Of the more than 1.5 million patients our polyclinics see each year, there is an increasing number of elderly

patients. They now account for up to 30 per cent of patients who visit our polyclinics and 50 per cent of SingHealth’s total patient visit.

The surge in this patient demography motivated SingHealth Polyclinics to implement a series of age-friendly features to improve patient’s experience. The transformation began at the Geylang Polyclinic which reopened in May last year, followed by Tampines Polyclinic which reopened last November.

Construction was going to take up to five months, so the plan began with building a temporary clinic next to Geylang Polyclinic to handle the patient load.

Geylang and Tampines Polyclinics underwent major renovations incorporating the SingHealth Age-Friendly Infrastructure Design Guide’s 10-Point Plan - with the objective of giving their elderly patients a safer and more pleasant experience.

The 10-Point Plan identifies ten interaction points in patients’ visit and provides guidelines to ensure optimal comfort and age-sensitivity.

Staff of the two polyclinics were actively involved in the planning of the new features, giving their feedback on what should be improved. Prototypes were also built on their initiative and tested for their effectiveness before they were implemented. Key features that have been adopted by the two polyclinics included ramps and low counters at service areas for wheelchair access, handrails along main corridors, large visual guides and bigger font sizes on signages, intuitive layout and organisation of rooms, and wider door-less entry to toilets.

Gladys Yap, Assistant Manager of Clinic Operations at Geylang Polyclinic, who was actively involved in the redevelopment project said that the refreshed polyclinic includes the addition of more glass panels to bring in natural light. As a result, the refreshed polyclinic looks brighter and more spacious.

“Our patients have told us that they love the open concept,” she says. “We tried to look at every detail, even creating a green enclave to enhance the healing environment.” Accessibility at the Tampines Polyclinic was also greatly improved. Markus Ng, Assistant Manager of Clinic Operations at the Polyclinic said, “We have created an enhanced ambience with expanded areas for patients to wait and move around the polyclinic in cool comfort. The new configuration and layout provides easier access for patients and improves operational efficiency.”

A publicAtion of the SingheAlth AcAdemic heAlthcAre cluSter

the voice of AcAdemic medicine

medicinetomorrow’S

iSSue 5, jAnuAry 2014

Building up to age-friendlinessPolyclinics at Geylang and Tampines make elderly patients’ visits safer and more comfortable

MICA (P) 143/07/2013

A research team led by Professor Teh Bin Tean, Professor Patrick Tan and Associate Professor Steven Rozen

from NCCS and Duke-NUS has conducted the first successful comprehensive genomic study of bile duct cancer. The study was done with collaborators in Thailand and Romania.

The team uncovered several genes frequently mutated in the cancer, some of which had not been implicated in bile duct cancer before. The team’s findings have clinical implications as they also suggest that the same cancer type from different parts of the world may require different treatment.

Published in Nature Genetics, the ground-breaking work has caught the attention of major research conglomerate, the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC), which invited the researchers to join its network. The ICGC, similar to the Human Genome Project, aims to map the entire genome of the 50 most significant cancers.

While the consortium has seen participation from researchers based in the US, EU, Japan and China, this is the first time Singapore has been invited to such a large-scale project.

With access to the resource-rich ICGC network, the Singapore team is looking to tap on a wider base of samples to characterise the mutational landscape of bile duct cancers from different parts of the world. As the ICGC also provides a standardised platform for comparisons across multiple cancer types, the team is confident that their research will be taken to the next level.

Prof Tan said, “Being associated with the ICGC gives us a degree of firepower that is beyond the scope of one place. In this age of big data, we now have access to samples and expertise that will allow us to reach new and more robust conclusions.”

So far, the team has sequenced one per cent of the bile duct cancer genome, with another 99 per cent to go in the quest towards unravelling the ways in which this cancer works.

Geylang and Tampines Polyclinics underwent major renovations with the objective of giving their elderly patients a safe and pleasant experience.

Continued on page 3

NCCS and Duke-NUS researchers join the big league

SingHealtH ReSeaRcH gRant calendaR 2014

inSide

Being associated with the ICGC gives us a degree of firepower that isbeyond the scope of one place.

– Prof Patrick Tan, Cancer & Stem Cell Biology Program, Duke-NUS

The SingHealth 10-Point Plan guides the development of age-friendly features at 10 interaction points during a patient’s visit

Enhanced features for elderly patients include eye-catching handrails with better grip and allocated seats in waiting areas

1. approach & access to

Building2. Drop-off

Point

3. entrance

4. Main directory/

clarity Wall

5. Registration/

Payment counters

6. consultation

Room/Waiting area

7. consultation

Rooms

8. Pharmacy counters

9. common areas

10. at exit

b. a&e

a. inpatient

With a rapidly ageing population and the rising burden of chronic diseases, the healthcare needs of today’s patients are changing. In turn, hospitals are challenged to make

the move from a hospital-based or organisation-centric model to one that puts patients right at the centre.

Our current system is focused on being a hospital, and we do a decent job. However, to service our patients and their changing needs better, we have to reorganise the system from their perspective – to see what is logical for the patient.

Some indicators that change is needed? Currently, patients have to undergo multiple time-consuming queues from registration to appointment to medication collection. Until recently, wheelchairs could not be shared across the different institutions. Thankfully, the latter system has since been improved to allow patients to borrow and return wheelchairs across the entire campus.

There is nothing worse than seeing an angry, frustrated patient – it is not a nice feeling. When patients benefit from a seamless process, the whole working environment improves.

Making the shift towards a more patient-centred model of care will thus ensure our patients experience a smoother and more seamless journey.

The integrated SGH LIFE Centre for lifestyle-related conditions, the future NCCS Proton Therapy Centre and the SGH Transplant Centre are examples where healthcare professionals from multiple disciplines are mobilised to where the patient is, providing greater convenience and more personalised care. They show how we can better work to transform our patients’ experience.

To further enhance this experience, there is the need for a new category of jobs – patient navigators – whose aim is to help patients navigate the system through the entire care continuum.

Especially beneficial to patients with multiple conditions as well as the elderly age group, patient navigators will ensure these patients have someone to take care of them at every stage of their journey with us.

Leveraging on IT will also be an important component. For example, clinical documentation will be shared across different clinical settings and between different healthcare providers. This will enable clinicians to gain a complete health report of every patient and help to standardise care.

For patients with multiple doctors, this could mean less unnecessary blood tests and a lower risk of drug duplication.

Eventually, patient-centricity is a vision that is worth replicating on a national scale. This transformation is an ongoing journey and no matter which part of the care spectrum we are from, our objectives fit together in patient-centred care.

Of course, our staff will be the key factor in making our vision work. When we think about changing processes, they are the first thing that comes to mind because we can only be a world-class model with the help of all our staff.

