<![CDATA[Ivan Kwan · Storify]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvatorNodeJS RSS ModuleSat, 25 May 2013 14:10:37 GMT<![CDATA[Our Heritage in Nature]]>

11th May 2013 @ Auditorium, Shaw Foundation Alumni House, National University of Singapore

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Sun, May 12 2013 14:08:21

Otterman speaking at "Our Heritage in Nature" on Sat 11 May 2013: 9am-12:30pm (updated: free admission!)Otterman speaking at "Our Heritage in Nature" on Sat 11 May 2013: 9am-12:30pm (updated: free admission!)
N. Sivasothi a.k.a Otterman, coordinator of the Raffles Museum Toddycats and International Coastal Clean up Singapore, will be speaking a...
Attending Our Heritage in Nature bit.ly/ZUF0Mp #OHIN twitpic.com/cporw7 · Ivan Kwan
Audience is trickling in; @sivasothi editing slides! #OHIN twitpic.com/cposaj · Ivan Kwan
"From Railway Track to Green Corridor" by Leong Kwok Peng from Nature Society (Singapore) #OHIN @greencorridorsg twitpic.com/cpovaf · Ivan Kwan
Some of the things done by NSS #OHIN · VaranusSalvator
Some of the things done by NSS #OHIN twitpic.com/cpovla twitpic.com/cpovqe · Ivan Kwan
A chronicle of the transformation from railway track to green corridor #OHIN · VaranusSalvator
A chronicle of the transformation from railway track to green corridor #OHIN twitpic.com/cpovyd twitpic.com/cpow0q · Ivan Kwan
Letters encouraging authorities to preserve the greenery #OHIN · VaranusSalvator
Letters encouraging authorities to preserve the greenery #OHIN twitpic.com/cpowfm twitpic.com/cpowif · Ivan Kwan
NSS has been conducting walks along the Green Corridor for years. #OHIN · VaranusSalvator
NSS has been conducting walks along the Green Corridor for years. #OHIN http://twitpic.com/cpowoq · VaranusSalvator
NSS has been conducting walks along the Green Corridor for years. #OHIN twitpic.com/cpowoq twitpic.com/cpowsr twitpic.com/cpoww9 · Ivan Kwan
Green corridor is a ready-made nature corridor. #OHIN · VaranusSalvator
A photo from @hai_ren · hai_ren
Green corridor is a ready-made nature corridor. #OHIN http://twitpic.com/cpox2s http://twitpic.com/cpox60 · VaranusSalvator
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/our-heritage-in-naturehttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/our-heritage-in-natureSun, 12 May 2013 21:08:21 GMT<![CDATA[Ubin eviction: more news and views]]>

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Fri, Apr 12 2013 05:01:09

Letter informs Ubin residents of possible resettlementLetter informs Ubin residents of possible resettlement
Some residents on Pulau Ubin appear to be facing resettlement to make way for a possible adventure park. They have been sent a letter tel...
I've never been to Pulau Ubin and now they're gonna use the island as an "Adventure Park". KNS. pic.twitter.com/IBZu3AkGmr · Mohsien Hanafi
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/ubin-eviction-more-news-and-viewshttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/ubin-eviction-more-news-and-viewsFri, 12 Apr 2013 12:01:09 GMT<![CDATA[Why care about Pulau Ubin?]]>

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Fri, Apr 12 2013 00:58:31

Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/why-care-about-pulau-ubinhttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/why-care-about-pulau-ubinFri, 12 Apr 2013 07:58:31 GMT<![CDATA[Eviction of residents of Kampung Melayu, Pulau Ubin]]>

A compilation of responses to my tweet about the apparent eviction of some of the residents of Kampung Melayu in Pulau Ubin.

