Expanding Scientific Collaboration: Stanford and NTU Professors Visit HUN-REN for Academic Exchange

On January 22, the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences hosted a workshop where Ramasamy Paulmurugan from Stanford University and Parasuraman Padmanabhan from Nanyang Technological University shared their latest research. Paulmurugan discussed his work with specialized microbubbles for early cancer detection, particularly in brain tumours, while Padmanabhan presented his findings on curcumin’s therapeutic potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

Following the workshop, the two esteemed researchers continued their visit with a tour of several laboratories at the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, further engaging with the ongoing scientific advancements and fostering deeper collaboration with local experts.

During their visit, they toured several leading research laboratories, each contributing to advancements in neuroscience, chemistry, and biomedical sciences. First, the researchers visited the Brain Imaging Centre, where they had a look at the state-of-the-art neuroimaging infrastructure. The tour continued at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, where they gained insight into cutting-edge research on human cognition and behaviour. In the Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Professor Katalin Monostory presented their latest findings on CYP enzymes, which play a crucial role in drug metabolism and personalized medicine.

The visit continued at the Institute of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, where Dr Tamás Beke-Somfai discussed research on biomolecular self-assembly, a key process in drug delivery, nanotechnology, and synthetic biology. At the Centre for Structural Sciences, Dr Pál Szabó provided an overview of their latest work in metabolic profiling, which has implications for disease diagnostics and treatment strategies. Finally, Dr Tibor Soós shared the latest scientific findings of the Institute of Organic Chemistry.

The discussions held during this visit highlight the growing importance of interdisciplinary research in addressing global scientific and medical challenges. “This experience and collaboration would be very beneficial for both sides, i. e. Stanford as well as HUN-REN. Together we can intensively collaborate on a promising next generation therapeutics as well as diagnostics” – said Ramasamy Paulmurugan in an interview after the event.

This high-level scientific exchange is significant in fostering international collaboration, encouraging the sharing of expertise, and driving innovative research. By building connections between Stanford University and HUN-REN, the visit opens the door for future joint projects, knowledge transfer, and the potential development of novel technologies and therapeutic approaches.

“This MOU will be helpful to exchange ideas. What we are developing that may be exchanged through HUN-REN and be helpful to fellow researchers in Hungary. This cooperation will be  fruitful not only for Singapore but also for Hungary” – emphasised Parasuraman Padmanabhan.

The workshop marks a milestone in strengthening HUN-REN's collaborations with outstanding universities and research sites such as Stanford University, a global leader in radiology and molecular imaging, as well as with Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore, following the Memorandum of Understanding signed between HUN-REN and NTU in October 2024.

At the event, the President of HUN-REN was joined by two distinguished speakers who spoke about the importance of future cooperation and international relations.

A full summary and pictures of the event can be found here.