TOmOrrOW’S mEDiCiNE - ISSUE 5, JANUARY 2014PAGE 2

EDiTOrS-iN-CHiEfTan-Huang Shuo MeiAudrey Lau

EDiTOrSJennifer WeeArthur WongStephanie Jade

JOiNT EDiTOriAl TEAmGoh Sai Luan (SGH) sub-editorIchha Oberoi (KKH) sub-editorEric Lim Wei (SHP) sub-editorEdwin Yong (NCCS)Caroline Chia (NDCS)Jessica Koh (NHCS)Christina Valerie Wee (NNI)Dr Thiyagarajan Jayabaskar (SNEC)Wee Lai Ming (Duke-NUS)

DESiGNRedstone Communications

COPyWriTiNGHedgehog Communications

JANUARY 2014

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without the written permission of SingHealth and the publisher. The views and opinions expressed or implied in the publication are those of the authors or contributors and do not necessarily reflect those of SingHealth and the publisher. Whilst due care has been exercised, both SingHealth and the publisher do not accept responsibility for errors in advertisements or articles, unsolicited manuscripts, photographers or illustrations. Tomorrow’s Medicine reserves the right to edit all materials submitted for publication. While contributors will be given the opportunity to comment on articles for factual accuracy, this policy is about ensuring a consistent and clear writing style throughout.

members of the SingHealth Academic Healthcare Cluster

Singapore General Hospital (SGH)KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH)

National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS)National Dental Centre Singapore (NDCS)National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS)

National Neuroscience Institute (NNI)Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC)

SingHealth Polyclinics (SHP)Bright Vision Hospital (BVH)

Sengkang Health (SKH)

Partner in Academic medicineDuke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore

(Duke-NUS)

By Prof fong Kok yong Group Director, Medical, SingHealthChairman, Medical Board, SGHSenior Consultant, Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, SGH

There is nothing worse than seeing an angry, frustrated patient – it is not a nice feeling. When patients benefit from a seamless process, the whole working environment improves.

A truly patient-centred care model

Nurses at SNEC are now given clear pathways to progress and fulfil a number of new roles, especially

with the formation of the Ophthalmology Academic Clinical Program.

“We are building our training capabilities, identifying nurses who have passion in teaching and recruiting members of faculty to develop curricula and new educational programmes. This allows us to keep pace with the evolving healthcare landscape to provide seamless, standardised eye care across the nation,” said Ms Low Siew Ngim, Director of Nursing at SNEC.

To support their advancement, SNEC will start recruiting ophthalmic assistants in 2014, allowing nurses to fulfil more clinical roles.

Ms Low said, “Ophthalmic assistants will help to offload routine tasks from nurses, freeing their time to focus more on patient education and counselling as well as support their advancement as nurse educators or nurse researchers.”

Already, nurses perform significant roles in public healthcare education, outreach humanitarian surgical programmes and research projects. For example, SNEC nurses have been working closely with the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) to conduct a cost utility study of glaucoma patients.

Operating theatre nurses are also currently involved in a study that compares the efficacy of hand washing versus alcohol rub.

Notably, Ms Low Huey Peng, an Assistant Director of Nursing at SNEC, was recently appointed as sub-editor of the International Journal of Ophthalmic Practice, opening the

doors for SNEC nurses to make valuable contributions to an International journal and support the educational needs of the ophthalmic nursing fraternity.*

Pushing the ACP nursing development, Ms Aw Ai Tee, also Assistant Director of Nursing at SNEC, has been meticulously researching the state of ophthalmic nurse training programmes around the world.

Her findings will help the centre plug the gaps and position SNEC as a centre of training excellence. SNEC’s recent collaboration with the Agency of Integrated Care to conduct eye care training programmes for their staff further paves the way in this direction.

Topping it all off is Ms Low’s recent appointment as a council member of the International Ophthalmology Nursing Association. She feels that her appointment will further collaborations and benchmark best practices in Ophthalmic nursing practices among the world’s best.

Ms Low shared that she intends to bring the association’s high-profile conference to Singapore within the next two years.

“This will set the stage for nurses to share best practices with one another. Rather than reinvent the wheel, open-platform sharing and collaborations will accelerate our mutual progress towards better patient care.”

SNEC nurses take the academic stageOphthalmic nurses have much to share in transforming care on an international scale

We are building our training capabilities, identifying nurses who have passion in teaching

and recruiting members of Faculty to develop curricula and new educational programmes.– Ms Low Siew Ngim, Director of Nursing, SNEC

*”Singapore National Eye Centre: an ophthalmic nursing journey” was published in the International Journal of Ophthalmic Practice 4(5): Oct 2013

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SiNGHEAlTH GrANT CAlENDAr 2014

Dr Andrea Kwa (right), a pharmacy clinician scientist and Assistant Director, Health Services Related

Research Unit, Singapore General Hospital, broke new ground by becoming the first allied health professional to clinch a National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Transition Award (TA) last year. But her drive for applying for a TA stemmed from the simple need for laboratory space.

“Laboratory space is precious, important and much sought after. I realise that the Transition and Clinician Scientist Awards are platforms that will help create visibility for my work so I can achieve my goal of gaining the much needed lab space that I want,” said Dr Kwa, who wants to tackle “the glaring and urgent gaps in the research landscape for infectious diseases”.

Building relationships in researchApplying for the TA was challenging for Dr Kwa. Her application was subjected to rigorous scrutiny; she needed to find

supportive mentors, hold a faculty position and have a PhD.

Her saviours were Professor John Rush, previous Vice Dean of Clinical Sciences, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, and Professor Wang Lin-fa, Director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases programme at Duke-NUS, who helped to facilitate her application by offering a faculty position and countless networking opportunities. Prof Wang also became her mentor.

“Being a researcher is all about building relationships. Researchers must know how to network, convince people of the value of their research and never give up,” Dr Kwa said. “And I will always be grateful to Professors Rush and Wang for the support they have provided.”

Progressing in researchAnother barrier Dr Kwa had to overcome was that people not involved in research often have misconceptions and unrealistic expectations about a clinical researcher’s ability to manage research and clinical practice concurrently.

Dr Kwa said that being patient when trying to convince people, including her bosses, of the value of her research, as well as showcasing her passion for saving lives through her work are strategies that enabled her to progress.

“People who usually succumb to infectious diseases are those who are already sick. I hope to first cure their acute illness so they have the option to go for further treatments for their existing illness,” said Dr Kwa.

Human factors in researchFrom her years of experience as a researcher, Dr Kwa recognises that to carry out meaningful research, you need an inquisitive mind and substantial clinical experience.

Her advice to budding researchers? “Keep your eyes, ears and mind open during your clinical work. Be reliable and trustworthy, think beyond boundaries and network.”

Dr Sng, whose research interests are in chronic pain management and obstetric anaesthesia, realised that

these setbacks contained valuable lessons and opportunities for growth. Here he shares what he has learnt.

How do you move on from a rejection?I think it is almost the same as failing a school examination! When the initial disappointment and sadness go away,

looking at the reviewers’ comments is often very useful to write the next ‘hopefully better’ proposal. I have personally found the pre-review of the grant proposal by clinical and quantitative reviewers especially helpful.

What fuels your passion for research? Clinical research is an extension of our bedside practice. It can improve clinical care and patient outcomes through a

better understanding of the disease process, its treatment, and the delivery of care.

