Mr S Iswaran at the Official Inauguration of the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN)

Speech by Mr S Iswaran, Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry at the Official Inauguration of the Singapore Immunology Network (SIgN) and launch of the Singapore Society of Immunology, 15 January 2008, 9am

Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman A*STAR,

Your Excellency,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

A very good morning to you.

It is my pleasure to be able to join you on this occasion marking the official inauguration of the Singapore Immunology Network or SIgN and the launch of the Singaporean Society of Immunology. These two events are significant milestones in Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences (BMS) initiative, which was launched in 2000 as part of our efforts to transform Singapore into a knowledge-based economy.

The National Survey of R&D published last month by A*STAR noted that Singapore’s total R&D expenditure has increased from S$3 billion in 2000 to S$5 billion in 2006 – an increase of 67%. The private sector share of R&D has also increased from 62% in 2000 to 67% in 2006. These results are very encouraging and confirm that we are on track to achieve our target of increasing total R&D spending in Singapore to 3% of our GDP by 2010.

The biomedical sciences sector, in particular, has grown markedly.BMS manufacturing output more than trebled from S$6.3 billion in 2000 to S$23 billion in 2006.R&D expenditure in BMS manufacturing has grown from S$84 million in 2000 to S$293 million in 2006. From a zero base in 2000, there are now over 25 biotech companies that have set up research centres in Singapore.

Having established a critical mass of key basic research capabilities at Biopolis, A*STAR, together with the Ministry of Health, initiated Phase 2 of our BMS initiative in 2006. A key focus of Phase 2 is the strengthening of Translational and Clinical research (TCR) capabilities that will help to translate basic science discoveries and new technologies into better diagnostics, medicines and treatments to improve patient health.

Immunology – strategic area for TCR

Immunology was identified by A*STAR as a strategic research area to support Singapore’s TCR efforts, given the key role of the immune system in the major causes of illness and death such as infectious disease, cancer, diabetes and auto-immune diseases. Many of the world’s most promising future medical treatments - such as stem cell therapy and anti-cancer drugs – will also make use of the immune system or its products.

The Singapore Immunology Network, or SIgN, was thus set up to develop and strengthen Singapore’s capabilities in immunology R&D.We are very fortunate to have Prof Philippe Kourilsky, the former Director General of the Pasteur Institute, to help A*STAR set up SIgN and to lead it as its inaugural Chairman.SIgN aims to buildcore capabilities in immunology-related research, coordinate basic, translational and clinical research activities related to immunology, and expand Singapore’s scope in immunology research to raise our profile and standing within the international research community.

SIgN will focus on three intramural research programmes that are closely linked to international collaborators as well as clinical partners in local hospitals:

Firstly, the Cancer Immunology Program at SIgN looks at how tumours evade the immune system and how doctors could harness the power of the immune system to combat and cure cancers. SIgN researchers such as Drs Subhra Biswas and Jean-Pierre Abastado have active collaborations with Dr Toh Han Chong at the National Cancer Center (NCC) to examine the immune signatures associated with various tumours frequently encountered in the Singaporean population.

The Immune Regulation and Disorder Program, headed by SIgN Executive Director, Dr Lam Kong Peng, has active collaboration with both SGH and NUH to study genes and conditions that lead to autoimmunity and immunodeficiency in humans. Some examples of the autoimmune diseases studied by SIgN include Type 1 diabetes, lupus, multiple sclerosis and Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome. Together with Prof Yap Hui Kim at NUH Department of Pediatrics, SIgN aims to identify the immune component contributing to Minimal Change Nephrotic Syndrome.This programme also has international collaborations with Prof Christopher Goodnow at the AustralianNationalUniversity as well as the RIKENCenter for Allergy and Immunology in Japan.

The third program on Infectious Diseases looks at research into the immunology of infectious diseases to better understand the disease mechanisms. SIgN will be studying infectious diseases that are emerging and re-emerging in the region. Dr Laurent Renia of SIgN has built an international network of researchers in Malaria research and I understand that a major scientific symposium on Malaria will be held in Singapore at the end of the month.Dr Lisa Ng of SIgN is also working with the Environmental Health Institute of NEA as well as MOH, to develop detection kits for mosquito-borne diseases, while Dr Ren Ee Chee has collaborations with the research institutes under A*STAR’s Science and Engineering Research Council and Tan Tock Seng hospital to model human responses to pathogens.Last but not least, SIgN Scientific Director Prof Paola Castagnoli is studying host response to tuberculosis.

SIgN will also be embarking on research in System Immunology to study the functions of the immune system as a whole rather than just focus on individual components.It will leverage on the expertise already developed in Biopolis and will work closely with other A*STAR research institutes for better integration of biomedical sciences research capabilities.

In addition to this core group of intramural programs based in Biopolis, SIgN also provides funding for immunology research undertaken by laboratories in the local hospitals and universities.These grants aim to support collaborations between scientists working towards common goals in immunology. The first SIgN grant call was conducted in 2006 and six projects were awarded a total of S$5.3 million. The second grant call took place in 2007 and SIgN will be awarding another $4 million of funding to these extramural researchers.

Immunology – of major interest to biomedical industry

All this research activity in immunology is of great interest to the bio-pharmaceutical industry.The global vaccine market, which is currently worth about US$9 billion, is estimated to grow to as much as US$42 billion by 2015.It is also projected that the cancer vaccine market will grow from its current size of US$481 million to more than US$8 billion by 2012.Cancer immunotherapy and other immune-system based treatments for conditions such as autoimmune disorders are also of considerable interest to bio-pharma manufacturers.

SIgN welcomes partnerships with pharmaceutical companies in the evaluation of vaccine and adjuvant candidates, and the development of antibody based products against cancer, as well as diagnostic kits for infectious diseases.Harnessing SIgN’s research capabilities, together with the expertise of other A*STAR research institutes in areas such as genomics, molecular and cell biology, and bioprocessing technology, we hope to further attract pharmaceutical companies to anchor their R&D activities as well as their manufacturing base in Singapore. By positioning Singapore as an optimal base for R&D, we create greater value for pharmaceutical companies who are willing to invest here.

Immunology - pool of talent needed

However, to realize these potential benefits, a strong pool of talent is needed.A community of scientists and clinicians, linked by a common objective to unravel the complexities of the immune system and to translate that knowledge into the means to prevent or treat immune-related diseases, is essential.

I am pleased to know that SIgN has already forged a team of some 80 researchers ranging from very distinguished immunologists like Professor Paola Castagnolito younger members of the team like physics-teacher turned immunologist, Dr Andy Tan, who is also an A*STAR scholar.

SIgN has also catalysed the formation of the Singaporean Society of Immunology or SSI, which celebrates its official launch today. SSI will provide the means and opportunity to bring together all immunologists in Singapore to interact, share and learn from each other. In this way, SSI will help to foster collaborations amongst the immunology research groups in Singapore, as well as to enable them to network with overseas researchers working in related areas.To foster such interactions as well as to encourage up and coming young scientists to take up immunology research, SSI has undertaken to organize an annual immunology conference here in Singapore.I am happy to hear that the first International Singapore Immunology Conference is underway, and has attracted more than 400 participants, as well as a number of very distinguished overseas speakers.

Conclusion

Immunology will play a critical role in bringing research from the bench to the bedside of patients who need new cures and vaccines to treat and prevent serious diseases. It will also contribute to Singapore’s economic growth by attracting interest and investment from the biopharmaceutical industry.

SIgN’s opening marks a key milestone in Singapore’s BMS efforts and I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Singapore Immunology Network and the Society for Immunology every success for the future.

Thank you.