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Wed, Apr 10 2013 12:52:03

Word is that some of the residents of Kampung Melayu on Pulau Ubin have been served with eviction notices. =( twitpic.com/ci4cv6 · Ivan 害人
As of 6 pm, 10th April 2013, this tweet has been retweeted 32 times, and the photo itself has received 313 views. Not a lot, but based on the strangers who have retweeted, it's certainly spread beyond my immediate circle of Twitter followers.
Atrocity “@hai_ren: Word is some of e residents of Kampung Melayu on Pulau Ubin have been served eviction notices twitpic.com/ci4cv6” · Anita Kapoor
O.0 RT @hai_ren: Word is that some of the residents of Kg Melayu on Pulau Ubin hv been served w eviction notices. =( twitpic.com/ci4cv6 · sanif olek
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/eviction-notice-for-residents-of-kampung-melayu-puhttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/eviction-notice-for-residents-of-kampung-melayu-puWed, 10 Apr 2013 19:52:03 GMT<![CDATA[Mega Marine Survey of Singapore Volunteer Appreciation Session]]>

3rd April 2013 @ Function Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Thu, Apr 04 2013 01:27:02

Attending the #MegaMarine Survey volunteer appreciation session. Dr. Tan Koh Siang gives us an update twitpic.com/cgn6lw · Ivan Kwan
Objectives of #MegaMarine survey. CMBS Volunteers' Appreciation session. pic.twitter.com/KrDMwNU216 · Heng Pei Yan
Here's a refresher on the objectives of the #MegaMarine Survey twitpic.com/cgn75d · Ivan Kwan
Major activities being planned and carried out for #MegaMarine twitpic.com/cgn7gr · Ivan Kwan
Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Launch of the Survey! (26 Nov 10)Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Launch of the Survey! (26 Nov 10)
A very large group of enthusiastic volunteers gathered for the official launch of the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey of Singapo...
Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: First field survey at Sungei Buloh (2 Dec 10)Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: First field survey at Sungei Buloh (2 Dec 10)
Today is the FIRST field session of the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey! And a very enthusiastic team from all walks of life hav...
Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Exciting plans for the Mega Marine Survey!Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Exciting plans for the Mega Marine Survey!
Today, we learnt more about discoveries at the Survey. And exciting new activities such as more 'exotic' locations to survey and opportun...
Mudflat communities are unique & differ from site to site. #MegaMarine · VaranusSalvator
Mudflat communities are unique & differ from site to site. #MegaMarine twitpic.com/cgn9xc twitpic.com/cgna77 · Ivan Kwan
Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Survey digs up 100 species!Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Survey digs up 100 species!
Thanks to Grace Chua of the Straits Times, the Survey is in the news with a report of how we have uncovered 100 species, some are new to ...
Swimming into the RecordSwimming into the Record
Collecting various organisms found living on and within the mud, such as marine worms, snails, crabs and fishes to be examined later in t...
The annotated budak: Cord in the netThe annotated budak: Cord in the net
Pseudobiceros bedfordi, Cyrene Reef. In October 1898, two young men from Cambridge arrived in Singapore on a year-long mission to explore...
Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Dredge survey turns up astonishing marine life!Mega Marine Survey of Singapore: Dredge survey turns up astonishing marine life!
What lives at the bottom on our sea bed? To find out, the Survey dredged right in front of of our container terminals. An astonishing var...
Some of the equipment used in these seabed surveys #MegaMarine twitpic.com/cgncr0 · Ivan Kwan
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/mega-marine-survey-of-singapore-volunteer-appreciahttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/mega-marine-survey-of-singapore-volunteer-appreciaThu, 04 Apr 2013 08:27:02 GMT<![CDATA[Shark fin: A discussion on @hellofrmSG]]>

As governments agree to place restrictions on the international trade in 5 species of sharks, @bargeboards (tweeting from @hellofrmsg) kicks off a lively discussion on shark fin soup.

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Fri, Mar 15 2013 09:28:34

Preamble: on Sharks and CITES


International market demand has been a significant factor in the decline of shark and ray populations. Shark fins are among the world’s most valuable fishery products. Shark and ray meat is particularly prized in Europe while the gills of some rays are sought for Chinese medicine. International trade in the vast majority of shark and ray species is virtually unregulated.


What is CITES?


The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a multilateral treaty, drafted as a result of a resolution adopted in 1963 at a meeting of members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 34,000 species of animals and plants.

CITES is one of the largest and oldest conservation and sustainable use agreements in existence. Participation is voluntary, and countries that have agreed to be bound by the Convention are known as Parties. Although CITES is legally binding on the Parties, it does not take the place of national laws. Rather it provides a framework respected by each Party, which must adopt their own domestic legislation to implement CITES at the national level.

CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorised through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species.

The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.