How do you develop a hypothesis for your research? I think it is important to have an inquisitive mind to spot the gaps in knowledge in our clinical practice. At

SingHealth, we are fortunate to have the Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) research rounds. They provide an open platform for constructive criticism and specific feedback from research and quantitative experts to help sharpen our focus in developing a hypothesis.

What are the top three challenges in research and what have you learnt from them? 1. Finding the time and knowledge to perform meaningful research. Often

this involves sacrificing some family time and strict time management. I have found attending the Master’s of Clinical Investigation very helpful, especially for scientific and grant proposal writing.

2. Pitching the research question to be clinically meaningful and feasible. I prioritise those that could potentially have an impact on our understanding of the disease process or change clinical practice to benefit our patients.

3. Finding expert collaborators. Research is a team effort and it can be challenging to find like-minded collaborators who share your vision and are able to add value to the research. Joining the AMRI research rounds is a great way to find collaborators.

any words of advice for budding researchers? I think research is an integral part of our pursuit of Academic Medicine. For those who have an interest or are just starting

out, they may want to join the AMRI research rounds. The ‘incubator’ sessions are very educational. I always learn something new from the expert discussions and the invited speakers help me refine my knowledge.

With inspiration from grant recipients, key information on funding opportunities, timelines and research core platforms – all you need to get started on your research journey.

Means to an endResearch grant justification for lab space

Failure is the mother of success Before attaining an NMRC TA, Dr Sng Ban Leong (right), Consultant, Department of Women’s Anaesthesia and Women’s Pain Centre, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, had his fair share of rejections

Top 10 tips on writing a good grant proposalbrought to you by SingHealth Office of Research and AMRI

1. Start early – at least six months before the grant closing date – and get as many colleagues as possible to review your proposal frankly. Then plug the gaps. When in doubt, get help.

2. Talk to your collaborators early – be clear about who is going to do what.

3. When writing your proposal, be persuasive about why your study is important: Will it fill important gaps in science? Will it change clinical care? Just because it has never been done before in Singapore is not a good reason.

4. Include pilot data that provides the foundation and evidence for the hypothesis and methodology to boost your chances of getting it approved. Grants without good pilot data rarely get funding.

5. Make sure your proposal answers the following five points in the affirmative: Is the research feasible, interesting, novel, ethical and relevant?

6. Be specific about your study aims. State them as a primary aim (one only), secondary aims (multiple permitted) and exploratory aims (multiple permitted).

7. Make sure that the overall study strategy, design, methodology, conduct, data collection and analysis are well-reasoned and appropriate to accomplish the specific aims of the project.

8. Include a statistically testable hypothesis for each aim, supported by a well-defined outcome metric and analysis approach.

9. Calculate your sample size to give high probability of a conclusive outcome of the primary hypothesis. Support this with a statistical power analysis.

10. Outline your long term plans, i.e. after you get the initial funding of three years and complete the experiment, what do you intend to do and how can it be used to get larger grants.

lastly, don’t miss the deadline!

Grant CalendarSingHealth

2014

Researchers must know how to network, convince people of the value of their research and never give up.

I have personally found the pre-review

of the grant proposal by clinical and quantitative reviewers especially helpful.

By Karina Wong Jing-ya

By Karina Wong Jing-ya

Q

a

Q

a

Q

a

Q

a

Q

a

SiNGHEAlTH GrANT CAlENDAr 2014

For regular updates on new and upcoming grant calls, closing dates and other information, log on to http://research.singhealth.com.sg or look out for the weekly SingHealth OoR e-bulletin issued every Tuesday. For support with grant applications or to be added to our research mailing list, please contact us at 6576 7014/7013/7012 or email us at office.research@singhealth.com.sg. This calendar is accurate as of December 2013.

OoR disseminates information to institutional RdOs:(i) Upcoming grants

(ii) Requirements and deadlines for Pis’ proposals to undergo pre-review by

external parties†

deadline for Pis to submit project title & 300-word abstract

(through institutional RdO) to OoR/aMRi to identify external

reviewers†

deadline for Pis to submit full proposal (through institutional

RdO) to OoR/aMRi for pre-review by external parties†

institutional RdO receives pre-review feedback from

external reviewers†

(i) StaR/cSa/ta: deadline (12:00pm) for Pi to submit via ngager for Research director’s (host institution) & dean’s (duke-nUS) endorsement,

after which application is automatically submitted to nMRc

(ii) cS-iRg/cS-iRg-nig, HSR-cRg, ctg (iit): submit directly via ngager to nMRc

OoR disseminates information to institutional RdOs:(i) Upcoming grants

(ii) Requirements and deadlines for Pis’ proposals to undergo pre-review by external parties†

deadline for Pis to submit project title & 300-

word abstract (through institutional RdO) to OoR/aMRi to identify external

reviewers†

3Feb

24Feb†

31Mar†

17Apr†

2May

2Jun*

1Aug

25Aug†

11Aug

MOH/nMRcMaY gRant call

StaR, cSa, ta, cS-iRg/cS-iRg-nig, HSR-cRg, ctg (iit)

SingHealtH FOUndatiOnReSeaRcH gRant

Start-up, transition Project

gRant call OPenS

gRant call OPenS gRant call clOSeS

Tim

elin

e fo

r 201

4 G

rant

Cal

ls

† Pre-review is mandatory for CSA and TA submissions; optional for the rest* May and November grant call closing dates are estimates and subject to change ∞ IAF Category 2: NMRC will review the interest in this grant before having further grant calls

award closing Month(s) amount Funding (Years)

eligibility criteriacitizenship Research Focus investigator’s Research commitment

Singaporean (S), Permanent Resident (PR),

Foreigner (F)

Individual (I), Thematic (T), Cross-Institution

Collaboration (C-Inst)

MD, MBBS, BDS (SMC-registered)

PhD Scientists, other PhD Healthcare Professionals

Non-PhD Healthcare Professionals FTE/Faculty Appointment/Bond

natiOnal talent develOPMent

MO

H/NM

RC

NMRC Singapore Translational Research (STaR) Investigator Award Jun & Dec Salary support (≤$600K p.a.) + Research grant support (≤$5M) + Start-up fund ($500K) 3 - 5 S, PR, F I � �≥0.75 FTE in research in Singapore &

regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an AMC upon award

NMRC Clinician Scientist Award (CSA)(I) Investigator (INV)(II) Senior Investigator (SI)

Jun & Dec Salary support1 + Research grant support [ ≤$225K p.a. (INV) or ≤$350K p.a. (SI) ]

3 (INV)5 (SI)

S, PR, F(must be PR at point of

award)I � �2

≥0.5 FTE in research &regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an

AMC upon award

NMRC Transition Award (TA) Jun & Dec Salary support1 + Research grant support (≤$375K) 3

S, PR, F (must be PR at point of

award)I

�(must have scientific training at MSc/PhD

level)

�2≥0.5 FTE in research &

regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an AMC upon award

NMRC Clinician Investigator Salary Support Programme (CISSP) Jun & Dec Salary support for awardee(≤$300K p.a.)

