship, which paid for her school fees, books, yearly returns to Singapore, and a monthly salary. Today, the clinician-scientist sees patients and is learning how to perform eye operations at the NUH, while spending half a day each week in her role as Adjunct Clinical Research Fellow Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri), where she conducts research on developing new treatments for retinal diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. “It’s really rewarding when you make a discovery,” says Dr Su, who describes herself as one who “works really hard, asks a lot of questions and doesn’t give up”. She recalls that during her second PhD year when, after a year of failure in trying to establish a novel molecular technique to remove protein from cancer cells, all the elements suddenly fell in place. “I was so excited I jumped for joy and ran to my supervisor’s door to show him the results,” she says. Her findings deepen the scientific understanding of how proteins, usually involved in safe-guarding the integrity of DNA, can go awry in cancer and potentially contribute to developing ways for chemotherapy to complement radiotherapy regimes.
As much as she loves her job, and despite her own stellar academic record, she refutes the notion that only the very smart can get a PhD degree. “It’s not about being clever. A PhD is driven by passion and interest. Most people can get a PhD if they put their minds to it,” she says. Her father, for instance, obtained a PhD in Economics late in life when he was in his 50s. And in a family where knowledge is clearly prized, her brother also has a PhD in Chemical Engineering. Dr Su makes it clear, however, that the PhD degree is not the end-all for things. “A PhD is not a goal. It’s just the beginning of a scientific career.” Dr Su, who is busy helping to set up Seri’s first retinal biology lab with other researchers, is raring to go.
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