CITES Appendix I is reserved for highly threatened species that may be affected by trade, and results (essentially) in a ban on international commercial trade. Appendix II includes species that are threatened by trade or may become so without strict controls. Appendix II listing mandates export permits that are issued after take is demonstrated to be legal and sustainable. CITES currently has 177 Parties which meet about every three years. A two-thirds majority vote is required for adoption of listing proposals.


Because international trade is central to the exploitation of sharks and rays, CITES can be a vital tool for conserving these species. Currently, however, only the basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), whale shark (Rhincodon typus), great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), and largetooth or “freshwater” sawfish (Pristis microdon) are listed in CITES Appendix II. All other sawfish species, but no other ray or shark species, are included in Appendix I.


At the Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties, held in Bangkok from 3-14 March 2013, government representatives voted on a total of seventy-one proposals; among these were three proposals to list a number of shark species under Appendix II: the oceanic whitetip (Carcharhinus longimanus), the porbeagle (Lamna nasus), and the scalloped, great, and smooth hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini, S. mokarran, and S. zygaena, respectively). These same species had been considered for listing at the previous Conference of the Parties, held in Doha in 2010, and had failed to gain enough votes.
ProposalsProposals
At the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP16) in March 2013, government representatives will vote on proposals to list und...

The CITES actions proposed for these shark species can:


1) Ensure that international trade is held to sustainable levels;

2) Be facilitated by simple DNA tests and various identification guides;

3) Complement fisheries management and species recovery efforts;

4) Fulfill numerous international conservation obligations.
Shark Specialist Group - 3) Looking ahead to Shark and Ray Proposals
With the Shark Agenda Item 61 dealt with, our attention now turns to the Shark and Ray Proposals to amend Appendices I and II.
Being listed on Appendix II means that for these shark species:

1) An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is required. 

2) An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species.

3) A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the Convention.

4) In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.

5) No import permit is needed unless required by national law.
How CITES works
CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and int...
Text of the Convention
Signed at Washington, D.C., on 3 March 1973 Amended at Bonn, on 22 June 1979 The Contracting States, Recognizing that wild fauna and flor...

What happens at the Conference of the Parties?


Meetings of the Conference of the Parties are attended not only by delegations representing CITES Parties but also by observers, such as representatives of States that are not party to CITES, of United Nations agencies and of other international conventions. Nongovernmental organisations involved in conservation or trade are also allowed to participate at the discretion of the Parties, and these play an important role in the CITES process.

Meetings of the CoP are conducted in full plenary sessions and in two smaller committees (Committees I and II). The plenary sessions are the decision-making sessions of the CoP. In between the plenary sessions, the two committees run simultaneously. This means it is necessary for all Parties to be at least represented by two persons, preferably one from the Management Authority and one from the Scientific Authority. The Secretariat’s Sponsored Delegates Project also tries to ensure this. Committee I is open to all participants, and it discusses and makes recommendations concerning proposals to amend the Appendices, quotas and ranching operations, and other scientific issues. The recommendations of Committee I are forwarded to the plenary for final approval. Committee II is also open to all participants, and it discusses and makes recommendations concerning the implementation and operation of the Convention. These recommendations are often included in resolutions or decisions. Draft resolutions and decisions originating from Committee II are forwarded to the plenary session for final approval.

The Parties spend much of their time debating resolutions in Committees I and II and proposals to amend the Appendices in Committee I. The decisions of the Committees, however, are not the decisions of the Conference. They are recommendations to the Conference that must be adopted or rejected in a plenary session. Because the Parties debate the issues thoroughly in committee and often create working groups to resolve difficult issues, the Parties generally accept the recommendations of Committees I and II. Accordingly, the Rules of Procedure allow no further discussion on recommendations in plenary session, unless a Party makes a motion in a plenary session to reconsider a recommendation of a committee.

How did sharks fare at CoP16?