Commensurate with existing active grant life S, PR I � 0.1 - 0.6 FTE in research

NMRC Research Training Fellowship Jun & Dec≤$500K

(inclusive of salary support & tuition fees for part/full-time MSc/PhD and/or overseas training)

2 (overseas training)2 - 3 (MSc)

4 (PhD)S, PR I � � �

Bond duration 1.5 - 5 years (local MSc/PhD)

0 - 7 years (overseas research attachment/MSc/PhD)

NMRC NUS Master of Clinical Investigation (MCI) Programme Mar NMRC scholarship 2 - 3 S, PR I � Bond duration 2.5 years

MOH Healthcare Research Scholarship Jun & Dec≤$500K & ≤$800K

(inclusive of salary support & tuition fees for local/overseas full-time PhD respectively)

4 S, PR I�

(final year BST & above)

Bond duration 5 years (local PhD)

7 years (overseas PhD)

Singapore NRF Fellowship Mar Research grant support (≤$3M) 5 S, PR, F I �

Oth

ers

ExxonMobil-NUS Research Fellowship Apr & Dec Salary support for awardee (≤$8K/mth) +Research consumables for mentor ($20K) 0.5 - 1 S, PR I � ≥0.6 FTE in research

ReSeaRcH gRantS

Sing

Healt

h Fo

unda

tion

SingHealth Foundation Research Grant (I) Start-up(II) Transition Project

Sep ≤$50K (Start-up)≤$150K (Transition Project) 2 S, PR, F I � � �

Duke

-NUS

Khoo Mentored Research Award (KMRA) Year-round ≤$300K 2 S, PR, F I � �≥0.3 FTE in research &

adjunct/regular-rank appointment with Duke-NUS upon award

Khoo Pilot Award Year-round ≤$30K 1 S, PR, F I � � Must hold AMRI membership & adjunct/regular-rank appointment with Duke-NUS upon award

Khoo Student Research Award (KSRA) Jun ≤$10K 1 S, PR, F I Mentor (PI) must be Duke-NUS adjunct/regular-rank member; Co-I must be Duke-NUS medical student

SingHealth/Duke-NUS Collaborative Funding Mar TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

MO

H/NM

RC/N

RF

MOH Communicable Diseases - Public Health Research Grant (CD-PHRG) Dec ≤$1M 3 S, PR, F I, T � � �

MOH Health Services Research Competitive Research Grant (HSR-CRG) Jun ≤$200K & ≤$1M (two categories) 2 S, PR, F I, T � � �

MOH Health Services Research New Investigator Grant (HSR-NIG) Dec ≤$100K 2 S, PR, F I, T � � �(min. Master’s degree)

MOH Industry Alignment Fund (IAF)(I) Category 1(II) Category 2

Year-round (Cat 1)Jan (Cat 2)

≤$500K; ≤$1M; ≤$1.5M (Cat 1: three subcategories)≤$3M (Cat 2)

2 (Cat 1)3 (Cat 2) S, PR, F I �3 �3

NMRC Clinician Scientist (CS)(I) CS-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG)(II) CS-IRG-New Investigator Grant (CS-IRG-NIG)

Jun & Dec ≤$1.5M (CS-IRG)≤$200K (CS-IRG-NIG)

3 (CS-IRG)2 (CS-IRG-NIG) S, PR, F I � �2

(I) NMRC Cooperative Basic Research Grant (CBRG)(II) CBRG-New Investigator Grant (CBRG-NIG) Dec ≤$1.5M (CBRG)

≤$200K (CBRG-NIG)3 (CBRG)

2 (CBRG-NIG) S, PR, F I, C-Inst �4 �

NMRC Bedside & Bench (B&B) Grant Oct ≤$2M (if basic Co-PI is not from A*STAR)≤$5M (if basic Co-PI is from A*STAR) 3 S, PR, F I, C-Inst �5 �5

NMRC Clinical Trials Grant (CTG) (I) Co-Development Scheme (Co-D)(II) Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT)

Year-round (Co-D)Jun & Dec (IIT)

≤$5M (Co-D)3≤$5M & ≤$2M (IIT: early & late phase) 3 S, PR, F T, C-Inst �

NRF Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Apr & Oct ≤$10M 5 S, PR, F I � � �

NRF Proof of Concept (POC) Grant Feb & Aug ≤$250K 1 S, PR, F I � � �

A*ST

AR BMRC-SERC Biomedical Engineering Programme (BEP)(I) Proof of Concept (POC)(II) Proof of Value (POV)

Jan ≤$500K (POC)≤$1.5M (POV)

1 - 1.5 (POC)1.5 - 2 (POV)

S, PR, F T, C-Inst � � �

Oth

ers

SATA CommHealth Research Grant Aug ≤$100K 1 S, PR T � � �

Singapore Heart Foundation Research Grant Dec ≤$60K & ≤$80K (two categories) 2 S, PR, F T � � �

Singapore Sports Science & Technology Research Grant (SSSTRG) Nov ≤$50K; ≤$100K; ≤$200K; ≤$400K(four categories) 1 - 4 S, PR, F T � �

Venerable Yen Pei-NKF Research Fund Mar ≤$150K 1 - 3 S, PR T � �

1 See NMRC website for salary support cap

3 Requires collaboration between clinical PI and industry partner

4 For clinically qualified applicants, such as MBBS/MD/BDS holders, exception will be made on a case-by-case basis, subject to NMRC approval

5 Requires collaboration between clinical PI and basic science PI

2 For non-clinically qualified applicants, such as PhD holders, exception will be made on a case-by-case basis, subject to NMRC approval

SiNGHEAlTH GrANT CAlENDAr 2014

For regular updates on new and upcoming grant calls, closing dates and other information, log on to http://research.singhealth.com.sg or look out for the weekly SingHealth OoR e-bulletin issued every Tuesday. For support with grant applications or to be added to our research mailing list, please contact us at 6576 7014/7013/7012 or email us at office.research@singhealth.com.sg. This calendar is accurate as of December 2013.

