15 August 2007

A*STAR, NUS and Siemens establish new Clinical Imaging Research Centre

Biomedical researchers can now look forward to accessing state-of-the-art imaging tools with the establishment of the Clinical Imaging Research Centre (CIRC) in NUS. This is a joint collaboration between the University, A*STAR and Siemens Medical Solutions.

The centre will be one of the first research sites in the world to use the Siemens’ MR-PET system, a hybrid imaging technology which combined magnetic resonance (MR) with positron emission tomography (PET). It can simultaneously locate diseases accurately and identify underlying molecular causes, aiding researchers in the development of new drugs. The system is currently in the prototype stage, and is expected to be ready by next year.

IMAGING RESEARCH: (From left) Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR; Prof John Wong, Dean, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Vice President (Research/Life Sciences), NUS; Prof Sir George Radda, Chairman, Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, A*STAR; Mr Michael Reitermann, President, Molecular Imaging, Siemens Medical Solutions, at the press conference.

Prof Sir George Radda, Chairman of Singapore Bioimaging Consortium of A*STAR, who is heading the CIRC management committee said: "The CIRC catalyses scientific and medical advances and stimulate industry growth by putting very powerful capabilities into the hands of biomedical and clinical investigators from both the private and public sector. Clinical imaging holds major potential benefit to patients."

The CIRC aims to be a focal point for the development and testing of new imaging methods, and serves as a training centre for postgraduate students in clinical imaging, as well as to provide a shared resource for human imaging research across Singapore.

Prof John Wong, Dean of the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine and Vice President (Research/Life Sciences) at NUS, said there is a high demand for clinical use of imaging tools in hospital, but the CIRC will be able to provide researchers with imaging tools dedicated solely for research.  

The CIRC will be jointly funded by A*STAR and NUS, while Siemens will set up a research foundation grant of
US$2.5 million over five years to support translational medical research efforts at the centre. The centre will establish four medical teams, each led by a principal investigator from NUS and A*STAR, to focus on research of key disease areas of particular relevance to Singapore such as cancer, neurodegenerative disorders and other diseases.

BIOIMAGING: A molecular imaging of an acoustic nerve using Siemens technology.

The CIRC will be housed temporarily in the NUS Centre for Life Sciences Building. It will move to a new building at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine between 2009 and 2010. The strategic location with its close proximity to NUH and research institutes will allow "convergence of disciplines" in NUS and across Singapore.

Said Prof John Wong: "As a comprehensive university with significant expertise and interest in the Life Sciences, developing novel ways to image the human body will mobilise talent across many faculties and schools, particularly in Engineering, Science, Medicine, Computer Science, and Dentistry.

"We will be working closely with the National University Hospital and NUS Enterprise to develop even more strategic relationships with research and industry partners to translate discoveries into medical applications that will benefit Singaporeans and the rest of the world."