Singapore: Professor John Wong Eu-Li, currently chief executive of National University Health System (NUHS), Isabel Chan Professor in Medical Sciences and Senior Vice President (Health Affairs) for the National University of Singapore (NUS), has recieved President's Science and Technology Medal for his distinguished and sustained contributions to Singapore's healthcare and biomedical sciences research.

President's Science and Technology Awards are the highest scientific honours in Singapore and serve to recognise exceptional individuals and teams for their achievements in science and technology, and acknowledge their outstanding contributions to the research and development (R&D) landscape.

Professor Wong, one of the pioneers in Singapore's push for the biomedical sciences, was instrumental in shaping policies, recruiting top scientists and working with Singapore's economic agencies to attract pharmaceutical companies to Singapore.

Professor Wong has also championed translational clinical research and established the Cancer Therapeutics Research Group to bring together academic cancer centres from Singapore, Australia and across Asia to develop better treatments for cancers which predominantly affect Asian populations. The group has demonstrated major differences in the expression and treatment of common cancers between Asian and Caucasian populations, with implications for screening, drug efficacy and toxicity. This concept of an "Asian Phenotype" has since been identified as one of Singapore's niches in translational research.

By helping to establish and lead the NUHS, Professor Wong also brought together research, clinical care and education to advance health and the quality of healthcare in Singapore. His emphasis on the importance of multi-disciplinary collaboration and human capital development for Singapore's healthcare and research landscape has resulted in the development of academic programmes that encourage interaction across disciplines at NUS.

Said Professor Wong, "I am deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award on behalf of the whole academic medical community in Singapore who have built on what our predecessors have bequeathed us. Harnessing research to develop solutions for our healthcare challenges and equipping the next generation of professionals with the skills to address them will make this a better Singapore and enhance the biomedical sciences as a key pillar of our economy."