SINGAPORE – 10 April 2025 – The A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB), a pioneering biomedical research institute under the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), marked its 40th anniversary today with a gala dinner graced by Guest-of-Honour Dr Tan See Leng, Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry. The celebration underscored the institute’s four decades of scientific breakthroughs and its continuing role in shaping Singapore’s biomedical innovation landscape.
As part of his address, Dr Tan highlighted IMCB’s significant contribution to the nation's progress, noting, “IMCB’s achievements go hand-in-glove with Singapore’s rise as the region’s biomedical hub. We started off as a nation of technicians, and worked our way up the biomedical value chain… Today, Singapore is a key node across the entire biomedical value chain, and home to more than 60 pharmaceutical and medtech manufacturing plants, with over 500 biomedical startups.”
“Our ongoing mission is to harness science to make an impact in patients’ lives,” said Assoc Prof Su Xinyi, Executive Director of A*STAR IMCB. “By pushing the boundaries in critical research areas like ageing, precision medicine, and advanced cellular therapies, we ensure our work remains impactful and responsive to the evolving needs of Singaporeans.”
40 Years of Scientific Impact and Innovation
Established in 1985 as Singapore's first biomedical research institute, IMCB marked the nation’s strategic shift from a "nation of technicians" to a knowledge-intensive economy. Over four decades, the institute has achieved international recognition for research excellence while developing local scientific leaders and contributing to economic growth through biotech innovation.
Among the institute’s most significant contributions are the discovery of protein kinases and phosphatases crucial to cell signalling—an achievement commemorated on Singapore's $10,000 note—and the mapping of the fugu fish genome. Sequenced ahead of the human genome, the compact Fugu genome was pivotal in identifying critical genes associated with human diseases. This work accelerated global efforts in precision medicine, enabling the discovery of genes linked to cancers and other genetic disorders, and laying the groundwork for developing new diagnostic tests and targeted therapies.
On the economic front, the institute’s research has given rise to biotech spin-offs such as Albatroz Therapeutics, Sunbird Bio, BioCheetah and Intra-ImmuSG. These ventures reflect IMCB’s commitment to translating deep science into promising therapeutic approaches and supporting the growth of Singapore’s biotech ecosystem.
A central pillar of IMCB’s legacy is its sustained investment in scientific talent. More than 400 PhD students and 1,000 postdoctoral fellows have been trained at the institute, many of whom are now making significant contributions across hospitals, academic medical centres, universities, and biomedical enterprises in Singapore and globally.
Looking ahead, the institute will build on its four decades of excellence by advancing research in key areas including translational neuroscience, advanced cancer immunotherapies, and AI-driven disease modeling. Through strategic industry partnerships, the institute will continue strengthening Singapore's biomedical ecosystem—securing the nation's position at the forefront of global biomedical innovation.
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Enclosed:
ANNEX A – A*STAR IMCB’s Research Highlights
ANNEX A – A*STAR IMCB’s Spin-off Highlights
For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Owen Sia
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Tel: +65 6517 7866
Email: owen_sia@hq.a-star.edu.sg
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About A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
The A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (A*STAR IMCB) is a premier research institute whose mission is to harness biology for transformational bio-therapeutics and diagnostics. With a strong emphasis on collaboration with stakeholders across the ecosystem in Singapore, the institute aims to achieve scientific excellence and continues to nurture the next generation of scientists in order to create growth and enhance lives. For more information about A*STAR IMCB, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg/imcb.
About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research
The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's lead public sector R&D agency. Through open innovation, we collaborate with our partners in both the public and private sectors to benefit the economy and society. As a Science and Technology Organisation, A*STAR bridges the gap between academia and industry. Our research creates economic growth and jobs for Singapore, and enhances lives by improving societal outcomes in healthcare, urban living, and sustainability. A*STAR plays a key role in nurturing scientific talent and leaders for the wider research community and industry. A*STAR’s R&D activities span biomedical sciences to physical sciences and engineering, with research entities primarily located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis. For ongoing news, visit www.a-star.edu.sg.