institutional RdO receives pre-review

feedback from external reviewers†

29Sep†

3Nov

1Dec*

a*StaR: agency for Science, technology and ResearchaMc: academic Medical centre aMRi: academic Medicine Research instituteB&B: Bedside & BenchBdS: Bachelor of dental Surgery BeP: Biomedical engineering ProgrammeBMRc: Biomedical Research councilBSt: Basic Specialist trainingcBRg: cooperative Basic Research grantcBRg-nig: cBRg-new investigator grantcd-PHRg: communicable diseases-Public Health Research grantciSSP: clinician investigator Salary Support Programmeco-d: co-development Schemeco-i: co-investigatorco-Pi: co-Principal investigatorcRP: competitive Research ProgrammecSa: clinician Scientist awardcS-iRg: clinician Scientist-individual Research grantcS-iRg-nig: cS-iRg-new investigator grantctg: clinical trials grantFte: Full-time equivalentHSR: Health Services ResearchHSR-cRg: HSR-competitive Research grantHSR-nig: HSR-new investigator grantiaF: industry alignment Fundiit: investigator-initiated trials

inv: investigator KMRa: Khoo Mentored Research awardKSRa: Khoo Student Research awardMBBS: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of SurgeryMci: Master of clinical investigationMd: doctor of MedicineMOH: Ministry of HealthMSc: Master of Sciencengager: nMRc grant application and grant evaluation for Research systemnMRc: national Medical Research councilnKF: national Kidney FoundationnRF: national Research FoundationnUS: national University of SingaporeOoR: Office of ResearchP.a.: Per annumPhd: doctor of PhilosophyPi: Principal investigatorPOc: Proof of conceptPOv: Proof of valueRDO: Research Development OfficeSata: Singapore anti-tuberculosis associationSeRc: Science and engineering Research council Si: Senior investigatorSMc: Singapore Medical councilSSStRg: Singapore Sports Science & technology Research grant StaR: Singapore translational Research ta: transition award

legend

22Sep

institutional RdOs’ internal deadline

MOH/nMRcnOveMBeR gRant call

StaR, cSa, ta, cS-iRg/cS-iRg-nig, cBRg/cBRg-nig, HSR-nig, cd-PHRg, ctg (iit), iaF cat 2∞

gRant call clOSeS

gRant call OPenS gRant call clOSeS

15Sep

deadline for Pis to submit full proposal (through institutional

RdO) to OoR/aMRi for pre-review by external parties†

award closing Month(s) amount Funding (Years)

eligibility criteriacitizenship Research Focus investigator’s Research commitment

Singaporean (S), Permanent Resident (PR),

Foreigner (F)

Individual (I), Thematic (T), Cross-Institution

Collaboration (C-Inst)

MD, MBBS, BDS (SMC-registered)

PhD Scientists, other PhD Healthcare Professionals

Non-PhD Healthcare Professionals FTE/Faculty Appointment/Bond

natiOnal talent develOPMent

MO

H/NM

RC

NMRC Singapore Translational Research (STaR) Investigator Award Jun & Dec Salary support (≤$600K p.a.) + Research grant support (≤$5M) + Start-up fund ($500K) 3 - 5 S, PR, F I � �≥0.75 FTE in research in Singapore &

regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an AMC upon award

NMRC Clinician Scientist Award (CSA)(I) Investigator (INV)(II) Senior Investigator (SI)

Jun & Dec Salary support1 + Research grant support [ ≤$225K p.a. (INV) or ≤$350K p.a. (SI) ]

3 (INV)5 (SI)

S, PR, F(must be PR at point of

award)I � �2

≥0.5 FTE in research &regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an

AMC upon award

NMRC Transition Award (TA) Jun & Dec Salary support1 + Research grant support (≤$375K) 3

S, PR, F (must be PR at point of

award)I

�(must have scientific training at MSc/PhD

level)

�2≥0.5 FTE in research &

regular-rank faculty/academic appointment at an AMC upon award

NMRC Clinician Investigator Salary Support Programme (CISSP) Jun & Dec Salary support for awardee(≤$300K p.a.)

Commensurate with existing active grant life S, PR I � 0.1 - 0.6 FTE in research

NMRC Research Training Fellowship Jun & Dec≤$500K

(inclusive of salary support & tuition fees for part/full-time MSc/PhD and/or overseas training)

2 (overseas training)2 - 3 (MSc)

4 (PhD)S, PR I � � �

Bond duration 1.5 - 5 years (local MSc/PhD)

0 - 7 years (overseas research attachment/MSc/PhD)

NMRC NUS Master of Clinical Investigation (MCI) Programme Mar NMRC scholarship 2 - 3 S, PR I � Bond duration 2.5 years

MOH Healthcare Research Scholarship Jun & Dec≤$500K & ≤$800K

(inclusive of salary support & tuition fees for local/overseas full-time PhD respectively)

4 S, PR I�

(final year BST & above)

Bond duration 5 years (local PhD)

7 years (overseas PhD)

Singapore NRF Fellowship Mar Research grant support (≤$3M) 5 S, PR, F I �

Oth

ers

ExxonMobil-NUS Research Fellowship Apr & Dec Salary support for awardee (≤$8K/mth) +Research consumables for mentor ($20K) 0.5 - 1 S, PR I � ≥0.6 FTE in research

ReSeaRcH gRantS

Sing

Healt

h Fo

unda

tion

SingHealth Foundation Research Grant (I) Start-up(II) Transition Project

Sep ≤$50K (Start-up)≤$150K (Transition Project) 2 S, PR, F I � � �

Duke

-NUS

Khoo Mentored Research Award (KMRA) Year-round ≤$300K 2 S, PR, F I � �≥0.3 FTE in research &

adjunct/regular-rank appointment with Duke-NUS upon award

Khoo Pilot Award Year-round ≤$30K 1 S, PR, F I � � Must hold AMRI membership & adjunct/regular-rank appointment with Duke-NUS upon award

Khoo Student Research Award (KSRA) Jun ≤$10K 1 S, PR, F I Mentor (PI) must be Duke-NUS adjunct/regular-rank member; Co-I must be Duke-NUS medical student

SingHealth/Duke-NUS Collaborative Funding Mar TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

MO

H/NM

RC/N

RF

MOH Communicable Diseases - Public Health Research Grant (CD-PHRG) Dec ≤$1M 3 S, PR, F I, T � � �

MOH Health Services Research Competitive Research Grant (HSR-CRG) Jun ≤$200K & ≤$1M (two categories) 2 S, PR, F I, T � � �

MOH Health Services Research New Investigator Grant (HSR-NIG) Dec ≤$100K 2 S, PR, F I, T � � �(min. Master’s degree)

MOH Industry Alignment Fund (IAF)(I) Category 1(II) Category 2

Year-round (Cat 1)Jan (Cat 2)

≤$500K; ≤$1M; ≤$1.5M (Cat 1: three subcategories)≤$3M (Cat 2)

2 (Cat 1)3 (Cat 2) S, PR, F I �3 �3

NMRC Clinician Scientist (CS)(I) CS-Individual Research Grant (CS-IRG)(II) CS-IRG-New Investigator Grant (CS-IRG-NIG)

Jun & Dec ≤$1.5M (CS-IRG)≤$200K (CS-IRG-NIG)

3 (CS-IRG)2 (CS-IRG-NIG) S, PR, F I � �2

(I) NMRC Cooperative Basic Research Grant (CBRG)(II) CBRG-New Investigator Grant (CBRG-NIG) Dec ≤$1.5M (CBRG)

≤$200K (CBRG-NIG)3 (CBRG)

2 (CBRG-NIG) S, PR, F I, C-Inst �4 �

NMRC Bedside & Bench (B&B) Grant Oct ≤$2M (if basic Co-PI is not from A*STAR)≤$5M (if basic Co-PI is from A*STAR) 3 S, PR, F I, C-Inst �5 �5

NMRC Clinical Trials Grant (CTG) (I) Co-Development Scheme (Co-D)(II) Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT)

