May 18, 2022

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Singapore Medical Students Learning through Virtual Reality and Gamification

PASS-IT NUS Photo Credit:https://news.nus.edu.sg/
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Due to COVID-19, access to the operating theatres in hospitals is restricted, which means medical training must balance practical learning experiences while ensuring the safety of their students.

NUS have released how they are enabling their medical students from the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine to experience the process of patient safety and immersion in operating theatre procedures through virtual reality (VR).

The students have been able to learn about the entire flow of the peri-operative setting: from dental clearance to anaesthesia evaluation, to the handling of sharps during surgery and the safe conduct of operations in a simulated environment through VR headsets and hand-held controllers.

The system, called PAtient Safety aS Inter-Professional Training (PASS-IT), is a digital gamified environment that allows students to learn about hands-on techniques in the operating theatre.

“PASS-IT’s gamified style lets multiple learners be immersed in situations where they are given the opportunity to participate in what would usually be a highly restricted environment,” said Associate Professor Alfred Kow, a surgeon and Assistant Dean (Education) of NUS Medicine.

“With the COVID-19 situation, students have also been removed from these settings of practical learning due to the risk of exposing them to aerosol-generating procedures. This VR system is a good tool to help the students consolidate their learning despite increased clinical restrictions,” he added.

Operating in the virtual training world

Medical students use VR headsets and hand-held controllers to interact with each other in real-time. Their physical movements and actions are also tracked and displayed in real-time for visualisation and evaluation.

The tool allows students “to make mistakes, learn in a safe environment and ensure that they are competent before they enter actual clinical environment to care for patients”, according to Assoc Prof Kow.

The PASS-IT programme was piloted with a cohort of 36 third-year medical students who had just completed their clinical rotations in surgery, as well as 56 fourth-year medical students during their Phase IV Anaesthesia posting.

Students showed improved understanding of peri-operative patient safety after the training. Results also showed that the VR training had elevated the students’ appreciation for effective communication between healthcare workers, and the majority of students also spoke positively of the use of VR technology to enhance their knowledge of patient safety.

Assistant Professor Terry Pan from the Department of Anaesthesia at NUS Medicine said the introduction of the PASS-IT VR system has been timely as it gave the students “a unique opportunity to continue the operating theatre learning experience virtually in a safe and structured manner”.

“This innovative VR tool can certainly complement the operating theatre learning experience when the current restrictions are lifted,” he added.

Photo Credit:https://news.nus.edu.sg/

International MoU Inked Between HK, Singapore and Europe Tech Talent

Image Credits: HKSTP, Press Release
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Two biomedical companies under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation and a European leader in lung cancer research jointly announced that they will be entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), forging international collaborations between local talents and worldwide institutes via connection to corporates’ global network.

The partnership program includes two Science Park-based companies – the first being one of the research centres under the Health@InnoHK cluster funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission, and the other is a biotechnology company under the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

The 5-year strategic partnership will study the preclinical efficacy of proprietary anticancer compounds developed by the Lead Principal Investigator and Managing Director of one of the research centres under the Health@InnoHK cluster funded using the second HKSTP company’s breakthrough technologies, including, Onco-PDO™ (Patient-Derived Organoids Chemotherapeutic Test), the biotechnology company’s Humanized Mice Technologies, & Next Generation Sequencing (NGS).

The research conducted will set forth the pathway in an attempt to make advanced cancer a treatable chronic disease and improve patients’ lives. Dr Rafael Rosell, a renowned lung cancer expert based in Spain, will serve as clinical and scientific advisor of the project, collaborating on the study of molecular mechanisms of the anticancer compounds and advising on future clinical trials.

Along with the multilateral research framework, the biotechnology company will contribute, to eligible cancer patients, their Onco-PDO™ Chemosensitivity Test, an in vitro drug screening on patient-specific organoid as a therapeutic tool in personalized treatment, leading to more durable responses with fewer side effects from less responsive treatment. The contribution covers cancer types including lung cancer, breast cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and cervical cancer.

The Managing Director of the research centres stated that he hopes for the successful growth of the centre that will lay a foundation for the establishment of the National Innovation Centre in Hong Kong, which would become the engine to power “the development of Science and Technology for the benefit of mankind”.

Meanwhile, the European specialist stated that centralising cancer biology research is essential through international collaboration to develop new therapies and optimise treatments, such as those based on chemotherapy. Interdisciplinary, international collaboration could harmonise the understanding of oncogenesis, a determinant factor in augmenting curability and cancer elimination, he added.

The Regional Head of the biotechnology company stated that as an enterprise actively participating in this research project, the firm hopes to fill the gap to transform the wealth of expertise into actionable solutions meeting unsolved medical challenges and strengthen the interaction between the public and private sector, making research more sustainable.

The Commissioner for Innovation and Technology said that the signing of the MoU on the tripartite collaboration between one of the InnoHK research laboratories, the biotech firm and the European specialist signifies an important step in building a partnership between Hong Kong’s InnoHK research laboratories and renowned international collaborators in the field of health-care and life sciences.  She added that the government looks forward to the translation of the Laboratory’s R&D deliverables into new solutions and promising treatments in the foreseeable future.

