Singapore's Highlights in Biomedical Sciences - February 2010

Key highlights in February include publications in leading scientific publications and the award of more than S$1 million in POC grants for biomedical sciences projects.

February 28, 2010

Editor’s Note
In February, Singapore strengthened its participation in regional cancer clinical trial groups, with the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group convening in Singapore for its fifth general meeting, and the launch of a new national cancer centre that will work with the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group. While Singapore researchers published key findings in leading scientific journals, the National Research Foundation awarded more than S$1 million in POC grants for projects in biomedical sciences. Prof Ranga R. Krishnan, Dean of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, was also presented with the Award for Research in Geriatric Psychiatry by The American College of Psychiatrists.

New National Centre for Cancer Treatment Launched
Asia Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group Convened for 5th General Meeting in Singapore
National Research Foundation Awarded S$1 Million in POC Grants for Biomedical Sciences Projects
Singapore Researchers Completed the World’s First In-Depth Study of Malaria Parasite Genome
Scientists in Singapore and Scripps Research Institute Mapped Epigenome of Human Stem Cells
Singapore Scientists Discovered Gene that Improves Quality of Reprogrammed Stem Cells
Singapore Scientists Discover Novel Technology in Creating Nanocrystals with Applications in Biomedicine, Bioimaging
Dean of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Received Award from The American College of Psychiatrists

New National Centre for Cancer Treatment Launched
Singapore’s latest national cancer centre, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS), was formally inaugurated in February at the National University Hospital. NCIS aims to advance research as well as education and integrate these areas with clinical practice, to raise the standard of patient care through safer and more efficacious treatment and therapies in cost-effective ways.

Working closely with counterparts from the Cancer Science Institute of Singapore (CSI), A*STAR as well as international institutions through the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group (CTRG), NCIS is focusing on the development of novel drugs and conducting early phase clinical trials to test new drugs and treatment methods. These close collaborations will greatly benefit cancer patients in Singapore and the region as they are now able to have earlier access to the latest chemotherapy regimens and novel molecular targets for cancer treatment before their availability in the market.

The CTRG is an Asia-Pacific medical oncology co-operative comprising member institutions from Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Korea and Taiwan, providing opportunities to conduct co-operative group studies. The need for high quality and well-coordinated clinical trial groups in the Asia-Pacific has provided many opportunities for the CTRG, whose collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, USA and the Mayo Clinic-led consortium further establishes CTRG as a leader in this region.

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Asia Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma Trials Group Convened for 5th General Meeting in Singapore
A collaborative group formed by clinicians treating hepatocellular carcinoma in major medical centres in the region, the Asia-Pacific Hepatocellular Carcinoma (AHCC) Trials Group with representatives from 29 cancer centres in the region convened for its 5th General Meeting in Singapore, where its secretariat, the National Cancer Centre Singapore, is based. Key topics for discussion at the meeting include the outcomes of three clinical trials completed and recently analysed by the AHCC Trials Group as well as discussed the details of three new trials to be launched this year - two of which are phase II trials and the other a phase III trial.

One of the trials completed involved the use of a novel treatment combination of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) and systemic therapy (sorafenib) showed promising results. AHCC has partnered pharmaceutical companies in clinical trials.

AHCC was formed to conduct preventive and therapeutic trials in hepatocellular carcinoma, to carry out basic and translational research in this field and to develop training and educational programs pertaining to HCC. The clinical trial database is managed by the Singapore Clinical Research Institute.

National Research Foundation Awarded S$1 Million in POC Grants for Biomedical Sciences Projects
Singapore’s National Research Foundation has announced the award of Proof-of-Concept (POC) grants (up to S$250,000 each) to five projects in biomedical sciences. These projects include the development of a biodegradable nanofibrous scaffold for partial breast reconstruction following a breast-conserving surgery, developing antibodies/phage peptides against CDH17 that can be used in biomarker assays to detect cancer earlier, and clinically as therapeutic agent to treat lung and stomach cancer; developing fluorescent-labelled probes of the antimalarial drug, chloroquine, that will serve as diagnostic and research tools; and developing a novel bioabsorbable drug-eluding ventilation tube for chronic middle ear infection.

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Singapore Researchers Completed the World’s First In-Depth Study of Malaria Parasite Genome
Groundbreaking research done at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) School of Biological Sciences (SBS) could lead to the development of more potent drugs or a vaccine for malaria. Assistant Professor Zbynek Bozdech and his team of researchers have successfully used transcriptional profiling to uncover hitherto unknown gene expression (activity) patterns in malaria. The research team’s breakthrough made the January 2010 issue of Nature Biotechnology.
This outcome in infectious disease pathology has yielded critical information about how the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum – the most deadly form of malaria – responds to existing compounds with curative potential. Researchers at Germany’s renowned institute for tropical diseases, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, have validated the research findings, which are expected to provide exciting new insights into parasite biology.

“The successful NTU-BNI joint project has led to the creation of the world's first database to predict the functions of more than 2,500 genes of the malaria parasite previously unknown. The database would be useful to scientists around the world who are developing new vaccines and drugs,” says Dr. Tim Gilberger, Head, Malaria Research at BNI.

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Scientists in Singapore and Scripps Research Institute Mapped Epigenome of Human Stem Cells
Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and the Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) led an international effort to build a map that shows in detail how the human genome is modified during embryonic development. This detailed mapping is a significant move towards the success of targeted differentiation of stem cells into specific organs, which is a crucial consideration for stem cell therapy. The study was published in the genomics journal Genome Research on February 4, 2010.

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Singapore Scientists Discovered Gene that Improves Quality of Reprogrammed Stem Cells
Scientists from the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have discovered a genetic molecule, called Tbx3, which greatly improves the quality of stem cells that have been reprogrammed from differentiated cells (stem cells reprogrammed from differentiated cells are known as induced pluripotent stem cells or iPS cells). The study was published on 7 February 2010 in the prestigious journal Nature.

Dr George Q. Daley, Director, Stem Cell Transplantation Program, HHMI/Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, added "This paper highlights the rapid progress towards optimized reprogramming strategies. The Singapore group has made an important advance in the production of high quality iPS cells.

Converting adult cells to embryonic cells such as iPS cells represents one of the most astounding breakthrough technologies in biological research. These cells look and behave like normal embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that can generate all other tissue types.

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Singapore Scientists Discover Novel Technology in Creating Nanocrystals with Applications in Biomedicine, Bioimaging
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS), in collaboration with counterparts from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, have a novel technology for for controlling the properties of ultra-small luminescent nanocrystals that hold much potential for applications in advanced bio-imaging, sophisticated volumetric 3D image displays, and the treatment of diseases such as cancer and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Their findings were published on 25 February 2010 in the leading scientific journal Nature.

The dramatically shortened reaction time and lowered reaction temperature would potentially lead to substantial cost and energy savings in the expensive process of manufacturing nanocrystals. In addition, the new technique pioneered by the team makes it possible to do away with the need to use hazardous metals or solvents, making it a more environmentally friendly method in comparison with existing methods.

For more info, please click here.

Dean of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Received Award from The American College of Psychiatrists
Prof Ranga R. Krishnan, Dean of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, was presented with the Award for Research in Geriatric Psychiatry by The American College of Psychiatrists at its Annual Meeting held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in February this year. The Award honours an individual who has contributed to advancements in the field of Geriatric Psychiatry.

Prof Krishnan is widely recognised for his contributions to the understanding of the neurobiology of late life mental disorders and he was among the first investigators to establish a link between "silent" strokes and depression in the elderly.

To find out more about Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences scene,
please visit www.biomed-singapore.com