Singapore:Layout 1 14/1/10 20:19 Page 85
Regional Focus
Rapid development within one decade
(2000 to 2009)
Prof Edward Holmes, Chairman, National Medical Research Council and cal mass of clinician scientists by 2015 who will be the thought lead-
Deputy Chairman Biomedical Research Council (Singapore) and former ers supporting the TCR effort.
Vice-Chancellor, University of California, San Diego, provides a brief Second is a series of TCR Flagship programmes focused on dis-
overview of Singapore’s rapid development within the last decade. eases of relevance to Singapore and the region. These programmes
bring together basic, translational and clinical scientists to study in-
Singapore made a strategic decision in 2000 to include biomedical depth targeted disease cohorts with the goal of bringing basic dis-
research as a pillar of its diversified economy, and in the past 10 years covery from the bench through investigational medicine into clinical
Singapore has developed a robust and comprehensive biomedical trials. The areas targeted for study in the flagship programmes thus
research community. far are gastric cancer, a common cancer throughout Asia, eye diseases
This effort was initiated by the development of the Biopolis com- such as myopia and glaucoma common in Asian populations, devel-
plex within the Agency for Science, Technology and Research opmental control of the metabolic syndrome as represented in Asian
(A*STAR). The Biopolis colocates both publicly-funded research insti- populations, severe mental disorders relevant to Asia, and dengue
tutes and private sector R&D organisations, and is home to 2,000 fever. Each takes advantage of unique patient populations represent-
research scientists. The Biopolis has attracted leading basic academic ed in Singapore.
scientists from around the world to Singapore and established Third is an investment in the infrastructure needed to support the
Singapore as a leading site in Asia for biomedical research. A*STAR TCR effort across Singapore. This includes the formation of two aca-
has also developed a training programme for the next generation of demic medical centres (AMC) that bring together large hospitals and
Singapore basic scientists and more than 500 outstanding young their companion medical schools (NUH and NUS or Duke-NUS
Singaporeans are receiving PhD training in biomedical research insti- graduate medical school and SGH), creation of an investigational
tutions around the world. This effort has been an unqualified success medicine unit at each AMC, creation of a national imaging centre ded-
and it has served to jump-start the biomedical research programmes icated to clinical research, and the formation of a national clinical tri-
across Singapore. als network that brings all the public medical healthcare delivery sys-
In conjunction with the launch of the Biopolis initiative, Singapore tems together under one umbrella organisation. This TCR strategy
undertook a vigorous effort to enhance the scope and quality of the takes advantage of Singapore’s diverse population consisting of eth-
basic research programmes in its two major universities, ie National nic Chinese, Malay and Indians; a stable population cared for by a sin-
University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University. gle public health system that enables identification and long-term
This effort has led to the transition of these two institutions into tracking of individuals with given health problems; and a strong capa-
strong research universities in a very short period of time and both bility to conduct in depth investigational medicine and early in-man
are now recognised as leading research universities in Asia. Major clinical trials. Although a small country, Singapore’s TCR effort takes
new programmes have been developed in areas such as cancer biol- advantage of its excellent medical delivery system and diverse popu-
ogy through the Research Centers of Excellence funded by the lation which is reflective of the much larger populations across
National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Ministry of Education. Southeast Asia to enable in-depth research led by a strong cadre of
As a consequence of these investments both institutions now host basic and clinical scientists with a focus on preclinical, investigational
internationally-recognised research scientists and they are training medicine, and early in-man clinical trials.
excellent PhD scientists locally. Through these combined and complementary efforts, Singapore
In 2005, the Singapore Government launched the second phase of has developed in a short period of time a biomedical ecosystem that
its biomedical sciences initiative with the development of a national spans basic, translational and clinical research. In the past few months
Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) programme jointly funded Singapore has launched a new initiative to bring all the component
by the Ministry of Health, A*STAR and NRF. This effort has centred parts together in a consortium that facilitates access to the various
on three strategic initiatives. components by external entities such as pharmaceutical, biotechnol-
First is a series of programmes aimed at developing the human ogy and device companies. As the private sector moves to outsource
capital needed to support a robust TCR effort. While still in the early more of its research effort to capture the expertise in the public sec-
stages, this effort has recruited a number of outstanding clinician sci- tor and thereby strengthen its pipeline of new drugs and devices, the
entists from abroad through the Singapore Translational Research Singapore biomedical sciences ecosystem is organising internally to
Investigator Award open to international competition and through a establish itself as a preferred site for this type of new public-private
companion programme, the Clinician Scientist Award, to support cli- partnership. While still a work in progress, this initiative has seen
nician scientists from Singapore. These programmes and the com- interest from large multinational pharmaceutical companies to locate
panion MD/PhD programmes are on a trajectory to produce a criti- translational medicine hubs in Singapore.
Drug Discovery World Winter 2009/10 85
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88