Year-round (Co-D)Jun & Dec (IIT)

≤$5M (Co-D)3≤$5M & ≤$2M (IIT: early & late phase) 3 S, PR, F T, C-Inst �

NRF Competitive Research Programme (CRP) Apr & Oct ≤$10M 5 S, PR, F I � � �

NRF Proof of Concept (POC) Grant Feb & Aug ≤$250K 1 S, PR, F I � � �

A*ST

AR BMRC-SERC Biomedical Engineering Programme (BEP)(I) Proof of Concept (POC)(II) Proof of Value (POV)

Jan ≤$500K (POC)≤$1.5M (POV)

1 - 1.5 (POC)1.5 - 2 (POV)

S, PR, F T, C-Inst � � �

Oth

ers

SATA CommHealth Research Grant Aug ≤$100K 1 S, PR T � � �

Singapore Heart Foundation Research Grant Dec ≤$60K & ≤$80K (two categories) 2 S, PR, F T � � �

Singapore Sports Science & Technology Research Grant (SSSTRG) Nov ≤$50K; ≤$100K; ≤$200K; ≤$400K(four categories) 1 - 4 S, PR, F T � �

Venerable Yen Pei-NKF Research Fund Mar ≤$150K 1 - 3 S, PR T � �

(i) StaR/cSa/ta: deadline (12:00pm) for Pi to submit via ngager for Research director’s (host institution) & dean’s (duke-nUS) endorsement, after which application is automatically submitted to nMRc

(ii) cS-iRg/cS-iRg-nig, cBRg/cBRg-nig, HSR-nig, ctg (iit): submit directly via ngager to nMRc(iii) cd-PHRg: submit directly via ngager to MOH

(iv) iaF cat 2: submit through institutional RdO to nMRc

17Oct†

core PlatformsSingHealth investigational Medicine Unit (iMU)General enquiries imu@singhealth.com.sgMs Robyn Yip (for charges) 6323 7552 / 6323 7532 robyn.yip.y.p@singhealth.com.sg

SingHealth experimental Medicine centre (SeMc)Ms Maria Leong 6576 7041 shs.semc@singhealth.com.sg

SingHealth tissue Repository (StR) & advanced Molecular Pathology laboratory (aMPl)General enquiries tissue.repository@singhealth.com.sg Ms Magdalene Koh (enquiries on human tissue-based bioresources and research services)

magdalene.koh.h.k@singhealth.com.sg

SingHealth Flow cytometryGeneral enquiries fccf@singhealth.com.sg

SingHealth advanced Bio-imaging Assoc Prof Antonius Van Dongen antonius.vandongen@duke-nus.edu.sgDr Isaac Chua isaac.chua.r.j@singhealth.com.sg

SingHealth clinical Pharmacology coreProf Balram Chowbay ctebal@nccs.com.sg Ms Natalia Sutiman nataliasutiman@singhealth.com.sg

SiNGHEAlTH GrANT CAlENDAr 2014

About core platforms and programmes at SingHealthThe SingHealth core platforms provide research services to and are important collaborators for the research community in Singapore. They also run educational activities, such as lectures and hands-on workshops, which offer a deeper understanding of the capabilities and operational characteristics of their sophisticated equipment or facilities.

If you want to draw on the core platforms’ expertise, contact them at least three months before the estimated closing date of the grant you are applying for.

SingHealtH inveStigatiOnal Medicine Unit (iMU) Director, Clinical: Assoc Prof Darren Lim Director, Administration & Operations: Ms Sue Tee-Yap

SingHealth IMU is a dedicated early phase clinical research unit, which supports the research of industry-sponsored and investigator-initiated trials.

SingHealth IMU provides services for:(a) Proof of concept, “first-in-man” or early stage

clinical development of investigational drugs, vaccines and devices.

(b) Identification and validation of novel disease biomarkers.

(c) Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.(d) Healthy volunteer trials.

SingHealtH tRanSlatiOnal iMMUnOlOgY & inFlaMMatiOn centRe (Stiic)Director: Prof Salvatore Albani

STIIC addresses the need for substantial translational clinical research initiatives in immunology and inflammation within SingHealth. The centre will focus on important unmet medical needs. Operationally, it aims to support researchers by exploring, designing and developing individual translational research projects in several clinical areas. The centre aims to leverage the synergies between clinicians and basic scientists as well as nurture translational scientists. STIIC will be fully operational from October.

SingHealtH FlOW cYtOMetRYDirector: Dr Ling Khoon Lin

The SingHealth Flow Cytometry facility will provide fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) and analysis services. SingHealth’s Flow Cytometry facility accepts sorting of most biological samples, including live clinical or even virally-transduced samples. The facility offers services that are a competitive alternative to currently available ones.

Core services offered:(a) Self- or staff-operated analysis. (b) Training for end users to execute their analyses

independently. (c) Staff-operated cell-sorting services for both live

and fixed biological samples.

PeRSOnaliSed OMic lattice FOR advanced ReSeaRcH and iMPROving StRatiFicatiOn (POlaRiS)Director: Assoc Prof Tony Lim Kiat Hon

POLARIS, an initiative focusing on stratified medicine that aims to deliver better patient outcomes through research, is a collaboration between A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) and SingHealth.

The team is currently developing a clinical assay for corneal dystrophy. Gastrointestinal and lung cancer panels are also being developed. POLARIS works closely with clinicians and scientists at the SingHealth and A*STAR campuses.

The laboratories at SingHealth are currently undergoing validation and setup and will be ready in the second half of this year.

SingHealtH advanced BiO-iMagingDirector: Assoc Prof Antonius Van Dongen

The SingHealth Advanced Bio-imaging centre will open its doors in March, offering several state-of-the-art imaging platforms, for electron and optical microscopy. Experienced staff will be available for advice and training. At this core facility, a wide range of samples (live and fixed, stained or fluorescent) and imaging modalities will be available, including high-content screening (HCS), wide-field, confocal, super-resolution microscopy (STED, SIM, STORM, PALM), as well as transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

SingHealtH clinical PHaRMacOlOgY cOReDirector: Prof Balram Chowbay

The SingHealth Clinical Pharmacology Core will provide clinical pharmacology services to SingHealth institutions and pharmaceutical companies engaged in carrying out early phase clinical trials.

The following services will be available at the Clinical Pharmacology Core from March:(a) Bio-analytical services, including development of

drug assays to support investigator- and pharma-initiated clinical trials.

(b) Design and running of pharmacokinetic (PK)/pharmacodynamic (PD) studies in preclinical models and patients.

(c) Biomarker assay development and therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM).

(d) Translational pharmacogenomic-based functional studies in in vitro and in vivo model systems.

SingHealtH exPeRiMental Medicine centRe (SeMc)Director: Dr Bryan Ogden Administration: Ms Inria Kurniawan Then

SEMC is Singapore’s most comprehensive animal-based research facility and is licensed by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore. It was the first in Singapore to be fully accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) International, which certifies the centre’s commitment and adherence to the highest standards of humane care and use of research animals. It is currently the largest centre in Singapore capable of carrying out large animal research. With almost three decades of experience, SEMC has highly skilled personnel and a comprehensive specialist infrastructure to support research projects meeting the highest international standards.

