Singaporean Research Centre Powers Up Vision to Fight Disease

The Clinical Imaging Research Center is a national platform for research imaging to study the impact of new therapies in key disease areas relevant to Singapore and the region.

AsianScientist (Nov. 20, 2015) – Singapore’s newest national platform for research imaging, the Clinical Imaging Research Center (CIRC), was officially opened on November 11, 2015, paving the way for further studies on the impact of new therapies for diseases such as tuberculosis, dementia and diabetes.

The official launch of the CIRC is the culmination of efforts by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and the National University of Singapore (NUS), under a joint venture that began in 2008.

In a first for Southeast Asia, CIRC will use the MR/PET, a highly advanced medical imaging solution combining two powerful imaging techniques to better study disease pathways. The CIRC will also be the first in Singapore to produce and administer compounds that can be traced as the human body metabolizes them, known as PET radiopharmaceuticals. The CIRC aims to assist with drug development, via first-in-man studies and participation in early stage assessment of new drugs.

CIRC now hosts over 50 clinical research projects with investigators from 13 different institutions throughout Singapore and industry. These projects focus on diseases that are pertinent for Singapore and Asia, so as to better address regional medical needs.

One such example is CIRC’s collaboration with the NUS tuberculosis (TB) research program (SPRINT-TB) on several projects for the discovery and development of TB imaging biomarkers, so as to more efficiently identify, monitor and treat the disease. CIRC’s novel MR/PET scanner has enabled researchers to conduct more precise examination on TB lesions in the lungs and develop innovative treatment options. For example using CIRC’s PET/CT and novel MR/PET scanners, investigators are exploring how to intercept TB infection early before any conventional clinical signs manifest, minimizing its spread and threat to public health.

The center has established key partnerships with international institutions, such as Johns Hopkins University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in the United States, University College London in the United Kingdom, and Massey University in New Zealand.

CIRC has also been instrumental in attracting international industry players to work with local investigators. These include companies such as TauRx, Eli Lilly and Kao Corporation among others. In addition, Siemens Healthcare is collaborating with the center on studies that focus on low-dose imaging for lung screening, prostate cancer and PET imaging of radiolabelled antibodies.

Locally, CIRC is active in educating and training clinicians and health professionals across Singapore. To meet Asia’s needs for expertise in this growing field, CIRC is contributing significantly towards nurturing young talent specialized in clinical bio-imaging, as a regional training site assigned by the International Atomic Energy Agency for physicists.

Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, President of NUS, said, “Cutting edge techniques for human imaging are absolutely vital for gaining deep insights into diseases important to Singapore, and in developing and evaluating new treatment approaches.”

Professor David Townsend, Director of CIRC, said, “As CIRC reaches full functionality, it is now poised to bring greater healthcare benefit to patients in Singapore and beyond through translational clinical research and imaging.”

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Source: A*STAR; Photo: Liz West/Flickr/CC.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Asian Scientist Magazine is an award-winning science and technology magazine that highlights R&D news stories from Asia to a global audience. The magazine is published by Singapore-headquartered Wildtype Media Group.

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