For years, scientists have believed that diseases can be treated by changing how molecules “talk” to one another inside human cells. These invisible conversations can determine whether a cancer spreads or if a loved one loses their memory.
However, what scientists did not have was a reliable way to control those connections. That was the challenge Dr Liu Shuang undertook early in her scientific career – at a time when no clear road map existed.
The A*STAR scholar studies molecular glues – an elusive class of compounds that act like matchmakers inside cells. They work by helping proteins that do not usually interact form new partnerships, disrupting disease-causing processes or prompting the removal of harmful proteins altogether.
The idea was powerful but turning it into workable science proved frustratingly difficult. “For years, molecular glues were discovered largely by accident – often as unexpected side effects of drugs designed for other purposes. There was no systematic way to search for them, no clear rules for predicting how they might be found,” explains Dr Liu.
In 2022, during her postdoctoral fellowship at the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard, Dr Liu and her colleagues pioneered one of the first systematic screening methods to identify molecular glues.
Their discovery laid the groundwork for a faster, more intentional approach to finding or designing new medicines and treatments to fight various ailments. “By bringing the right pairs together, we can help treat disease,” says Dr Liu. “I am a matchmaker for proteins in the human body.”
For the 35-year-old, whose work now paves the way for scientists around the world to screen for molecular glues, the breakthrough marked an early but defining moment – one that still surprises her. “I did not think I would be able to influence the world, but I ended up changing how researchers globally look for molecular glues,” she says.
That ability to stay with complex, long-term problems did not happen by chance. Dr Liu was able to commit to long-term research because she was supported by A*STAR’s National Science Scholarship (BS-PhD) that funded the bulk of her 11-year training from her undergraduate degree through to her doctoral and postdoctoral research.
“The scholarship gave me job security during my undergraduate years, so I did not need to attend career fairs, and applying for PhD positions became much smoother as I already had funding in place,” she says.
Dr Liu’s academic training took her from Imperial College London, where she earned a Master’s of Science in Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry, to the University of Oxford where she got a PhD in Chemical Biology, before joining the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard as a postdoctoral fellow.
Each stage added to her scientific knowledge and technical skill set, but also tested her resilience, particularly when her first PhD project on developing a new generation of antibody-drug conjugate failed. “Luckily, that happened in the first half of the year so I could move on to a different project,” she jokes.
“By bringing the right pairs together, we can help treat disease. I am a matchmaker for proteins in the human body.”
– Dr Liu Shuang, recipient of the A*STAR National Science Scholarship (BS-PhD)
That second project, under the guidance of Oxford’s top chemistry professor Christopher Schofield, focused on understanding how cancer drugs work at the molecular level.
“My academic training at every stage developed self-discipline, logical thinking and creativity,” says Dr Liu.
Just as importantly, she grew into an independent thinker – a crucial trait for scientists working at the frontiers of discovery, where answers are rarely obvious and established frameworks often fall short.
At the Broad Institute, Dr Liu also encountered a mentorship style that reshaped how she approached both science and leadership. Contrary to her expectations of long hours and constant pressure, her mentor, the renowned American chemist and Harvard University professor Stuart Schreiber, offered “unusual” advice.
“He didn’t demand scientific productivity,” she recalls. “He simply told me to be happy.”
If work became overwhelming, he encouraged her to step away, take a walk along the nearby Charles River or enjoy a good meal. The message stayed with her: Good science is sustained not just by intensity but by balance and well-being. That perspective now shapes how she leads her own laboratory and a team of four scientists.
In early 2025, Dr Liu was awarded the prestigious National Research Foundation Fellowship, enabling her to set up her own lab and begin an independent scientific career as a principal investigator at A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology.
While her PhD and postdoctoral research focused largely on cancer, her scientific interests have since expanded into neurodegenerative diseases.
This was a shift driven by a deeply personal experience. Dr Liu’s paternal grandmother passed away three years ago, and towards the end of her life, she could no longer recognise her granddaughter. Though never formally diagnosed, Dr Liu believes her grandmother had neurodegenerative dementia.
“This is not unique to me. Many families go through similar experiences losing their loved ones in this way,” she acknowledges, “but I am fortunate that I can use what I learn in science to treat others with the same disease.”
Dr Liu hopes to apply her expertise in molecular glue discovery to drive new therapeutic strategies for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
“This presents a major opportunity for me to build a cutting-edge drug discovery platform, cultivate local talent, propel the development of more home-grown drug candidates and enhance the global competitiveness of Singapore’s biomedical industry,” she says.
At A*STAR, Dr Liu is supported by a multidisciplinary biomedical ecosystem spanning drug development, antibody engineering, human genetics and bioinformatics. She believes A*STAR’s collaborative efforts are crucial for keeping pace with rapid shifts in drug discovery, particularly as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more deeply embedded in the field.
With initiatives such as the Centre for Frontier AI Research, she is confident that A*STAR’s multidisciplinary environment will support her well to adapt as science evolves. “AI will play an increasingly important role in drug discovery and I already see this reflected in grant applications and emerging biotech companies,” says Dr Liu.
Looking back, Dr Liu reflects on why she chose to take up the scholarship at 19. Beyond income or overseas exposure, she was driven by the potential of science to benefit humankind.
“Now I know that a true scientific breakthrough can benefit patients not just in Singapore but around the world, that gives real meaning to the path I have chosen,” she adds.