During the Committee I session, all three proposals to list these five shark species passed with a two-third majority of votes, along with the proposal to list both species of manta rays on Appendix II.
Pew Applauds Unprecedented Conservation Win for Sharks and Manta Rays at CITES - The Pew Charitable TrustsPew Applauds Unprecedented Conservation Win for Sharks and Manta Rays at CITES - The Pew Charitable Trusts
City Bangkok CONTACTS: Joanna Benn,Thailand: +66.8.7096.0742 Justin Kenney, Thailand: +66.8.7096.1095 Rachel Brittin, U.S.: 202.540.6312 ...
7 Species of Sharks and Manta Rays Receive International Protection7 Species of Sharks and Manta Rays Receive International Protection
Following news earlier this month that 100 million sharks are killed each year by fishermen -an astounding 274,000 every day-global gover...
Decision Looms on Trade Status of 5 Shark Species
HONG KONG - Delegates at a major international meeting on wildlife trade voted on Monday to add several shark species to a list of plants...
Shark Specialist Group - 4) Shark and ray votes in; now we wait for Plenary
Strong Support of Shark and Ray Proposals | Five of the seven proposals to list sharks and rays on CITES were adopted during voting all d...
Voting on the shark and manta ray proposals took place via secret ballot, but before voting began for each proposal, interventions were allowed, where attendees had the chance to speak up in support of or against the proposal. Singapore's CITES representative protested the proposal to list the oceanic whitetip.
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/shark-fin-a-discussion-on-hellofrmsghttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/shark-fin-a-discussion-on-hellofrmsgFri, 15 Mar 2013 16:28:34 GMT<![CDATA[Habitat Enrichment for Tropical Butterflies]]>

by Anuj Jain, 12th November 2012 @ NUS Department of Biological Sciences Conference Room

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Sun, Nov 11 2012 23:27:48

Habitat Enrichment for Tropical Butterflies, a seminar by Anuj Jain (Monday, 12 Nov 2012, 10 AM, DBS Conference Room)Habitat Enrichment for Tropical Butterflies, a seminar by Anuj Jain (Monday, 12 Nov 2012, 10 AM, DBS Conference Room)
"Habitat Enrichment for Tropical Butterflies", a seminar by graduate student Anuj Jain (supervisor: Professor Edward Webb) from the Appli...
Abstract: Habitat degradation and fragmentation in the tropics, especially in South East Asia, poses great threat to tropical butterflies. Forest dependant butterfly species get worse hit as they lose original habitat and are often unable to colonize degraded habitats due to lack of species specific resources in such habitats. If scarce resources limit populations of threatened butterflies, then chances of survival of these species can be improved by enhancing habitats with key resources. Furthermore, many threatened insects cannot maintain their own populations and need intervention in the form of habitat enrichment.  By using Singapore as a model system, the study first maps hotspots of butterfly diversity in Singapore, identifies areas which hold species of conservation concern and hypothesizes bottlenecks for the survival and reproduction for rare and threatened butterfly species. Next a habitat enrichment strategy using larval host plants (juvenile food resource) and nectar plants (adult food resource) is proposed to quantify the effect of habitat enrichment and identify real bottlenecks for butterflies by 1) maximizing populations in native habitat 2) improving sub-optimal habitat quality and 3) improving connectivity of fragmented native habitat by establishing resource rich stepping stones in between them.  Finally, using capture-mark-recapture techniques the study will test if creating these stepping stones can increase exchange between forest fragments thus increasing long term viability of fragmented metapopulations. The study will be the first to identify bottlenecks and quantify the effects of habitat enrichment  for butterflies in the tropics and give specific recommendations for conservation planning.
Here at Anuj Jain's seminar, Habitat Enrichment for Tropical Butterflies http://bit.ly/UioMFn #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchneb · Ivan Kwan
Tropical forests are home to 90% o butterfly species, high levels of endemism in Southeast Asia #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchnrg · Ivan Kwan
How do we conserve insects in tropical forests? #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bcho0o · Ivan Kwan
Potential bottlenecks or constraints of butterfly conservation #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bcho8z · Ivan Kwan
Conservation goals #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchoi9 · Ivan Kwan
1st research objective: Mapping butterfly diversity hotspots #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
1st research objective: Mapping butterfly diversity hotspots #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchose http://twitpic.com/bchove · Ivan Kwan
Hotspots are in Central Nature Reserves, Southen Ridges, and Pulau Ubin #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchpca · Ivan Kwan
Most of Singapore's threatened butterfly species have a narrow habitat breadth #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
Most of Singapore's threatened butterfly species have a narrow habitat breadth #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchptp http://twitpic.com/bchpwv · Ivan Kwan
Hypothesizing possible bottlenecks for butterfly conservation #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
Hypothesizing possible bottlenecks for butterfly conservation #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchq3s http://twitpic.com/bchq8l · Ivan Kwan
Royal Assyrian likely host plant & dispersal limited, Courtesan is an enigma #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
Royal Assyrian likely host plant & dispersal limited, Courtesan is an enigma #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchqfi http://twitpic.com/bchqjb · Ivan Kwan
Many of Singapore's butterflies are likely to be host plant and dispersal limited #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
Many of Singapore's butterflies are likely to be host plant and dispersal limited #AnujButterflies http://twitpic.com/bchr36 http://twitpic.com/bchr6u · Ivan Kwan
2nd research objective: Habitat enrichment #AnujButterflies · VaranusSalvator
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/habitat-enrichment-for-tropical-butterflies-a-semihttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/habitat-enrichment-for-tropical-butterflies-a-semiMon, 12 Nov 2012 07:27:22 GMT<![CDATA[Raffles Science Institute Guest Lecture Series]]>

