May 23, 2002
Bioengineering is focus of alliance
The UW has entered into a five-year agreement with Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University to collaborate in bioengineering research, an arrangement that officials on both sides anticipate will foster important advances in one of the world’s hottest scientific arenas.
The Singapore-University of Washington Alliance, officially created last week when UW President Richard L. McCormick signed a collaboration agreement with officials in Singapore, will initially focus its efforts in two areas: tissue engineering and distributed diagnosis and home healthcare (D2H2). Under the tissue engineering initiative, scientists will explore methods to “grow” a pharynx and esophagus in the laboratory.
The D2H2 emphasis involves using technology and tele-medicine to bring medical care to people and areas that might otherwise miss out. Projects include the development of a home ultrasound system and technology and techniques to monitor patients via the Internet and point-of-care diagnostic tools that can be used at home.
Yongmin Kim, chair of the UW Department of Bioengineering, said the alliance will help build stronger international connections for the UW while harnessing the strengths of both institutions to advance research with potential applications both in the U.S. and overseas.
“Together we can generate new technology, new medical devices, to not only improve healthcare in advanced countries, but also in third-world countries,” he said.
Louis Lim, executive director of the Biomedical Research Council of Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, said the alliance represents a beginning for Singapore.
“This promising partnership will only be the tip of the iceberg as we develop Singapore as a world-class center for bioengineering research,” he said.