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ANNEX A – A*STAR IMCB RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
For 40 years, A*STAR IMCB has been at the forefront of fundamental biological research, consistently pushing the boundaries of knowledge in molecular and cell biology. Its journey began with pioneering work that laid the foundation for Singapore's biomedical landscape, evolving into a powerhouse with deep expertise across critical domains. Today, the institute tackles complex challenges in areas such as cancer biology (unravelling signalling, plasticity, and resistance mechanisms), cell and molecular therapy (harnessing stem cells and immunotherapy), and neurometabolism (exploring brain-body interactions in health and disease). This relentless pursuit of scientific excellence continues to generate ground-breaking insights into the mechanisms of life and disease.
Highlights
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PAK Proteins: Among A*STAR IMCB's early fundamental contributions was the pioneering research into p21-activated kinases, or PAK proteins, led by the late Prof Louis Lim and Assoc Prof Edward Manser. This work established Singapore's first research programme investigating kinase signalling and the cell's internal scaffolding (cytoskeleton), defining the molecular mechanisms by which PAK proteins control how cells move and organise themselves. This line of inquiry provided critical insights into complex disease processes, including how cancer cells spread (metastasis) and the underlying mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases. The discovery of the PAK CRIB motif, a key structural component, proved particularly impactful. In recognition of this research's importance to fundamental biology and its potential health implications, it was graphically featured on Singapore's Portrait Series $10,000 banknote, a rare national honour for a scientific discovery.
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Fugu Genome sequencing: A*STAR IMCB played a key role in the international consortium that sequenced the genome of the Fugu (Japanese pufferfish) in the early 2000s, a landmark project involving IMCB pioneers like Prof Byrappa Venkatesh and initiated by Nobel Laureate Dr Sydney Brenner. Published in Science in 2002, this achievement marked a significant milestone for IMCB and Singapore in the field of genomics. The Fugu was targeted because its genome contains largely the same set of genes as humans but is about eight times smaller, with much less repetitive "junk" DNA. This compact structure made the Fugu genome an invaluable tool for understanding the much larger and more complex human genome. By comparing the two, scientists could more easily identify essential genes and the regulatory sequences controlling them, which have been preserved across 450 million years of evolution. This comparative genomics approach accelerated the discovery of previously unknown human genes and provided crucial insights into the overall structure, function, and evolution of vertebrate genomes, including our own. |
ANNEX B – A*STAR IMCB SPIN-OFF HIGHLIGHTS
Over the decades, A*STAR IMCB has successfully nurtured numerous ventures translating scientific discoveries into tangible impact, starting from early successes like MerLion Pharmaceuticals, which achieved Singapore's first FDA drug approval. Recent spin-offs continue to drive innovation in diverse areas, including BioCheetah developing cancer diagnostics, Intra-ImmuSG and Albatroz Therapeutics pioneering novel antibody therapies, BetaLife creating stem-cell solutions for diabetes, and others focused on drug discovery platforms, RNA therapeutics, and AI-driven protein engineering. This vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, built on a foundation of deep science, underscores the institute's role in driving Singapore's knowledge-based economy and bringing potentially life-changing innovations from the lab to the clinic.
Highlights
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Albatroz Therapeutics: Albatroz Therapeutics is an A*STAR IMCB spin-off founded upon the foundational research of Dr Frederic Bard concerning the extracellular matrix (ECM), which plays a crucial role in tumour progression and tissue remodelling. The company is developing therapeutic antibodies targeting Calnexin, a protein identified by Dr Bard's team as being involved in ECM degradation. As the first company globally to target Calnexin this way, Albatroz is pioneering a novel therapeutic approach aimed at treating conditions driven by ECM degradation, such as cancer metastasis and cartilage breakdown in arthritic disorders. |
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Intra-ImmuSG (IISG): Intra-ImmuSG (IISG) spun off from A*STAR IMCB to translate the pioneering cancer research of Prof Qi Zeng. Prof Zeng identified the PRL3 phosphatase protein as being overexpressed in a vast majority of cancers but absent in healthy tissues, establishing it as a key druggable target. Unconventionally, IISG is developing PRL3-zumab, a first-in-class humanised antibody designed to target PRL3 even though it's primarily an intracellular protein, based on research showing it can be externalised on the cancer cell surface. This antibody therapy has shown promise, progressing through Phase I safety trials and into multi-national Phase II trials (in the US, Singapore, China, and Malaysia), demonstrating potential clinical benefits for patients with aggressive, treatment-resistant cancers. |