AAANNNNNNUUUAAALLL RRREEEPPPOOORRRTTT OOOFFF TTTHHHEEE NNNAAATTTIIIOOONNNAAALLL MMEEEDDDIIICCCAAALLL RRREEESSSEEEAAARRRCCCHHH CCCOOOUUUNNNCCCIIILLL (NMRC) 2004 Content C H A P T E R 1 ................................................................................... - 1 - National Medical Research Council .............................................................. - 1 - Council Members.................................................................................................... - 1 - Executive Committee ............................................................................................. - 2 - C H A P T E R 2 ................................................................................... - 3 - Introduction .............................................................................................................. - 3 - NMRC’s Mission and Strategy.............................................................................. - 3 - FY2004 Budget and Expenditure ......................................................................... - 4 - Highlights of FY2004.............................................................................................. - 4 - C H A P T E R 3 ................................................................................... - 6 - Competitive Grants ............................................................................................... - 6 - Introduction .............................................................................................................. - 6 - Individual Research Grant (IRG).......................................................................... - 6 - Competitive Programme Grant (CPG)............................................................... - 11 - Competitive Priority Grant (CPRG).................................................................... - 11 - C H A P T E R 4 ................................................................................. - 12 - Block Grants .......................................................................................................... - 12 - Introduction ............................................................................................................ - 12 - Institutional Block Grant (IBG) ............................................................................ - 13 - Enabling Grant (EG)............................................................................................. - 49 - C H A P T E R 5 ................................................................................. - 62 - Summary of Research Output........................................................................ - 62 - Research Output from Block Grants & Competitive Grants........................... - 62 - C H A P T E R 6 ................................................................................. - 63 - NMRC-STB Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Awards .......... - 63 - NMRC Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award ................................... - 63 - Medical Research Travelling Fellowships......................................................... - 66 - C H A P T E R 7 ................................................................................. - 67 - Financial Report................................................................................................... - 67 - Budget for FY2004................................................................................................ - 67 - Commitments in FY2004 ..................................................................................... - 67 - Research Expenditure for FY2004..................................................................... - 71 - Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award ................................................ - 74 - A N N E X E S ........................................................................................... - 75 - Annex 1: Abstracts of IRG & IBG Research Projects Completed in FY2004.. - 76 - Annex 2: Abstracts of Completed Projects under NMRC-STB Medical Research Fellowship/Scientist Award in FY2004 ................................................................ - 123 - Annex 3: Abstracts of Completed Projects under NMRC-STB Medical Research TravellingFellowship in FY2004 ........................................................................... - 128 - Annex 4: Research Projects Approved by NMRC in FY2004.......................... - 135 - Annex 5: Publications arising from Block Grants and Competitive Grants.... - 147 - Annex 6: Acknowledgements................................................................................ - 202 - Local Reviewers.................................................................................................. - 202 - Overseas Reviewers .......................................................................................... - 203 - C H A P T E R 1 National Medical Research Council Council Members Chairman Prof Woo Keng Thye Emeritus Consultant, Department of Renal Medicine Singapore General Hospital Members Assoc Prof Chew Suok Kai Deputy Director of Medical Services (Epidemiology and Disease Control) Ministry of Health Prof Barry Halliwell Head, Department of Biochemistry National University of Singapore Prof Hong Wan Jin Deputy Director Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology Prof Lee Eng Hin Director, Division of Graduate Medical Studies National University of Singapore Assoc Prof London Lucien Ooi Head, Surgical Oncology Department National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Shazib Pervaiz Vice-Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine National University of Singapore Prof Soo Kee Chee Director National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Donald Tan Director Singapore Eye Research Institute Dr Stephen D Wise Director Lilly-NUS Centre for Clinical Pharmacology Prof Yap Hui Kim Head, Division of Paediatric Nephrology Immunology and Urology The Children’s Medical Institute National University Hospital - 1 - Executive Committee Chairman Prof Woo Keng Thye Emeritus Consultant, Department of Renal Medicine Singapore General Hospital Members Prof Barry Halliwell Head, Department of Biochemistry National University of Singapore Prof Soo Kee Chee Director National Cancer Centre Assoc Prof Donald Tan Director Singapore Eye Research Institute Dr Stephen D Wise Director Lilly-NUS Centre for Clinical Pharmacology Prof Yap Hui Kim Head, Division of Paediatric Nephrology Immunology and Urology The Children’s Medical Institute National University Hospital - 2 - C H A P T E R 2 Introduction NMRC’s Mission and Strategy Since its inception in 1994, the National Medical Research Council’s (NMRC) mission has been to engender the growth of research talent, support high quality clinical research, and improve the quality of medical care and human health in Singapore. NMRC is a unit of the Ministry of Health (MOH), and MOH provides secretariat support to the Council. The present Council is chaired by Professor Woo Keng Thye, Singapore General Hospital, and comprises representatives from the universities and leading medical and scientific institutions in Singapore. The Council was appointed by the Minister for Health in Feb 2003 for a 3 year term. Its mission includes: To lead, promote and co-ordinate clinical research nationally. To identify and prioritise areas of clinical research to be undertaken To propose an annual budget for clinical research to MOH. To decide on the allocation of funds for clinical research activities. To co-ordinate and facilitate the efficient use of research facilities, manpower and funds. To evaluate the outcomes of research studies, including the clinical applications of the research findings. The Council is assisted by the Executive Committee, which provides funding recommendations to aid the Council, and the Fellowship Subcommittee and 10 Peer Review Committees which provide scientific inputs. The 10 Peer Review Subcommittees are grouped as follows: 1. Immunology/Microbiology 2. Pathology/Inflammation/Oncology/Nuclear Medicine 3. Biochemistry/Cell and Molecular Biology 4. Epidemiology/Health Sciences/Public Health & Health Services 5. Peripheral, Central, Sensory & Cellular Nervous System/Mental Health 6. Genetics/Paediatrics/Reproduction 7. Cardiovascular/Respiratory 8. Renal/Endocrine/Pharmacology 9. GIT/Liver/Nutrition 10. Dentistry/Surgery/Ophthalmology Together with key stakeholders and partners, the Council set the strategic plan for medical research in Singapore in 2003 for the next 5 years. It also aims to chart the future directions for medical research development in Singapore. - 3 - The NMRC Strategic Plan consists of 3 key elements: 1. Development of research landscape 2. Funding of manpower 3. Development of greater depth and breadth of clinical research expertise. The Council also identified 7 focus areas for research as follows: 1. Vascular 2. Oncology 3. Infectious diseases (include public health) 4. Hepatology 5. Neurobiology and ageing 6. Ophthalmology and visual sciences 7. Child Health FY2004 Budget and Expenditure In FY2004, the NMRC was allocated a total of $54.9 million for research expenditure, out of which $49.9 million was obtained from MOH’s Other Operating Expenses Budget and $5.0 million was received as a generous donation from Singapore Totalisator Board (STB) for research projects and programmes. STB also provided an additional $2.0 milllion in FY2004 for the Medical Research Fellowship and Scientist Award. For this financial year, the expenditures for research programmes and projects i.e. Block Grants and Competitive