Ageing is the major driver of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). It provides the timeframe for molecular changes to the brains as well as pathological accumulation of amyloid plaques and Tau neurofibrillary tangles. While recent advances have made it possible to remove these toxicities, AD remains incurable, partly due to late detection where irreversible brain damages occurred. As such, early detection by non-invasive methods remain the best solution to tackle AD.

Chin-Tong’s lab aims to identify novel gene expression patterns that are associated with ageing and AD, by mining big data collected from different cohorts of healthy individuals and AD patients. The importance of these findings are then tested using fruit fly model and human neurons, followed by validating with human clinical samples. These knowledges will be translated into biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of AD, as well as intervention targets to extend health span.

Recent studies focused on understanding the changes occurring in ageing as well as early preclinical phase of AD also allow the development of early biomarkers, which may predict the onset of AD accurately and facilitate early treatment.

With interest in understanding the epigenetic regulation of the aging process and how these mechanisms may contribute to the transition between healthy and pathological states of neurons during AD progression, Drosophila and mammalian stem cells are used as model systems of study to focus on key epigenetic mechanisms like histone modifications, DNA methylation and genome architecture.

Looking ahead, Chin Tong hopes to uncover novel gene products associated with ageing and AD progression, which could then be exploited as biomarkers or intervention targets that promote healthy ageing. After identifying candidates linked to AD progression, the lab is gearing up for collaborations with clinicians to distinguish biomarkers between healthy, asymptomatic individuals and AD patients.