The collaboration between SingHealth [Department of Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Laboratory at SGH, Department of Paediatrics KKH, SingHealth Polyclinics and SingHealth Investigational Medicine Unit (IMU)] and Duke-NUS Emerging Infectious Diseases (EID) Signature Research Programme (SRP) has matured over the last decade.
The long-standing partnership especially between the Department of Infectious Diseases in SGH and the EID Programme has already resulted in several investigator-initiated, bench-to-bedside, early phase safety or proof-of-concept clinical trials on vaccines and therapeutic compounds. Our partnership to date is one of the most experienced in Singapore in the full spectrum of translational clinical research particularly in the field of antivirals and viral vaccines.
The newly established SingHealth Duke-NUS Infectious Diseases Research Institute (IDRI) is a joint institute between SingHealth and Duke-NUS Medical School under the SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (AMC) matrix. The establishment of IDRI is in tune with the principles of the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC matrix concept and it will serve to align the values and strategic research direction in the AMC.
The establishment of IDRI is also in line with the national ID research ecosystem. The strategic areas of research focus will address national challenges in ID while the tactical focus will be to maximize the collaborative potential in the AMC for translational research.
The three disease focus areas MOH has identified for the next 5 years are:
1. Pandemic threats2. Dengue 3. Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)/ Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI)
In addition, MOH is also actively encouraging talent development in ID research. MOH strategic planning also includes the possibility of commissioned funding to answer critical questions and core funding's to support research capabilities. The establishment of IDRI thus is well poised to maximize research competitiveness at the national level through multi-disciplinary research collaboration in the SingHealth Duke-NUS AMC.
SingHealth and Duke-NUS will be each other's committed partners for Infectious Diseases (ID) research in the AMC.
Vision
To emerge as a global leader in assimilating novelties and advances in Infectious Diseases.
Mission
To lead infectious disease research in SingHealth and Duke-NUS to facilitate basic bench and translational clinical research.
