Healthcare Archives - Tanoto Foundation

Professorship Program

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Professorship Program

About Professorship Program
Tanoto Foundation partners with SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre to establish Professorships and Research Initiatives in the areas of Diabetes, Medical Oncology and Cardiovascular Medicine.

Current Awardees
Professorship in Medical Oncology: Professor Lim Soon Thye
Professor Lim Soon Thye’s research focuses on T-cell and NK-cell lymphomas because they are more common in Asia compared to the West and are more fatal than B-cell lymphomas, yet they are less well studied and treatment options are currently limited.

His discovery of genetic mutations associated with T and NK-cell lymphomas has opened up a potential new treatment that targets genetic mutations and reactivates the body’s natural defenses to fight lymphoma cells. He will also continue with epidemiological studies where several of his diagnostic and algorithmic platforms, when validated, can be incorporated into routine clinical workflows in hospital systems.

Professorship in Diabetes Research: Professor Wang Yibin
Professor Wang Yibin’s research on genetic and molecular mechanisms of complex diseases has led to the discovery of key regulators in branched-chain amino acid metabolism, offering novel therapeutic strategies for diabetes, heart failure, and metabolic disorders. His findings have contributed to new clinical trials and drug development efforts targeting these conditions.

Professor Wang Yibin specializes in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, with a focus on the genetic basis of heart failure, obesity, and fatty liver disease. His lab has uncovered stress-induced molecular networks that drive the progression of fatty liver, a major diabetes risk factor in Asian populations.

Professorship in Cardiovascular Medicine: Professor Stuart Cook (November 2012 – March 2025)
A recipient of the President’s Technology Award in Singapore in 2018, Professor Stuart Cook is a leading cardiovascular research expert, having done extensive work in human genetics, heart muscle disease and cardiac imaging. His research has led to the identification of new genes and pathways for heart disease, for better therapeutic targets.

Professor Stuart Cook led a study in Singapore to find out whether mutations in the titin gene are responsible for heart muscle weakness in Asians. This discovery catalyzed the development of a commercially available, next-generation test kit. The heart-testing device he helped to create in Singapore is used by 10,000 patients a year all over the world.

February 11, 2025
Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund
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Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund

About Medical Research Fund
Tanoto Foundation supports medical research with the aim of improving population health in Singapore and beyond. We believe that the goal of improving quality of healthcare and health standards can be achieved through partnerships with leading healthcare and research institutions in Singapore.

Through the Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund (MRF), the foundation aims to support research excellence and collaborative efforts to generate new knowledge and innovations that will help address prevalent diseases in Singapore and the wider region, such as diabetes, cardiology, oncology, infectious diseases and maternal and child health. In position as the first private philanthropic foundation to launch such a fund, Tanoto Foundation seeks to foster a culture of sustainable giving that amplifies the long-term impact of philanthropic-funded research.

The MRF’s main objectives are to support effective research (new discoveries), catalyze additional funding and cultivate local research talent in Singapore. Ultimately, the research outcomes should be made accessible and beneficial for the public good.

Research Scope
Proposed studies may cover basic, translational or clinical research and should aim for outcomes that have the potential to advance the prevention, management, diagnosis or treatment of the following focus areas prevalent in Asia:

Diabetes,
Oncology,
Maternal and Child Health,
Cardiology, and
Infectious Diseases.

Award Recipients
2023 Award Recipient
“Understanding and managing cardiovascular risks is crucial for diabetes patients’ long-term health. Our research team of clinicians, engineers and immunologists, funded by the Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund, aims to explore Colchicine’s potential as a low-cost solution to reduce cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes patients by addressing gaps in managing low-grade inflammation.”
Associate Professor Rinkoo Dalan
Tan Tock Seng Hospital
2023 Award Recipient
“Allergies impact up to 30% of the global population, with increasing prevalence in Southeast Asia. Research emphasizes the lasting impact of allergies on childhood wellbeing, yet strategies to prevent allergic responses remain elusive. With support from the Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund, we will investigate how allergies are transmitted from mothers to infants during pregnancy. Our goal is to understand why infants develop allergies to the same allergens as their mothers and find ways to prevent transmission, ultimately diminishing infant allergy cases.”
Associate Professor Ashley St John
Duke-NUS Medical School
2023 Award Recipient
“Our society is evolving with declining fertility rates posing challenges for women considering later pregnancies due to ovarian aging. At present its underlying mechanisms are still not fully understood. Addressing these modern medical challenges and developing solutions is crucial. With support from the Tanoto Foundation Medical Research Fund, we aim to investigate the causes of ovarian aging and explore ways to promote ovarian health and extend female fertility.”
Professor Brian Kennedy
National University of Singapore
2024 Application Cycle
FUNDING
The MRF will grant up to S$5 million each cycle.

First Stage: Letter of Intent (LOI) evaluation
LOIs will be evaluated based on the significance and relevance of the research to MRF’s main objectives which are to support effective research (new discoveries), catalyse additional funding and cultivate local research talent in Singapore. Ultimately, the research outcomes should be made accessible and beneficial for the public good.

Second Stage: Full Proposal evaluation
Full proposals will be evaluated based on four general criteria:

Potential for impact – potential for translation and innovation to advance clinical practices and technical capabilities to improve health outcomes in Singapore.

Robustness of approach – relevance and robustness of strategy, methodology and analyses to accomplish project aims and impact outcomes.

Profile and track record of study team – the excellence and accomplishments of the study team and potential/plan for talent development, PI and Co-PI involvements and contributions to the study.

Strength of collaboration – the collaborative effort of multi-disciplinary teams, ideally involving cross collaboration across Singapore healthcare clusters.

TIMELINE
Call for LOI: 09 September 2024

LOI deadline: 18 October 2024

Invite for Full Proposals: December 2024

Full Proposal deadline: January 2025

Announcement of results: April to May 2025
February 11, 2025
Research Initiatives

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Research Initiatives

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.

CHaMP Focus Areas

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.

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.

February 11, 2025