SRIS, a partnership between NHG, NTU, and A*STAR, has propelled skin research in Singapore to greater heights by bringing together the expertise of clinicians, scientists, and engineers. In 10 years, it has demonstrated remarkable achievements, with a strong pipeline of impactful research and collaborations.
Founded in 2013, the Skin Research Institute of Singapore (SRIS) was a result of a dynamic partnership between the National Healthcare Group (NHG), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). Its mission: to unite research, engineering, and clinical expertise to drive integrated initiatives and amalgamate a strong repertoire of capabilities. With extensive research programmes spanning clinical dermatology, bioimaging, bioinformatics and health economics, SRIS has rapidly become one of the leading research centres globally and is dedicated to advancing the understanding of skin biology and developing innovative solutions to transform skincare and dermatological health.
SRIS celebrated its 10th year anniversary in July 2024, with the event being graced by Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry, Ms Low Yen Ling, to mark a decade of groundbreaking achievements. These include 417 publications in peer-reviewed journals and books, $36.5M obtained in industry investments and more than $90M awarded in competitive research grants, to foster promising research and innovation efforts. Novel innovations include the creation of a cutting-edge, single-layer, multi-density 3D printed insole, as well as skin scaffolds developed using electrospinning1, a technique inspired by cotton candy making, creating 3D matrices that mimic the skin's dermal layer for targeted, localized wound healing.
SRIS has also demonstrated its increased footprint in the national research ecosystem, successfully vying for a $10M National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Open-Fund Large Collaborative Grant (OF-LCG) for the Atopic DErmatitis research Program for patienTs (ADEPT). Targeted at the most common skin disorder in Singapore representing high clinical burden, ADEPT aims to understand the causes and disease progression of Atopic Dermatitis in the Asian context and develop cutting edge diagnostic tools and therapies to improve health outcomes. SRIS was also awarded the $13.3M Cutaneous Ageing and Maintenance Programme (CAP) Industry Alignment Fund – Pre-Positioning (IAF-PP) grant to discover innovative preventive measures and treatments that are tailored specifically for Asian skin.
Over the past 10 years, SRIS has made significant contributions to dermatological research and skin health, fostering impactful collaborations and technological advancements. In the years to come, SRIS strives for continued success in pushing the boundaries of skin research and innovation and driving excellence as global leader and champion of Asian skin health.
1 Chin, J. S. et. al. (2022). Bio-Mimicking Acellular Wet Electrospun Scaffolds Promote Accelerated Integration and Re-Epithelialization of Full-Thickness Dermal Wounds. Bioengineering, 9(7), 324.
Pushing the boundaries of skin research and innovation and driving excellence as a global leader and champion of Asian skin health
Key Message or Highlight: Key Message or Highlight: SRIS has made significant contributions in advancing the understanding of skin biology, fostering impactful collaborations and developing innovative solutions for skincare and dermatological health
