A professor who helped lay the groundwork for analysis into infectious ailments in Singapore was yesterday honoured for his efforts.
Professor Ranga Krishnan, 64, acquired a medal beneath the President’s Science and Expertise Awards – the best recognition for distinctive analysis scientists and engineers right here – from President Halimah Yacob on the Istana.
Prof Ranga, who’s now chairman of the Well being Ministry’s Nationwide Medical Analysis Council, had helped set up the rising infectious ailments programme at Duke-NUS Medical College when he was dean from 2008 to 2015.
One of many college’s 5 signature programmes, it has since yielded many breakthroughs throughout numerous outbreaks of infectious ailments, together with the present Covid-19 pandemic.
For example, researchers there have developed diagnostic take a look at kits, remedies and even a vaccine to assist the nation sort out the coronavirus outbreak.
“We knew that viruses will cross from animals to people and this was notably a risk for our area and will have a significant affect on the well being and economic system,” Prof Ranga informed The Straits Instances.
“We have been then fortunate in having the ability to entice one of the best on this area, equivalent to Dr Wang Linfa whose work on bat viruses, together with constructing the services, turned out to be prescient in some ways.”
Prof Ranga additionally contributed to the event of the well being and biomedical sciences sector in Singapore in different methods. He had helped to advertise the interpretation of basic analysis into useful purposes by strengthening partnerships between healthcare and analysis establishments.
Prof Ranga mentioned he was honoured, humbled and stunned to be chosen for the award.
The President’s Science and Expertise Awards comprise the President’s Science and Expertise Medal, the President’s Science Award, and the President’s Expertise Award.
Madam Halimah offered the President’s Science Award to the Company for Science, Expertise and Analysis’s (A*Star) Professor Liu Jianjun, 57, and a trio from the Nanyang Technological College comprising Professor Nikolay Zheludev, 65, Affiliate Professor Chong Yidong, 40, and Affiliate Professor Zhang Baile, 39.
The President’s Expertise Award went to Professor Dario Campana from the Nationwide College of Singapore.
The winners have been picked by a panel of representatives from trade, academia and analysis.
They hail from fields like genetic research, immunology and nanophotonics (the examine of sunshine on a nano scale), and have been recognised for his or her contributions in making Singapore a world-class hub for science and expertise, mentioned A*Star.
Three Younger Scientist Awards have been additionally given out by Minister for Commerce and Trade Chan Chun Sing throughout the occasion.
Recipients embody A*Star’s Dr Chew Wei Leong, 35, for his work in gene modifying remedy; NUS’ Dr John Ho, 31, for his analysis in growing wi-fi healthcare applied sciences; and Dr Tan Si Hui, 35, for her analysis on most cancers and stem cells. She was previously with A*Star until late this 12 months and is now with Cargene Therapeutics.
Mr Chan congratulated the winners of the President’s Science and Expertise and Younger Scientist awards, saying the science and expertise group assist make the inconceivable occur.
“You are those who permit us to compete on the premise of innovation, the standard of our concepts, the standard of our merchandise, and never compete on the premise of our dimension or useful resource endowment,” he mentioned.
“Due to your contribution to our nation, we can’t solely handle the present Covid-19 pandemic… however extra importantly, you may have allowed us to ascertain the foundations for the success of our future economic system.”