SingHealtH tiSSUe RePOSitORY (StR) & advanced MOlecUlaR PatHOlOgY laBORatORY (aMPl)Director: Assoc Prof Tan Soo Yong Administration: Ms Elsie Kok

STR and AMPL facilitate the conduct of basic, translational and clinical research at SingHealth. STR is the largest human tissue biobank in Singapore, whose work is complemented by AMPL, an integrated research service platform set up by SingHealth and the Institute of Molecular & Cellular Biology (IMCB).

STR maintains scheduled and unscheduled collections of tissues (mainly malignancies) from patients who donate any leftover tissue to research. In addition, STR provides a ‘hostelling service’ for researchers who require a facility to process and store bio-resources for the duration of their projects.

AMPL offers a complete pipeline for biomarker discovery, from testing in animal models to validation in clinical material. In facilitating drug development, researchers and industry have access to GLP-grade toxicological facilities supported by veterinary pathologists to test drug safety, as well as the ability to assess drug efficacy on patient-derived xenografts, supported by clinical histopathologists.

Reporting to SingHealth’s Group Director of Research, SingHealth OoR works closely with institutional research administration offices and relevant partners to support research undertakings within the Group. The most recent initiative from SingHealth OoR is the grant pre-review process that was introduced in collaboration with AMRI. SingHealth OoR supports the research community with dedicated teams that provide advice on grant management, finance operations, facilities management, policy and communications, collaboration, project management and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) activities.

OoR – grant administration

Dr Si-Hoe San Ling 6576 7012 si.hoe.san.ling@singhealth.com.sg Ms Tan Yi Mei 6576 7013 tan.yi.mei@singhealth.com.sg Ms Iris Soh 6576 7014 iris.soh.s.j@singhealth.com.sg

OoR – compliance & ethicscentralised institutional Review Board (ciRB)

General enquiries 6323 7515 irb@singhealth.com.sg

institutional animal care and Use committee (iacUc)

Ms Serene Lok 6576 7015 iacuc@singhealth.com.sg

institutional Biosafety committee (iBc)

Ms Cindy Goh 6377 8533 cindy.goh.j.e@sgh.com.sg

Research Programmes

SingHealth Translational Immunology & Inflammation Centre (STIIC)

General enquiries 6576 7164 lakshmi.ramakrishna@singhealth.com.sg

Personalised OMIC Lattice for Advanced Research and Improving Stratification (POLARIS)

General enquiries polaris@singhealth.com.sg

About SingHealth Office Of Research (OoR)

Useful contacts

This research special is brought to you by SingHealth Office of Research.

Across SingHealth, there are some 1,000 big and small research projects going on at any one time

- all of which are individually tracked by research administrators for their progress, output and funding status.

While some SingHealth institutions have their customized research database management systems, most use basic spreadsheet functions for tracking - which makes regular monitoring, timely reporting and fair performance measurement across the cluster challenging.

To overcome the problem, participants and thought leaders at the 2012 SingHealth Duke-NUS Joint Research Retreat recommended that a common research database be adopted across the cluster, and such a platform - called the SingHealth Integrated Systems in Healthcare for Research (iSHARE) - is now being developed

for the SingHealth family.

A workgroup led by Ms Enny Kiesworo, Director, SingHealth Office of Research (OoR) is driving the development of iSHaRE. The group comprises a core of 24 senior research administrators but expands to over 50 persons when clinical trial and research finance administrators have, on occasion, participated.

From April last year, the group has spent more than 1,600 man hours to painstakingly evaluate existing systems (such as SGH’s SIRAS, SERI’s ReDOZ Duke-NUS’ system and OoR’s GMS system) and define a comprehensive list of specifications for managing the entire life-cycle of a study, including: up-to-date financial information, change requests, automatic reminders and document repository.

Professor Wong Tien Yin, SingHealth

Group Director of Research, foresees iSHARE playing a major role in our research endeavours. He said, “It will support the needs of our researchers through harmonised processes and more efficient administration.”

Ong Siok Luan, Senior Manager of SGH’s Division of Research, added, “A shared system allows us to collate and track the same data. This frees up time by avoiding duplication and making data accessible for easy reporting and analysis.”

Sonny Lim, Deputy Director of the KK Research Centre, explained, “When fully implemented, the system will be a one-stop service centre for all research matters in the cluster, including CIRB application and research budgeting. We aim to make the tracking of research milestones will be more convenient, timely and accurate.

“Helping researchers manage all their studies through a single IT platform will afford an even more research-conducive culture and environment across the SingHealth cluster.”

Roll-out of its first phase for testing by research administrators is expected by end-2014. The system may also interface with existing backend support systems such as fund management, electronic IRB and human resource system in subsequent phases.

OoR is working with Group Procurement Office and IHIS to put up the workgroup’s Request for Proposal in the next few months.

Apart from physical structures, services too underwent a revamp. Among Geylang Polyclinic’s new initiatives for the elderly is a Geriatric Centre which screens and manages age-related conditions such as osteoporosis and dementia. Patients can also participate in free workshops on ageing issues like how

to prevent falls and manage their health.

Tampines Polyclinic introduced several new services, including physiotherapy, an improved diabetic foot screening service and the Health Wellness Clinic to provide care nearer to the homes of our patients, and reduce the need for them to visit the hospitals. The laboratory was also expanded

to three times the size to cater to patients’ needs. The 10-Point Plan ensured that each patient interaction point was designed optimally. And it looks like all efforts have paid off as patients commended the two new polyclinics for their enhanced features.

“It’s very encouraging,” says Opheania Chen, Senior Executive of Facilities Management at

SingHealth Polyclinics. “This will stand us in good stead when we move on to renovate the other polyclinics.”

The 10-Point Plan will also be rolled out to all other SingHealth institutions.

PAGE 3TOmOrrOW’S mEDiCiNE - ISSUE 5, JANUARY 2014

One-stop shop for research New research database management system to make research administration easier and more efficient cluster-wide

Slated to open in 2018, Sengkang General and Community Hospitals will be one of Singapore’s largest regional

hospitals catering to the growing population in the northeast.

With a vision of “Healthy Living, Fulfilling Life”, Sengkang Health (SKH) seeks to add value to the community through engagement initiatives and wellness-related activities. Beyond providing healthcare, SKH aims to build healthier and stronger communities for all.

“We want the Sengkang hospitals to be a hub for bonding and sharing of information for healthy living, not a sterile place you come to only when you’re sick,” said Professor Christopher Cheng, Pro-tem CEO of Sengkang Health.

Since July 2012, SKH has been actively reaching out to the community in the northeast. The team keeps community leaders updated and engaged through sessions with MPs as well as grassroots leaders at the GRC, SMC levels at least once a year.

