OAM Spotlight - March 2026: SingHealth-Duke NUS Research Talent Awards Ceremony

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Published on 17 March 2026

On 26 February 2026, the NAK Auditorium at Academia came alive with celebration and purpose at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Research Talent Awards Ceremony. 58 clinician-researchers and residents were recognised across multiple award schemes administered by the Joint Office of Academic Medicine (JOAM), each reflecting a commitment to advancing patient care through research.

An Afternoon of Connection and Celebration

About 150 audience members attended the ceremony, adding warmth and encouragement to the occasion, including distinguished SingHealth Duke-NUS leaders, programme leads, review panel members and ACP Chairs. The strong community behind these individual accomplishments – mentors, Heads of Department and guests of the awardees – also took time out of their day to share in this special moment.

Ahead of the ceremony, attendees gathered for a networking lunch alongside a series of engaging fringe activities that set a lively tone for the afternoon. They snapped photos at the photobooth, customised tote bags with creative designs, and cooled off with sweet treats from the ice cream station, creating a relaxed and festive atmosphere before the awards commenced.

Prof Lim Soon Thye, Deputy Group CEO (Research, Education & Innovation), SingHealth, and Vice Dean, Office of Academic Medicine, Duke-NUS opened the ceremony with a welcome address, setting the tone for the proceedings ahead: "research is integral to clinical care, and developing clinician-researchers is a shared institutional mission".

Recognising Clinician-Researchers

The awards presentation began with the Clinician Investigator Advancement Award (CIVA), recognising senior clinician-researchers with protected time to deepen their research focus. Clin Assoc Prof Frederick Koh, 2024 CIVA awardee, shared how the award enabled him to pursue impactful surgical research by transforming questions born at the bedside into projects that directly improve patient outcomes.

CIVA awardees with award presenter Prof Tan Say Beng, Group Chief Research Officer, SingHealth, and Assoc Prof Deidre De Silva, CIVA Programme Lead

Next, the Clinical Trialist Development Awards (CTDA) celebrated clinicians building expertise in designing and conducting clinical trials, highlighting their commitment to advancing evidence-based interventions. Clin Assoc Prof Toh Song Tar, 2025 CTDA awardee, reflected on how dedicated research time and mentorship allowed him to grow as a clinical trialist, enhancing the quality and impact of clinical studies.

CTDA awardees with Prof Patrick Tan, Dean, Duke-NUS and Assoc Prof Mariko Koh, CTDA Programme Lead

Up next on stage were awardees for the Nurturing Clinician Researcher Scheme (NCRS), which aims to nurture young clinicians into successful clinician-researchers at by providing resources such as funding and protected time to strengthen their research capabilities and readiness for a sustainable research career. This includes the sub-categories of Nurturing Clinician Scientist (NCSA), Nurturing Clinician Innovator (NCIA), and Clinician Investigator Development Awards (CIVDA). Clin Asst Prof Chng Chiaw Ling, 2025 NCIA awardee, described how the programme enabled her to dedicate time to research that directly informs patient care, demonstrating the integration of innovation and clinical practice.

NCSA awardees with Prof Julian Thumboo, Group Director, Academic Medicine, SingHealth and Senior Associate Dean, Office of Academic Medicine, Duke-NUS and Prof Darren Lim, NCSA Programme Lead

NCIA awardees with Prof Thumboo

CIVDA 2024 and 2025 awardees with Prof Thumboo and Assoc Prof De Silva, CIVDA Programme Lead

Supporting the Next Generation of Research Talent

Following this, the PhD Scholarships for Clinician Researchers were presented. The award supports local PhD training with academic and publication support, further developing our AMC’s research talent. The ceremony concluded with the Resident Research Scholar (R2S) Award, launched in FY2025 to provide mentorship, funding, and protected research time to residents, cultivating research potential from the earliest stage of their careers.

PhD Scholarships for Clinician Researchers awardees with Assoc Prof Charles Chuah, Director (Clinician Support), Academic Medicine, SingHealth and Senior Associate Dean, Academic Programmes Management Department, Office of Academic Medicine, Duke-NUS

R2S Award awardees with Assoc Prof Chuah

In closing, Prof Thumboo reflected on the collective effort required to sustain a vibrant research culture: “Never stop learning from your patients, who are often your best teachers, and never stop pushing to keep asking questions.”

Each of the 58 awardees represents a unique story, yet together they form a unifying narrative: research within our AMC is purposeful, collaborative, and ultimately aimed at improving patient care.