National University of Singapore

Research News Aug 11, 2026

NUS CDE researchers achieve breakthrough in engineering colour-sensing yeast

Associate Professor Poh Chueh Loo (right) and Linus Tan Yu Han (left) engineered baker’s yeast to sense and respond to different colours of light, enabling new ways to control cellular behaviour with red and blue light. Baker’s yeast is one of biotechnology’s most important microorganisms. It has long been used to leaven bread and ferment beer. More recently, advances in synthetic biology have ena

Environment & Climate Aug 11, 2026

NUS CDE researchers decode the ‘DNA’ of Singapore’s shophouses with AI

Prof Heng Chye Kiang (7th from the right), Dr Xue Xuan, first author of the paper (8th from right), and Prof TC Chang, fourth author of the paper (9th from right) at a presentation of their research. Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) College of Design and Engineering (CDE), led by Professor Heng Chye Kiang ( Department of Architecture ), have developed a computational fra

Policy & Funding Aug 04, 2026

NUS CDE researchers develop self-repairing, recyclable substrate for durable soft sensors

Asst Prof Zhai Wei, Research Fellow Dr Dang Chao, PhD candidates Qi Haobo and Jin Yidan (from left to right) test the performance of soft skin sensors based on the reported substrate. Soft sensors convert movement, temperature and moisture into electrical signals. Repeated bending and friction can cause their metal conductors to peel from the underlying polymer, while physical damage, such as cuts

Research News Jul 28, 2026

NUS CDE researchers merge multiple physiological signals into a single patch for simpler health monitoring

NUS CDE researchers, Asst Prof Liu Yuxin (right) and Dr Wu Xiaodong developed an epidermal sensor that can monitor electrocardiography, electromyography, radial pulse, and force myography from a single output channel. Wearable health monitors have grown increasingly capable, but most are still limited by the fact that tracking different types of body signals still requires separate sensors, each w

Research News Jul 23, 2026

NUS CDE researchers develop compact, power-saving switches for 5G and future 6G chips

Assoc Prof Mario Lanza (left) and Dr Sebastian Pazos (right), whose team integrated 2D materials on gallium nitride microchips to develop high-frequency switches for 5G and 6G telecommunication. Our mobile phones today handle far more wireless signals and services than earlier generations. The same is true of the sophisticated equipment behind mobile networks, such as base stations, and emerging t

Research News Jul 17, 2026

NUS CDE researchers develop electronic skin that senses and self-heals under water

Asst Prof Tan Yu Jun (left), PhD student Mr Zhou Jinrun (right), and their team developed a self-healing electronic skin that can detect touch and damage, repair itself even under water, and enable more durable underwater devices. Underwater environments are among the harshest operating conditions for electronic devices. Divers and underwater robots depend on sensors to navigate, communicate and h

Research News Jul 17, 2026

SHINE at CDE and STATS ChipPAC sign Research Collaboration Agreement on photonic packaging technologies

The agreement was signed by SHINE Director Prof Aaron Voon-Yew Thean Deputy President (Academic Affairs) and Provost (left), and STATS ChipPAC CEO Li Zheng (right). On 6 July 2026, Singapore Hybrid-Integrated Next-Generation µ-Electronics Centre (SHINE) at CDE has signed a Research Collaboration Agreement with STATS ChipPAC to advance photonic packaging technologies that could power the next gener

Environment & Climate Jul 17, 2026

CDE Innovation and Research Award and NUS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize Winners

Congratulations to our students who received the CDE Innovation and Research Award and the NUS Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize for AY2025/2026! Each year, CDE recognises the College’s strongest student research projects through the CDE Innovation and Research Award (IRA). From these outstanding projects, the top ten IRA recipients are nominated for the university-level Outstanding Under

Technology & Innovation Jul 14, 2026

NUS CDE researchers reveal key design rule for atom-thin electronics

Assoc Prof Mario Lanza (right) with first author of the research, Dr Yue Yuan (left). The researchers’ findings could help guide the development of future electronic components that are smaller, thinner and more energy-efficient. Researchers at CDE have identified a key design principle for building reliable electronics from materials only one atomic layer thick, giving engineers a clearer way to

Research News Jul 09, 2026

Soft sensor developed by NUS CDE researchers turns touch into robotic action without electronics

Lead researchers Prof Benjamin Tee (right) and Prof Cecilia Laschi (left) with co-first author of the paper, Research Fellow Yu Kelu (centre), holding samples of the soft sensor. Built from flexible, compliant materials, soft robots are gaining relevance for tasks ranging from minimally invasive surgery to deep-sea exploration but remain held back by a fundamental constraint. To sense their surrou

Environment & Climate Jul 07, 2026

Tsinghua-NUS researchers share progress from joint research projects

Prof Teo Kie Leong, Dean of CDE, opened the symposium saying he hoped it would open the door to "many more collaborations between NUS and Tsinghua researchers in the years ahead". Spanning fields from AI and urban planning to advanced manufacturing and materials innovation, researchers from NUS and China’s Tsinghua University came together to share progress from projects supported under the two un

Technology & Innovation Jul 02, 2026

NUS CDE researchers develop probabilistic spintronic processors for faster and greener optimisation

Prof Yang Hyunsoo’s research explores how spintronic hardware could open new paths to more efficient computing for complex real-world problems. Solving complex optimisation problems is central to many modern technologies, from logistics and financial modelling to chip design, communications and artificial intelligence (AI). However, as these problems grow in size, conventional computers often requ