Editor’s Note
In May, Fujitsu and Abbott opened new R&D centres in the Biopolis, which is slated for a 460,000 square-feet expansion that will bring its total research space to more than 3 million square feet. In addition, Singapore researchers published key findings in studies of cancer and infectious diseases in leading scientific journals, while A*STAR and the UK’s Medical Research Council jointly awarded S$4.5 million in grants to research projects in infectious diseases.

• Fujitsu establishes first biomedical research laboratory in Singapore
• Abbott opened Asia-Pacific Nutrition Research & Development Center in Singapore
• Biopolis to expand to more than 3 million square feet
• Scientists found new genes associated with NPC
• Singapore researchers share insights to leverage p53 in enhancing cancer treatments
• Identifying genetic link to susceptibility to infectious diseases
• Singapore and UK jointly awarded S$4.5million in grants for infectious disease research projects
• Imperial College London bestowed highest honour on A*STAR Chairman
• Singapore oncologists received prestigious accolades from American Society of Clinical Oncology

Fujitsu establishes first biomedical research laboratory in Singapore
Fujitsu officially opened its first biomedical research facility in Southeast Asia here in Singapore, and will work with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) in developing aptamer technology for diagnostics application and business development trials.

In addition, Fujitsu Laboratories Singapore will support key research initiatives in collaboration with A*STAR, Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), National University of Singapore (NUS), National University Hospital (NUH) and the Cancer Science Institute (CSI) to explore improvements in diagnostics of diseases such as prostate and gastric cancer, cardiovascular diseases and dengue through the development of aptamers.

For more info, please click here.

Abbott opened Asia-Pacific Nutrition Research & Development Center in Singapore

Abbott officially opened its Asia-Pacific Nutrition Research & Development Center at the Biopolis in Singapore. The center is Abbott's largest nutrition R&D facility outside of the U.S., and will create science-based nutritional products for infants, children and adults. Abbott scientists at the center will develop products with new ingredients, flavors and packaging to address the most critical nutritional challenges, dietary needs and taste preferences of consumers throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

The role of nutrition in the development of the brain, bones, immune system and metabolic function of infants and children will be key areas of research and innovation. Nutritional research in adults will include management of diabetes, obesity and the importance of maintaining muscle mass. The center also will design and conduct comprehensive clinical trials throughout Asia-Pacific to obtain scientific information on unmet health care needs in the region.

Biopolis to expand to more than 3 million square feet
Singapore is expanding its resources for biomedical sciences R&D to accommodate the fast-growing base of companies that seek to develop therapies to address Asia’s unmet healthcare needs. As a key development to meet companies’ growing needs, the Biopolis – a biomedical research hub that co-locates public-sector institutes and private-sector corporate labs – is slated for a 460,000 square-feet expansion that will bring its total research space to more than 3 million square feet. 

Scientists found new genes associated with NPC
Scientists from Singapore, China and USA have identified three new susceptibility genes in a genome-wide association study of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The study, led by the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), a biomedical research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Centre, identified genetic risk factors of NPC that advances the understanding of the important role played by host genetic variation in influencing the susceptibility to this cancer. The research findings are published on Nature Genetics’s website.

For more info, please click here.

Singapore researchers share insights to leverage p53 in enhancing cancer treatments
Researchers from the p53 Laboratory of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), have shared a finding that makes feasible a unique method of cancer treatment. Their work, published in Cell Death and Differentiation, offers new insight on how to tap on the properties of p53, the ‘guardian of the genome’, to more effectively kill cancer cells while sparing normal cells.

For more info, please click here.

Identifying genetic link to susceptibility to infectious diseases
Researchers from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, and Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and National University Health System (NUHS) have identified new genetic variants that increase susceptibility to several infectious diseases including tuberculosis and malaria.  With greater understanding of the role of the gene implicated, it is hoped the findings could one day lead to better therapies and vaccines. The study is published in The New England Journal of Medicine and is supported by the Wellcome Trust and A*STAR.

For more info, please click here.

Singapore and UK jointly awarded S$4.5million in grants for infectious disease research projects
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the UK’s Medical Research Council (MRC) have jointly awarded S$4.5 million in grants to six collaborative research projects in infectious diseases such as gastric flu, hepatitis B, dengue fever and tuberculosis.  Each project aims to contribute towards developing a treatment, vaccine or antimicrobial product to address disease infection. This is the first joint grant call between A*STAR and MRC and involves collaboration between UK-based and Singapore-based public research organisations.

For more info, please click here.

Imperial College London bestowed highest honour on A*STAR Chairman
Imperial College London honoured Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of the Singapore Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), by appointing him a Fellow of the College. The Fellowship is the highest award that Imperial College bestows on individuals of outstanding distinction. Mr Lim is receiving the award in recognition of his significant contributions to Science and Technology in Singapore as well as fostering robust linkages between Singapore and Imperial College. Key areas of partnerships between A*STAR and Imperial College include scholarship programmes and research collaborations in areas such as tuberculosis and materials research and engineering.

For more info, please click here.

Singapore oncologists received prestigious accolades from American Society of Clinical Oncology
Two medical oncologists from the National Cancer Centre Singapore - Dr Daniel SW Tan and Dr Iain BH Tan - have received the Merit Award and the Young Investigator Award respectively from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Cancer Foundation. The annual ASCO awards are given in recognition of high quality clinicians and researchers as a conduit to promote their career development by providing unique opportunities for them to pursue their research projects.

This year, 45 investigators and 100 oncologists worldwide received the Young Investigators and the Merit Award respectively. NCCS is the only institution in Asia to be honoured with two awards in the same year. This is also the fourth time that oncologists from NCCS have been conferred awards by ASCO Cancer Foundation.

For more info, please click here.

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