Genetics

Where do autoimmune diseases come from?

Our genes evolved to fight ancient threats, but in the modern world, some of those changes may be turning against us.

Medical mysteries

Comfortable in her own skin: How a 12-year-old embraces her rare birthmark

Charlotte Lim, 12, was born with giant congenital melanocytic nevus, a rare non-cancerous birthmark that covers a large portion of her body. The condition affects about 1 in 500,000 newborns.

Medical Mysteries

Rare disorder and low muscle tone cannot dampen teen’s swimming passion

Born with PTPS deficiency, 18-year-old Jessica Quek has continued to go against the tide to pursue her passion for swimming while studying electronics engineering at ITE College West.

Medical Mysteries

Rare condition leaves teen’s nerves without protective covering, slowing nerve signals

Jarren Ng has congenital hypomyelinating neuropathy, a rare disorder that causes severe muscle weakness due to a lack of myelin around the nerves. He is seen with his parents, Dawn Lee and Kelvin Ng.

Bone density and other muscular tests for women to be offered through Healthier SG: Ong Ye Kung

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said details of screening tests for osteoporosis and sarcopenia will be announced soon.

Medical Mysteries

Non-verbal, non-mobile S’pore girl joins global hackathon where experts try to solve medical mysteries

Sarah Swee was born with a condition that has still not yet been diagnosed. She and her mother Jasmine Lee joined South-east Asia’s first Undiagnosed Hackathon, hoping to find an answer after an intensive 48-hour period.

Medical Mysteries

2-year-old S’pore boy is one of estimated 400 in world with disease caused by single altered gene

Teyden Hamilton Ho, who has Zhu-Tokita-Takenouchi-Kim syndrome, with his father, Ho Jun Han, and mother, Tizane Woo.

Medical Mysteries

Rare disorder leaves toddler struggling to produce cell energy

Little Oliver Soh began having seizures and showed signs of developmental delay within months of his birth. The toddler, seen here with his father, Keltonn Soh, and mother, Leow Kai Wen, has primary coenzyme Q10 deficiency.

Medical Mysteries

Work stress led woman to discover genetic condition that looks like heart attack

Cardiologist Tang Hak Chiaw and his patient Christina Chua, who has the genetic heart condition hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Medical Mysteries

Girl born with skin missing from her scalp, body, arms and legs, treated with her own lab-grown skin

Siti Abdullah (right) with her husband Abdul Rahman and their daughter Sumayyah, who was born without skin on nearly 40 per cent of her body.

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MDDI (P) 046/10/2025. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No.202120748H. Copyright © 2026 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.