Today Online 18 Jun 08;
A $6-million fund has been set up to support research on infectious diseases.
The fund – the result of a joint collaboration between Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) and the British Medical Research Council – will be used to develop vital armoury in the fight against infectious diseases. They include :biological indicators of disease, development of diagnostic tests and detection devices and vaccine development.
But A*Star chairman, Mr Lim Chuan Poh (picture), said there won’t be a rush to use this grant yet.
There will first be a roundtable discussion to better understand the capabilities that are available in Singapore and the region, and also the strength that Britain can bring to the project.
“It builds and set the stage for the grant calls,” Mr Lim said.
“Once we’ve gone through this stage of allowing people enough time to follow up, we’ll proceed with the grant call, by which time the scientists from both sides will know how they can work well together.”
Last year, Singapore’s National Environment Agency signed a memorandum of understanding with Cuba’s Institute of Pedro Kouri to collaborate on dengue research. — 938LIVE
Singapore, UK set up S$6m joint research fund
Channel NewsAsia 17 Jun 08;
SINGAPORE: Singapore and the United Kingdom are putting in S$6 million for research into fighting infectious diseases.
Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) and the UK's Medical Research Council will contribute an equal share of S$3 million each.
In a statement, A*STAR said the fund will be used to develop "vital armoury" to keep one step ahead of infectious diseases, which account for about 20 percent of total deaths in the world.
This will include diagnostic tests and vaccine development in the fight against diseases like malaria, dengue, SARS and the avian flu.
The fund was agreed on after a high-level roundtable that was co-hosted by A*STAR's Chairman Lim Chuan Poh and UK's Minister of State for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson.- CNA/so
