The Mechanobiology Institute (MBI) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) has recently secured S$49 million in funding from the National Research Foundation (NRF) to promote research aimed at advancing the field of mechanobiology and turning scientific breakthroughs into action by developing novel technologies and therapeutic targets for the treatment of age-related ailments such as infertility, chronical inflammatory diseases, muscle atrophy and cancer. The research funding will be provided over seven years, from December 2023.

The latest NRF funding will enable MBI to make fundamental discoveries and develop novel health innovations, enhancing Singapore’s global standing as a hub of advanced biomedical research.

The investment will also help attract world-class talent and investment in deep tech, aligning with Singapore’s strategic push in the biotech sector to drive improved healthcare outcomes and fuel economic growth.

Over the next seven years, the NRF funding will also support MBI’s education and talent development efforts. MBI aims to train about 20 PhD students in interdisciplinary science through its dedicated MBI Graduate Programme and plans to institute a novel post-doctoral fellow training programme to identify and develop talented scientists to conduct basic and translational research across all three research thrusts.

The goals for technology transfer include identifying mechanomedicine targets, developing new technology platforms, creating diagnostic assay prototypes, filing patents for promising technologies, and building a vibrant ecosystem for discovery, innovation and commercialisation.