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Brain gain
Ms Luo hopes to start her own laboratory at A*Star in the future.
PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
WHILE studying at the University of Wisconsin in the United States, Ms Sarah Luo Xin Wei, 21, was taught by biology professors whom she calls "inspiring".
One of them taught her neurobiology. On the last day of their class, the professor revealed that he has a son suffering from schizophrenia.
"It left a lasting impression when I saw my neurobiology professor helpless in the face of the neurological disorder that completely took over his son's life," says Ms Luo.
The 21-year-old has always been interested in neural processes and the brain. She says: "The brain is an intuitively interesting organ and it is so complex. I always wondered how this complexity came about and what will happen when it fails?"
With interest in such a specialised subject, it was a natural choice for the Raffles Junior College alumnus to apply for a scholarship from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), the national agency spearheading science and technology development.
She was awarded the A*Star National Science Scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree, and did a double major in biology and genetics.
"I chose this scholarship because it was the only one that would encourage continued application of a subject I love," she says. "All that I have learnt will be ample background for a career in research."
The flexibility of the scholarship was another plus point, she adds. "A*Star did not dictate what I could study or try to make me fit a mould. I was free to choose a field I was interested in and refine it as I went along."
Ms Luo was chosen to attend a summer programme in Japan organised by Riken Brain Science Institute and, more recently, accompanied A*Star chairman Lim Chuan Poh to Japan for an international forum.
"All this created a unique learning experience I could never have gotten with another scholarship," she says.
She is now on a year-long attachment at the Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) as a research officer. It is meant to help scholars like her familiarise themselves with A*Star's research areas, gain experience that will help them with their doctorate studies, and decide which field to focus on.
She recently published a paper in the Neural Development online journal together with her supervisor, Dr Claire Canning.
Ms Luo wants to get a PhD from an overseas institution, then return to Singapore for post-doctoral work, and perhaps start her own laboratory at A*Star, so that she can "continue delving into the mysteries of the brain and nervous system".
Of her six-year bond, she says "it offers secure employment at A*Star, which is rapidly becoming attractive to researchers all over the world."
"Judging from my experience working here so far, the environment and facilities here are top-notch. Who wouldn't want to spend five years, or even more, here? It also makes sense to come back to Singapore and contribute what I have learnt overseas," she says.
She is on track in her pursuit of her "dream job" of becoming a researcher. She also hopes to become a professor and teach, and maybe even help to find a cure for diseases such as Parkinson's or schizophrenia.