by Dr. Bill Baker & Dr. Diana Percy, 7th & 9th November 2012 @ Raffles Institution (Y5-6) Lecture Theatre 3, Blk A Level 3

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Mon, Nov 12 2012 10:50:14

Raffles Science Institute Guest Lecture SeriesRaffles Science Institute Guest Lecture Series
Three lectures by distinguished guests from Kew Gardens and Natural History Museum London All are welcome to attend these free talks. Ple...

The Flora of Lord Howe Island – Origins and Diversity

First talk: Dr Bill Baker on the flora of Lord Howe Island #RSIguest http://twitpic.com/bb0jx1 · Ivan Kwan
The Flora of Lord Howe Island – Origins and Diversity
By Dr Bill Baker, Head Palms Section, Kew Gardens
Lord Howe Island is a minute volcanic landmass (12 km2) in the Pacific Ocean that is home to 241 native plant species, more than 100 of which are found nowhere else. How did such extreme endemism arise in so small a space? What mechanisms promote species divergence in the face of the homogenising influence of ongoing gene flow? In this talk, we explore these questions using a text book case study ­ the Howea palms ­ and place this important case of sympatric speciation in plants in the context of the island’s flora as a whole and speciation thinking in general.
Lord Howe Island has 241 native vascular plants, 105 endemic species/subspecies, 5 endemic genera #RSIguest http://twitpic.com/bb0l1h · Ivan Kwan
High seabird densities, 13 endemic land birds, of which 9 are extinct. #RSIguest http://twitpic.com/bb0l85 · Ivan Kwan
An example of a Lord Howe Island endemic: the woodhen. #RSIguest http://twitpic.com/bb0lcv · Ivan Kwan
Lord Howe Woodhen (Gallirallus sylvestris) - BirdLife species factsheetLord Howe Woodhen (Gallirallus sylvestris) - BirdLife species factsheet
Justification This species is listed as Endangered as it has an extremely small population which is restricted to a tiny area of availabl...
Judas goats employed to tackle feral pests in Australia - TelegraphJudas goats employed to tackle feral pests in Australia - Telegraph
As part of the programme, goats trained in animal herding are sterilised and fitted with a tracking collar before being shipped over from...
Topography of Lord Howe Island. Very interesting contrasts in geology. #RSIguest http://twitpic.com/bb0m09 · Ivan Kwan
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/raffles-science-institute-guest-lecture-serieshttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/raffles-science-institute-guest-lecture-seriesMon, 12 Nov 2012 18:49:08 GMT<![CDATA[The Singapore Institute of Biology: Public Forum on Conservation in Singapore]]>

Singapore Science Centre Maxwell Auditorium, 20th October 2012

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Sat, Oct 20 2012 11:24:30

Our 1st speaker, @sivasothi, is doing a final check of his slides; I see @amandathn @marcuschua @beastiet! http://twitpic.com/b5nklp · Ivan Kwan

Wild Pigs in Singapore: A Conservation Dilemma?

