Agilent Technologies Inc. has announced an exciting new partnership with the National University of Singapore (NUS), launching a strategic collaboration focused on advancing scientific research. Together, they have created the NUS-Agilent Center of Excellence in Metabolic Medicine at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. Over the next four years, this partnership will drive forward research in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Metabolism plays a vital role in identifying cardio-liver-metabolic biomarkers, which can help prevent heart conditions like heart attacks and strokes. In Singapore, approximately 34 people experience heart attacks daily, with 25% of cases going undetected. Progress in this field will lead to more effective clinical interventions for those without symptoms, ultimately benefiting public health.
As part of the collaboration, Agilent will provide support for large-scale, population-based studies using its cutting-edge technologies, including xCELLigence, Seahorse XF, and BioTek. These tools will aid in both targeted and broad metabolic profiling during translational research. The Center of Excellence is also part of Project RESET, a five-year government-funded initiative aimed at developing early detection methods for heart diseases and strengthening Singapore’s role in precision medicine.
“We are at the dawn of a transformative era in healthcare, where rapidly evolving technologies are revolutionizing how we address metabolic challenges. Since metabolism is a key factor in all chronic diseases, focusing on it is essential not only for heart health but also for improving global healthcare. Agilent’s advanced technologies are instrumental in unraveling the complexities of metabolic dysfunction and helping discover new therapeutic targets and biomarkers,” said Professor Roger Foo, Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Professor of Medicine, principal investigator of Project RESET, and Vice Dean of Research at NUS Medicine.
Chow Voi Sheng, General Manager of Agilent Singapore and Vice President of Global Instrument Manufacturing, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Our xCELLigence and Seahorse XF technologies are leading innovations in cell analysis, designed to deepen our understanding of biology at its most fundamental level. Agilent has been a trusted partner to NUS for over 24 years, building on a strong track record of delivering performance, best-in-class scientific technology, and service excellence. We are proud to contribute to Singapore’s ambitious plans to revolutionize care for a healthier nation.”
Agilent’s metabolic and cellular phenotyping platforms provide a comprehensive workflow solution to study cells with unprecedented speed and scale. The NUS-Agilent Center of Excellence will also back the Cardiovascular Metabolic Disease Translational Research Program (CVMD-TRP) and the preclinical platform at NUS Medicine focused on creating new treatments for heart failure through the PREVENT-HF initiative.