Caledonian College of Engineering, Oman:Affiliated to Glasgow Caledonian University, UK       

 

NUS Overseas Colleges, National University of Singapore.

Official Opening Of NUS Centre For Life Sciences:

A new home for some 450 researchers studying cancer, cardiovascular diseases,
immunology, neurobiology and ageing, the state-of-the-art research complex marks the
beginning of a new phase in NUS’ life science thrust.

The National University of Singapore (NUS) Office of Life Sciences (OLS) is pleased to
announce the official opening of the new Centre for Life Sciences (CeLS), the
University’s first building fully dedicated to research in life sciences. This new
five-storey complex, with a gross floor area of 20,000 m2, will be the new home for
some 450 researchers in OLS’ research programmes in Cancer, Cardiovascular Biology,
Immunology as well as Neurobiology and Ageing.

The S$40million state-of-the-art research complex was officially opened today
by Dr Tony Tan, Chairman, National Research Foundation. CeLS forms part of the
University’s biomedical sciences sector on the Kent Ridge campus, comprising the Yong
Loo Lin School of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Science and the National
University Hospital. The Centre offers a multidisciplinary research environment for
researchers to cooperate and work towards advancing knowledge and developing solutions
to major diseases prevalent in Singapore and the region, including cancer, ageing as
well as cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure and stroke.

NUS President Prof Shih Choon Fong said, “The opening of the CeLS marks a significant
milestone in our quest for research excellence and high quality education in life
sciences. In the last 5 years, our focus was on building a strong foundation by
putting in place the infrastructure for life science research to flourish on campus.
Today, we are excited to embark on a new phase in our life science thrust. CeLS will
provide an added push towards multidisciplinary research and education in life
sciences.”

Set up in 2001, OLS at NUS seeks to coordinate, integrate and synergise the various
life sciences teaching and research programmes at NUS and the affiliated institutions.
In collaboration with NUS School of Computing, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine,
Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Engineering and Faculty of Science, OLS has initiated
and is overseeing 12 research programmes studying diseases such as cancer, ageing,
cardiovascular biology, infectious diseases, and platform technologies such as
bioinformatics, bioengineering, tissue engineering, experimental therapeutics,
immunology, structural biology and proteomics.

“Going forward, we will continue to strengthen our current capabilities to keep up
with the rapid development in the field of biomedical sciences. Another key emphasis
for the OLS over the next few years would be to initiate and spur translational and
clinical research and education,” Prof Shih added.

Office of Life Sciences Conference

In conjunction with the official opening of CeLS, OLS will be holding a two-day
conference from 5 to 6 February 2007, featuring 4 keynote lectures, 11 oral sessions
and over 140 poster presentations. Four distinguished scientists who be delivering
keynote lectures during the 2-day conference are:

Prof Aaron Ciechanover, 2004 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry;
Prof Susumu Tonegawa, 1987 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology or Medicine;
Prof Sir David Lane, Executive Director, Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology,
A*STAR; and  Prof Edison Liu, Executive Director, Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR.
Expected to be attended by some 150 participants, the conference will address the
latest developments in diseases such as cancer, ageing, cardiovascular biology,
infectious diseases and platform technologies such as bioengineering, bioinformatics,
immunology, medicinal chemistry, molecular epidemiology, structural biology and
proteomics, toxicology and tissue engineering.