Mr N Sivasothi (Department of Biological Sciences, NUS)
When the National Parks Board of Singapore (NParks) announced that it was considering culling to manage the wild pig population in Singapore, members of the public raised their concern.  The issue was discussed vigorously over the online and print media.  Despite support from academia and the provision of scientific evidence for the NParks decision, much confusion still exists among netizens.  This talk will explore recent scientific data collected on wild pig populations in Singapore, and present a management perspective on this controversial issue.     
The latest winner of the Veolia Environment Wildlfe Photographer of the Year is featured #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5nmms · Ivan Kwan
Singapore's forest & faunal diversity have been heavily affected. #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5nms2 · Ivan Kwan
The wild pig declined through the 20th century, and disappeared from the mainland #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5nnuo · Ivan Kwan
Photos of Priscilla and her successors on Chek Jawa #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5nogg · Ivan Kwan
Distribution map of wild boar in mainland Singapore in 2010 #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5np0m · Ivan Kwan
Records of wild boar from @saylinsays project #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5np4x · Ivan Kwan
More sightings of wild boar on the mainland. Hey, that name looks familiar... #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5npin · Ivan Kwan
Wild boar distribution in mainland Singapore, compiled by @saylinsays #ConservationSG · VaranusSalvator
Wild boar distribution in mainland Singapore, compiled by @saylinsays #ConservationSG http://twitpic.com/b5nqjr http://twitpic.com/b5nqmc · Ivan Kwan
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/the-singapore-institute-of-biology-public-forum-onhttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/the-singapore-institute-of-biology-public-forum-onSat, 20 Oct 2012 18:24:30 GMT<![CDATA[Science Café SG: The Positive in Poisons – Venoms as Medicines]]>

by Associate Professor Khoo Hoon Eng, 27th September 2012 @ The Pigeonhole

Storified by Ivan Kwan · Thu, Sep 27 2012 15:02:00

https://www.facebook.com/events/383308368404228/

Do you scream when you see snakes, scorpions, spiders, bees or centipedes? We suspect most of us, even if we do not scream, do our best to steer clear of these creatures as we know that their sting or bite can harm us. What we will try to do is convince you that they can also be useful to us.

About the speaker:
Khoo Hoon Eng is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the medical school in NUS. Her interest in the field of venoms and toxins began with an ugly fish – the stonefish. When she started her research on its venom in 1988, there had not been very much work on it – mainly because it was not easy to find the fish and also it was only a hazard to fishermen and other people who walked barefoot in the fish’s habitat – among stones in the sea. Its venom was found in two sacs surrounding each spine of its dorsal fin. What was known was that the venom could cause a severe drop in blood pressure. As a scientist, she wanted to try to understand how that happened and whether the venom could be exploited as a hypotensive medicine. She will share her studies on the stonefish venom although there are no hypotensive drugs from the stonefish venom yet. But she will share success stories and potential medicines from other venoms studied in Singapore and from around the world.
#ScienceCafe's speaker tonight is an Associate Professor in Biochemistry from the NUS School of Medicine http://twitpic.com/ays6az · Ivan Kwan
There's a wide range of venomous animals - wait, leeches & bats are venomous? I thought it was saliva #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ays7cw · Ivan Kwan
A history of the use of venomous animals in medicine #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ays7w5 · Ivan Kwan
A photo from @VaranusSalvator · VaranusSalvator
Dr. Khoo's area of study: the stonefish. Ah yes, I know this creature well. #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ays94i · Ivan Kwan
How do we test the active components of venom? #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/aysbsb · Ivan Kwan
Diagram of a patch clamp to study effects of a chemical compound on sodium ion channels. #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/aysdci · Ivan Kwan
So you've found an active ingredient in the venom; what next? #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/aysdpg · Ivan Kwan
Huge diversity of venomous species - countless venom ingredients with potential medicinal applications #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ayseuz · Ivan Kwan
Some images of recluse spider being "milked" for venom #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/aysgdj · Ivan Kwan
A list of approved drugs derived from venom proteins #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/aysgw4 · Ivan Kwan
More drugs from venom proteins currently undergoing clinical trials #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ayshg1 · Ivan Kwan
Some examples of venomous creatures: snakes, lizards, toads, and spiders. #ScienceCafe · VaranusSalvator
Some examples of venomous creatures: snakes, lizards, toads, and spiders. #ScienceCafe http://twitpic.com/ayshz3 http://twitpic.com/aysi2c · Ivan Kwan
Powered by Storify
]]>http://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/science-cafe-sg-the-positive-in-poisons-venoms-ashttp://storify.com/VaranusSalvator/science-cafe-sg-the-positive-in-poisons-venoms-asThu, 27 Sep 2012 22:01:38 GMT