Dr. Ng Chen Seng currently serves as a Principal Investigator, Lecturer, and Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) Biosafety Officer in the Division of Medical Biosciences, School of Science, at Monash University Malaysia. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology from Universiti Malaysia Sabah in 2008 and subsequently completed both his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Viral Immunology at Kyoto University, Japan. His doctoral training was under the mentorship of Professor Takashi Fujita, a renowned scientist recognized for discovering IRF—the interferon regulatory factor family—and RIG-I, the cytoplasmic sensor for viral RNA.

Prior to joining Monash University, Dr. Ng conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under Professor Alexander Hoffmann, as well as at the University of British Columbia. Despite having completed his formal academic training and professional appointments, Dr. Ng continues to pursue lifelong learning. He recently obtained an Advanced Certification in Cell Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a MicroBachelors in Neuroscience from Harvard University.

Dr. Ng has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in high-impact international journals, including iScience (Cell Press), Cell Death and Differentiation (Nature Publishing Group), Communication Biology (Nature), Autophagy, Journal of Virology, and PLOS Pathogens, among others. Notably, he identified interferon signaling as a key molecular signature in SOD1-linked amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating neurodegenerative disease. This discovery holds promise as a novel diagnostic marker or therapeutic target. His recent work also elucidates species-specific differences in Type I and Type II interferon responses between humans and mice, offering a compelling explanation for the historical failure of Type I interferon therapies in clinical trials during the 1980s.

In recognition of his contributions to neuroscience and viral immunology, Dr. Ng was recently honored with the IBRO Rising Star Award by the International Brain Research Organization (IBRO). His current research leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to unravel the complex molecular mechanisms underlying ALS.

Dr. Ng's laboratory has a broad interest in the application of cutting-edge ideas and technology to the study of disease-relavant models. Major directions include innate immunity, virology, cell death, autophagy, signal transduction, and neuro-inflammation. Clinical issues of interest include autoimmune diseases, infection and inflammation.