About Research Initiatives
Since 2009, Tanoto Foundation has contributed catalytic funding to support scalable healthcare and medical research initiatives. This is achieved by leveraging Singapore’s well-established medical research ecosystem and integrated academic healthcare landscape focusing on Asian-prevalent diseases.
Key beneficiaries 0-3 years old
CHaMP
The CHaMP (Child and Maternal Health Program) was established to drive innovation through research and development in partnership with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).
Its overarching aim is to raise awareness and build capabilities in parenting, early childhood development, and maternal health.
Research & Development
Establishing best practices in early childhood and maternal health
Funding
Based in Singapore, the CHaMP supports research and development, in order to establish a series of best practices for early childhood and maternal health.
Knowledge
Bridging knowledge gaps through outreach and public education
Leadership
Provide opportunities for thought leadership through research and educational projects
Partnerships
Forming multi-stakeholder partnerships in the early childhood development and maternal health space
CHaMP INITIATIVES
CRADLE
In 2019, CHaMP initiated the Community-enabled Readiness for the First 1,000-Days Learning Ecosystem (CRADLE) program in partnership with KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH).
The program aims to develop a self-learning eco-community, from pregnancy to early childhood, to promote parental self-efficacy and improve health outcomes for their children. As part of the engagement and support provided to participants, CRADLE holds health webinars on maternal and child health with topics around pregnancy and early childhood targeted for first time mothers.
Tanoto Foundation collaborated with KKH to develop a CRADLE video to educate the general public on the importance of the first 1,000 days of life.
A recent KKH study supported by the Foundation highlighted the lifelong health benefits of exclusive breastfeeding. The study found that first-time mothers in Singapore who exclusively breastfed for six months retained less postpartum weight, while those who used mixed formula feeding were more likely to retain 5 kg or more at the six-month mark. These findings provide strong evidence to inform maternal health strategies and promote breastfeeding.
Building on this foundation, CRADLE has since expanded its initiatives beyond the first 1,000 days to also cover children aged three to four years, ensuring continued support for families during the critical early years of a child’s development.
National Healthcare Group (NHG) Diabetes Reversal Programme
With one in four Singaporeans potentially affected by Type 2 Diabetes by 2050 and the disease emerging as one of the top killers in Southeast Asia and the world, Tanoto Foundation has teamed up with National Healthcare Group (NHG) to spearhead a Diabetes Reversal Program in Singapore.
The program seeks to control blood sugar levels in diabetes patients through behavioral change without the need for medication or surgery. Jointly funded by Tanoto Foundation and NHG, this initiative will boost diabetes research in primary care and the community.
Project Lead: A/Prof Rinkoo Dalan, Tan Tock Seng Hospital
Reducing Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke in Diabetes Patients
A/Professor Rinkoo Dalan’s, study investigates the potential of colchicine, an affordable anti-inflammatory drug, to prevent cardiovascular disease in high-risk Type 2 diabetes patients. By leveraging advanced microfluidics to identify inflammatory neutrophil profiles, the team aims to stratify patients and assess colchicine’s effectiveness in a precision-medicine approach. The goal is to support cost-effective, targeted prevention of heart attacks and strokes in diabetes patients.
Project Lead: A/Prof Ashley St John, Duke-NUS Medical School
Maternal Influences on Neonatal Allergies: Mechanisms and Interventions
A/Professor Ashley St John’s project explores how maternal immune responses, particularly IgE antibodies, may contribute to allergy development in infants even before birth. Building on animal model findings, A/Prof St John will investigate maternal-fetal allergy transmission in humans, focusing on how maternal IgE shapes fetal mast cell development. The research aims to improve understanding of early allergic sensitization and inform future interventions to prevent childhood allergies.
Project Lead: Prof Brian Kennedy, National University of Singapore
Geroprotectors in Fertility and Women’s Health
Professor Brian Kennedy, is targeting the root causes of ovarian aging, this project evaluates the potential of geroprotectors—molecules that extend healthspan—to preserve fertility and maternal health. Through a three-stage translational approach, the team will screen and validate compounds across invertebrate, in vitro, and in vivo models. The findings could lead to novel therapies that delay reproductive aging, enhance fertility, and support women’s health as they age.
Project Lead: Prof Brian Kennedy, National University of Singapore
Tackling Asian-Prevalent Cancers
Dr Jason Chan, Medical Oncologist at the National Cancer Centre Singapore, is leading research into four cancers with high prevalence and poor outcomes in Asia: breast cancer in Asian women, T/NK-cell lymphomas, bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma), and rare Asian cancers. Each shows unique biological or environmental patterns in Asian populations that remain poorly understood because most research has focused on Western contexts.
By decoding the molecular and genomic landscapes of these cancers, the team aims to identify new diagnostic and therapeutic opportunities tailored to Asian patients. A key feature of the project is its open-access approach, anonymised data will be shared globally to accelerate discovery and collaboration, ultimately improving outcomes for cancer patients across Asia.
Project Lead: Dr Daphne Gardner, Singapore General Hospital
Unmasking diabetes risk in young Singaporeans
Dr Daphne Gardner, Endocrinologist at Singapore General Hospital, is leading research to address the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes in young adults, a trend particularly concerning in Singapore, where one in five young adults have prediabetes or diabetes despite being of normal weight.
Moving beyond conventional assessments based on body mass index and family history, the project will develop a next-generation risk prediction tool that integrates novel indicators such as body fat distribution, continuous glucose monitoring, and health-seeking behaviour. By identifying new and overlooked risk signals in lean young adults, the study aims to enable earlier detection and intervention.
Findings from this research are expected to inform national diabetes screening guidelines and support more tailored approaches to prevent and manage diabetes in Singapore and across Asia.
Gene Therapy Study for Age-Related Macular Degeneration
In 2023, Tanoto Foundation supported the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) in a three-year research program into gene therapy to combat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a chronic, irreversible eye condition that affects 200 million people worldwide. The condition is more prevalent in countries with ageing populations, such as Singapore, where around one in four citizens will be over 65 years old by 2030.
The research program, led by scientists from the SNEC and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), is focusing on the development of new gene therapies to address AMD.
