News

Year in Review 2024: Building strong foundations through learning and engagement

6 December 2024

This has been a momentous year for CRIS and our programmes. Join us as we look at the key highlights in 2024 in building strong foundations through learning and engagement.

Driving precision medicine forward: PRECISE showcases Singapore's genomic leadership at Europe Biobank Week 2024

A conference: speakers sitting and standing in front of an audience; group standing for a photo near a Hofburg Vienna sign.

PRECISE showcased Singapore's National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme at the Europe Biobank Week 2024 in Vienna, held from 14–17 May. The presentation highlighted how NPM is bridging gaps in Asian health research, with a focus on translating findings from Singapore’s ancestrally diverse population into clinical settings, such as through the pre-emptive pharmacogenomics clinical implementation pilot.

This year’s event, themed "Strengthening Biobanks and Biorepositories: Collaborative Approaches for a Sustainable Future," fostered dialogue on precision medicine, biobanking, artificial intelligence, and ethics. Several sessions focused on the integration of ethics and AI, emphasising patient partnerships to enhance translational outcomes.

By participating in this global forum, PRECISE underlined Singapore's leadership in genomics research and precision healthcare. Their efforts, alongside international collaborations, are poised to improve patient outcomes and contribute to economic growth through innovation and strategic partnerships.

SCRI recognises outstanding Clinical Research Coordinators

In January 2024, SCRI recognised nine outstanding Clinical Research Coordinators (CRC) for the Distinguished Contributor Award 2023, from across the public healthcare clusters.

The award recognises the significant and steady contributions of CRCs who form the bedrock of Singapore’s clinical research ecosystem.

The recipient of the Distinction award was Geraldine Lim, Manager of the Clinical Trials and Research Unit at Changi General Hospital. Together with her team, she successfully supported over 100 research studies in areas such as drug efficacy, medical devices, and observational research to enhance patient care. She has been instrumental in a significant research study on primary aldosteronism, a treatable form of hypertension, led by Clinical Assistant Professor Troy Puar since 2016. Her contributions included conceptualising the study framework and overcoming operational challenges, which culminated in the launch of clinical tests at the Shimadzu-CGH Clinomics Centre in February 2023.

View the award winners here (opens in new tab).

Read the inspiring article (opens in new tab) by Qasrina Lim, one of the recipients of this year’s SCRI Distinguished Contributor Award for CRCs.

Advancing cell therapy: ACTRIS CliniMACS prodigy© workshop empowers researchers in GMP manufacturing and innovation

A group of people stand in front of an ACTRIS sign, and individuals give presentations and work in lab settings.

In April 2024, ACTRIS CliniMACS Prodigy© workshop, jointly organised with Miltenyi Biotec, brought together a diverse group of researchers, biotech manufacturing experts, and graduate students specialising in cell therapy research, stem cell biology, and GMP-compliant cell manufacturing. Participants gained hands-on experience and deep insights into the Adherent Cell Culture (ACC) process, learning how these systems enable the culture and expansion of stem cells within a GMP-compliant setting.

The interactive session allowed participants to explore the system and customise modular applications, fostering a collaborative and innovative learning environment.

Through these training initiatives, ACTRIS aims to equip the local cell therapy workforce with the skills and knowledge needed to leverage new technologies for targeted therapeutic interventions. The goal is to build a strong community of experts in cell and gene therapy, driving future innovations to improve patient outcomes.

View workshop highlights here (opens in new tab).

SCRI launched an inaugural Clinical Research Coordinator internship programme: Shaping future leaders in clinical trials

A group photo of people in a modern office with glass walls and two presentations involving three individuals in an office setting.

In March 2024, SCRI launched its new Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) Internship Programme, welcoming 22 interns from Nanyang Technological University, Nanyang Polytechnic, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

Throughout the internship, the students will gain hands-on experience at various hospitals, including National University Hospital and Singapore General Hospital, where they will assist with clinical trials, interact with patients, and learn from senior CRCs. This programme aims to equip students with the skills and knowledge to build a career in clinical research and contribute to the future of healthcare.

Getting to the heart of the main drivers of cardiovascular risk amongst the Singaporean population

Four seated speakers, three men and one woman, on a discussion panel with a Novartis Foundation backdrop.

Photo credit: Jonathan Heisler for Foreign Policy

On 24 September 2024, CADENCE participated at the event hosted on the sidelines of the 79^th United National General Assembly (UNGA) by Novartis Foundation and Foreign Policy. They presented on Singapore’s participation in the AI4HealthyCities research study helmed by the Novartis Foundation. The Singapore study specifically examined the influence of social determinants of health (SDoH) on cardiovascular health and disease outcomes among the local population.

CADENCE is proud to be involved in this study and is eager to leverage these research insights on cardiovascular health. The aim is to establish a regional blueprint that enables Singapore and other countries to make informed decisions on targeting health resources toward effective interventions that can improve population health in the future.

Find out more here (opens in new tab).

SCRI and CADENCE signed MOU with Clinical Research Malaysia

Several individuals in business attire hold documents and pose in front of a screen displaying "Memorandum of Understanding."

On 30 July 2024, SCRI and CADENCE signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Clinical Research Malaysia to deepen the understanding of the healthcare and research landscape in Singapore and Malaysia and identify potential collaborations to strengthen the clinical research capabilities.

The partnership aims to explore clinical trial opportunities to facilitate clinical research projects between institutions in both countries. This includes establishing initiatives aimed at promoting and enabling knowledge exchange, innovation, and training to improve the quality of research here and in the region.

PRECISE supported Science Centre to organise a DNA workshop for students

Students in lab coats are conducting experiments and analyzing samples in two classroom settings.

On 31 May 2024, PRECISE supported Science Centre Singapore on a DNA workshop for over 120 students, aimed at educating and inspiring the next generation of precision medicine experts.

Students from Jurong-Pioneer Junior College had the exciting opportunity to extract their own DNA to conduct a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test if they had the bitter taste receptor gene and which imparts the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC). This immersive experience not only sparked their curiosity but also provided a practical understanding of the science behind genomics and a prelude to understanding precision medicine.

This workshop is part of PRECISE's ongoing commitment to build a robust workforce for the future of precision medicine.

Find out more here (opens in new tab).

Empowering healthtech innovation: NHIC workshops to advance clinical innovation to business growth

People are speaking at presentations and meetings, holding microphones, documents, and surrounded by screens and audience.

In line with its commitment to advance the innovation, commercialisation, and adoption of new technologies into clinical practice, NHIC conducted a series of workshops for innovators from public healthcare institutions, academic medical schools, healthcare professionals, and community partners.

These workshops covered vital topics, including IP frameworks for healthtech assets, business model, process development, regulatory considerations and go-to-market strategies. Through these sessions, NHIC equipped participants with the expertise and resources needed to navigate the journey from ideation to market. NHIC continues to work with the public healthcare clusters to support high-potential projects toward market readiness and clinical deployment.

The participants left the workshops with valuable takeaways and strategies to implement in their own projects and ventures.

Check out highlights from the workshops here (1 (opens in new tab)), (2 (opens in new tab)) and (3 (opens in new tab)).