Putting the brakes on outbreaks
Assoc Prof Dick showing distinguished guests around the new facility (from left): Minister Gan, Prof Tan and Assoc Prof Yeoh
NUS has upped the ante against infectious diseases with the opening of a research facility designed to biosafety level 3 (BSL-3), the second highest rating for such laboratories.
Singapore's Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong officially opened the 650-square-metre facility, which is housed in the Centre for Translational Medicine at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (NUS Medicine), on 14 May. The event was attended by NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan and NUS Senior Vice President (Health Affairs) Professor John Eu-Li Wong, who is also National University Hospital System (NUHS) Chief Executive.
The facility signifies a new era of translational research for infectious diseases in Singapore and strengthens the country's preparedness to handle new outbreaks and epidemics. It will enable researchers to study and find solutions to deal with some of the most infectious diseases.
"Working with deadly biological agents requires a high containment, highly safe and secure, laboratory. With no such facility available previously in NUS, we could simply not work on some of the most important viruses and bacteria like the avian flu and tuberculosis (TB). Now we can look at developing new diagnostics, vaccines and drugs for such infectious diseases, said Associate Professor Thomas Dick, the laboratory's Director, from the NUS Department of Microbiology.
Investigators had started conducting research in the new laboratory last year, some of which are already yielding results. Assoc Prof Dick and his team have found that a drug used to treat a certain cancer has worked very effectively against TB bacteria, making it an attractive lead compound for the development of new TB drugs. The team has filed for two patent applications, for new TB treatments.
The laboratory now has seven principal investigators working on more than 20 projects with institutions such as Harvard and Rutgers universities in the US, and with experts from various disciplines at NUS and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research.
The facility, and operations and research activities in the laboratory are funded by NUS, NUHS and the Ministry of Health's National Medical Research Council.
"Our researchers are now properly equipped for this type of important research and their research in investigating these pathogens will ultimately lead to knowledge and understanding that will enable us to better protect our population in Singapore against threats by infectious diseases, said NUS Medicine Dean Associate Professor Yeoh Khay Guan.
