One dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides protection against the disease for at least 10 years but the jab also comes with side effects such as fever and muscle ache.

Dr Candice Chan, a consultant at the Singapore General Hospital, is trying to understand why these side effects occur. "Although these symptoms are very mild, it may put people off from taking the vaccine. Understanding the side effects could also help scientists to develop better vaccines next time," said Dr Chan, 35, who is also a PhD student at the Duke-NUS Medical School.

She is among the more than 250 young scientists who will meet Nobel laureates and other giants in science at the Global Young Scientists Summit, which opened yesterday.

The annual summit, held here since 2013, aims to give researchers under the age of 35 the chance to meet with distinguished scientists.

Participants at this year's event, including Dr Chan, will also have the chance to showcase their work.

This year's summit, which is on till Friday (20 Jan), will have 18 speakers, including nine Nobel laureates and five winners of the Turing Award, considered the Nobel equivalent for computing.

Young scientists will have the opportunity to interact with them through plenary sessions, panel discussions and small group sessions.

At the opening yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean said in his speech that he hopes the speakers' insights will contribute to the next wave of scientific breakthroughs and discovery.

He added that in order to maximise the benefits brought about by science and technology, research outcomes must be translated into societal and economic benefit.

Source: The Straits Times Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.