Mr Lee Yi Shyan at the 2nd International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering, 2 August 2010

Speech by Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister of State for Trade & Industry and Manpower at the 2nd International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering on Monday, 2 Aug 2010, 10.30am at NTU

Dr Su Guaning,

President, Nanyang Technological University,

Professor Ching CB
Chair, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering,

Nanyang Technological University
Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning. Thank you for inviting me to join you for the opening of the 2nd International Conference on Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering. It gives me great pleasure to address this eminent gathering of renowned scientists, researchers, engineers and scholars from around the world.

Rapid urbanisation, ageing population and rising affluence around the world have given rise to new demand for biomedical solutions. Recent improvement in healthcare has significantly advanced the early detection and diagnosis of diseases. This is made possible by progress in genetics, and molecular and biological sciences. New engineering approaches and improved technologies have also enhanced our understanding of biomedical issues.

Singapore has now become a leading international bio-cluster in Asia, within a decade of focused effort to develop the biomedical sciences sector by building up industrial capital, intellectual capital and human capital. From the year 2005, Singapore started to build up core capabilities and infrastructure in translational and clinical research.

Today, we have an integrated research network that include the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), the academic medical centers that co-locate with public hospitals, medical schools and universities. Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies can tap this network to carry out translational and clinical research to improve drug development. In January this year, Roche announced its decision to set up a Hub for Translational Medicine with Singapore’s research and medical institutes. More than 4,300 researchers now carry out biomedical research in both the private and public sectors in Singapore.

In terms of capacity building, we are also growing our base of medical device innovators to better address Asia’s unmet healthcare needs. Economic Development Board has launched the Medtech IDEAS programme in April this year to provide training places to groom multi-disciplinary engineers needed for the industry. A*STAR has also collaborated with Boston-based Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology which identify problems for engineers and researchers to look at developing solutions.

Our home-grown institutions are also getting a piece of the action. Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, for instance, has won global recognition for its development of the Micro Kit. Micro kit is a portable gene diagnosis device which enables the rapid detection of infectious diseases such as SARS, HIV and Hepatitis B. Going forward, we would need to further encourage such activities as we strive to be a vibrant hub for knowledge creation, innovation and commercialization.

Singapore’s commitment to research and innovation has drawn leading global scientists and clinician-scientists here. Today, Singapore is a leading site in Asia that draws global and regional talent to collaborate and exchange new ideas.

Singapore’s universities, two of which are ranked among the best in the world, provide a rich pool of research talent. Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has one of the largest Engineering colleges in the world, and a new School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, which hosts the departments of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Bioengineering. Hence, NTU is well positioned to continue to attract and nurture talent for the bioengineering field.

Just as we approach biomedical sciences in a multi-disciplinary way, this conference will provide a good platform for the cross-fertilization of expertise between academia and the industry. On this note, I wish you all many hours of fruitful discussions ahead. Thank you.