SKH also aims to connect with residents living around the site once a month during the construction period. Before piling and construction works commenced, residents staying nearby were kept informed and SKH ensured that feedback channels were established.

Forming strategic, collaborative partnerships with community health organisations such as the Health Promotion Board, People’s Association, Singapore Sports Council, Tobacco Free Generation 2000 Movement and schools, the hospitals envision facilitating and being at the centre of a new healthy

living ecosystem rooted in the northeast community.

One such initiative is the “Millennia Kids” programme, which encourages and empowers young children in the northeast to be ambassadors for healthy living and embrace positive habits such as sports, sensible eating and staying tobacco free. The first two schools to support the programme are Compassvale Primary School and Sengkang Primary School.

Last year, SKH also invited the community to participate in its “Help Shape Our Logo” exercise, where members of the public gave their views to help shape the new hospitals’ future identity.

SKH will continue to engage the community through activities and dialogue sessions with community partners and residents.

Ho Whei Chern, Manager of Community Partnerships at Sengkang Health, said, “Our emphasis is to develop strong relationships in the community. We want to establish ourselves as a committed stakeholder who listens and adds value to our neighbourhood.”

Engaging the community, healing the neighbourhood Sengkang General and Community Hospitals want to establish deep roots with the local community through meaningful engagement efforts

We want the Sengkang hospitals to be a hub for bonding and sharing of information for healthy living, not a sterile place you come to only when you’re sick.

– Prof Christopher Cheng, Pro-tem CEO, Sengkang Health

Sengkang residents gave their views to help shape Sengkang Health’s logo

Groundbreaking for Sengkang General and Community Hospitals, 27 October 2013

Sengkang residents penning their well wishes for Sengkang Health’s Community mural

It will support the needs of our researchers through harmonised processes and more efficient administration

Building up to age-friendlinessContinued from front page

A workgroup led by the SingHealth Office of Research is driving the development of iSHaRE

Bringing closer collaboration between the two NNI centres at SGH and TTSH, gaining groundswell from his

associates and making NNI a regional leader in neuroscience are just some of the goals that Associate Professor Au Wing Lok has for the Neuroscience Academic Clinical Program (ACP). Prof Au is the Academic Deputy Chair of the program which was rolled out in April last year.

Since its formation, the team behind the ACP has been actively focusing on gaining critical traction on the ground, ensuring that every stakeholder is engaged in the transformational journey.

They have introduced a number of firsts for the institution, such as their first research day in July 2013 and the first NNI Education Day on 27 September 2013.

The institution has also continued to produce top-notch research across the care spectrum. One such landmark finding is a recent multi-institutional study between NNI and the National University of Singapore, which identified a component in green tea that has potent cellular protection against Parkinson Disease.

The institution has its eyes on the region. Prof Au shared, “I hope for NNI to be at the forefront of neuroscience. Our three pillars of clinical care, education and research should be leading the field regionally in the next three to five years.”

He added, “Complacency is the road to failure. We should always question what else we can do better, and learn and collaborate with our colleagues in the region to provide more holistic models of care.”

Prof Au’s experience during the Health Manpower Development Plan, first at the Pacific Parkinsons Research Institute in Vancouver, Canada, and a second time at the Toronto Western Hospital, Canada inspired him on how clinical services and academic output could be seamlessly married.

He said, “A closer collaboration between both NNI centres will leverage our strengths be it in basic science or clinical research and education.

From staff to systems, resources can be shared so that we can deliver more effective, integrated care.”

Two clear indicators of achieving the ACP’s mission would be first, NNI becoming the training centre of choice among future leaders and second, improved clinical care based on evidence as well as quality improvement.

To this aim, greater collaboration and more patient awareness are needed. He said, “Academic Medicine will also require a change in patient culture. Like in the West, having patients more receptive towards clinical trials will boost our research efforts and bring greater awareness.”

TOmOrrOW’S mEDiCiNE - ISSUE 5, JANUARY 2014PAGE 4

forging critical connectionsNNI sets its sights on being regional best

We should always question what else

we can do better, and learn and collaborate with our colleagues in the region to provide more holistic models of care.

– Assoc Prof Au Wing Lok, Academic Deputy Chair, Neuroscience ACP

AM•EI EventsFor details and registration, contact the Academic Medicine Education Institute (AM•EI) at amei-info@duke-nus.edu.sg

AM•EI EDUCATION GRAND ROUND 9 Jan, 5.00pm-6.00pm: Adult learning theories: practical reality or academic mumbo-jumbo?

FacUltY develOPMent WORKSHOPS7 Jan, 1.00pm-5.00pm: Learning at the bedside – Creating a positive learning experience21 Jan, 1.00pm-4.00pm: Designing effective objectives and their links to quality multiple choice questions24 Jan, 11.00am-2.00pm: Issues and challenges with assessment and evaluation11 Feb, 1.00pm-5.00pm: Strategies to improve feedback

Amri EventsFor details and registration, contact the Academic Medicine Research Institute (AMRI) at amri_info@dukenus.edu.sg

WORKSHOPS7 Jan, 9.00am-12.00pm: Adaptive designs for clinical trials: A statistical perspective for non-statisticians workshop I9 Jan, 9.00am-12.00pm: Adaptive designs for clinical trials: Statistical methodology workshop II

eventS & SeMinaRS17 Jan, 12.30pm-1.15pm: Research Round @ KKH : Statistical analysis of human growth and development17 Jan, 12.15pm-2.00pm: Research Round @ KKH : Designing studies of diagnostic accuracy

2013 - Our Academic medicine journey so farMilestones in the changing SingHealth landscape

Prof tan Kok Hian appointed as Group Director, Academic Medicine and Senior Associate Dean, Academic Medicine

duke-nUS centre for technology and development launched to translate research outcome from Duke-NUS, SingHealth and its partners into commercial applications

nHcS completes superstructure of its new buildingincreasing its clinic capacity by two-fold

cardiovascular, Oncology, Pathology academic clinical Programs formedTotal number of ACPs now: 9

groundbreaking of Sengkang general and community HospitalsHospitals will provide residents in the north-east region with easier access to healthcare services

First phase of centralised employment for clinicians

SingHealth duke-nUS Strategy Retreat 2013Resulted in recommendations for innovative models of care, infrastructure planning, seamless experience, Academic Medicine culture, leadership development and talent management

Office of Service transformationset up to catalyse, facilitate and monitor initiatives leading to cluster-wide integration of seamless delivery of services

Official launch of aM partners portalwww.academic-medicine.edu.sg

inaugural SingHealth duke-nUS fundraising gala dinnerMore than $17 million pledged for Academic Medicine

inaugural SingHealth duke-nUS education conference for inter-professional healthcare educators and residents

Opening of academiaNew building in SGH Campus provides 13 storeys and 75,000 sqm of collaborative space for pathologists, scientists and educators

Jan 21 MaR aPR 30 MaY 25-29 JUn 20 JUl 1 aUg 15-17 aUg 1 SeP 27 Oct 30 Oct 1 Jan

Professors Wong tien YinandThomas Coffmanappointed toDuke-NUS seniorleadership