The CEO of HKSTP stated that this high-level collaboration manifests the global potential of Hong Kong’s biomedical R&D ecosystem and realises InnoHK’s vision of building a world-class centre for translational research, while HKSTP will continue to support global talent and tech ventures on life-changing innovation missions to benefit society.

Singapore UTD’s M2E Device Offers Cheap Cancer Treatment

Medical Records Technology with a vitruvian man over a background of digital binary code as a health care symbol of electronic data storage at a central server network available in the cloud for a hospital or clinic patient convenience.
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Researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have invented a microsize-gap multiple-shot electroporation (M2E) device that has the potential to increase the efficiency with which cancer treatment is offered at a cheaper cost. The researchers came to the conclusion that the instrument would benefit from having transparent electrodes installed in it so that it could better visualise anti-cancer medications.

According to Desmond Loke, an assistant professor at SUTD and the primary investigator of this research, the scientific community wants to create a simple, low-cost cancer treatment system. “The narrow gap between electrodes allows us to achieve a sufficiently strong electric field using a few volts rather than several tens of volts applied in traditional electroporation.”

Assistant Prof. Loke revealed that the device that was built by SUTD did not require any specialised components, expensive materials, or a tedious fabrication process. He stated that this was one of the most important aspects of the device.

The M2E device, which is connected to the development of cancer treatments, was put through its paces by researchers utilising a variety of substances. Because of this new technology, cancer cells can now display a two-hour window in which they are able to take in chemicals.

The time frame offered by conventional electroporation equipment is approximately 400% shorter than what is supplied. In addition to that, it may be utilised more than once. According to the results of the study, the M2E system has the potential to be beneficial in the treatment of COVID-19 when combined with associated drugs.

Electroporation is a technique that involves the application of a very weak electric pulse to cells in order to momentarily create holes in the membranes of such cells. The goal of this technique is to transfer genetic material across cells. The goal of using this method is to facilitate the movement of chemicals into and out of the cells.

This method has the potential to increase the likelihood of drug delivery for the treatment of cancer patients. The chemotherapy and radiation therapies for cancer can be administered through these holes if they are large enough. It is possible that the effectiveness of cancer treatments, as well as patients’ access to those treatments, could be improved through the integration of electroporation into treatment protocols.

This contrasts with how electroporation was traditionally performed, in which several tens of volts were applied. This low voltage, together with the transparent electrode, serves to minimise energy use and facilitate visibility, avoiding dangerous drug use and restricted imaging of drug transport during drug testing, both frequent concerns with conventional electroporation devices. Low voltage also prevents dangerous drug use.

In addition, the permeability of tumour cells can be improved through the utilisation of electroporation in the treatment paradigm of electrochemotherapy to achieve the desired outcomes. Because of this, the cancer cells can more effectively absorb chemotherapy drugs like bleomycin and cisplatin.

After the researchers have finished working on ways to improve the M2E system, they anticipate that it will be a few years before the device finishes the clinical study and is ready for widespread use. The M2E technology has the potential to pave the way for much-enhanced delivery of cancer medicines and a more uniform distribution of cancer treatments to under-resourced and underserved places all over the world.

Singapore’s National Environment Agency Grows Energy Efficiency Fund up to 20%

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Under the Energy Efficiency Fund (E2F), the National Environment Agency of Singapore has increased its grant for Energy Efficient Technologies up to 20% starting last month, the supported maximum was raised from 50% to 70% of qualifying expenditures per project.

This lowers the barrier for industrial enterprises, including SMEs, to adopt energy-efficient solutions that will help them save money on energy and cut their carbon emissions. The E2F grant application and pay-out process were simplified to save time and money for applicants.

The Energy Efficiency Technology Centre (EETC), which provides low-cost energy evaluations for SMEs, will also be developed in collaboration with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). These policies will assist manufacturing SMEs in identifying and funding energy efficiency projects, as well as preparing for a low-carbon future.

The E2F was introduced in April 2017 and is administered by the NEA. It helps industrial organisations, including small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), increase their energy efficiency. The E2F supports a variety of energy efficiency and low-carbon activities, including energy assessments and resource-efficient facility design. Currently, the E2F grant scheme co-funds up to 50% of such projects’ qualifying costs.

The E2F has financed 27 energy-efficient technological initiatives as of January 2022. LED lighting, high-efficiency air-conditioning systems, variable-speed air compressors, and boiler systems are among them. These projects have saved an estimated 1,600 tonnes of carbon each year, which is the equivalent of taking 500 cars off the road.

The amount of money given to projects will depend on how much carbon is saved. Higher financial funding is available for projects that deliver greater carbon reduction. From April 1, 2022, E2F applications accepted by NEA will be eligible for this higher support cap. The sector is encouraged to take advantage of the increased funding and invest in energy-efficient solutions as soon as possible.

NEA is also making it easier for businesses to use the E2F to save time and money. The procedure of measuring and verifying energy savings will be simplified, the same with the grant application and payment processes for conventional retrofit projects involving LED lights or small energy-efficient air conditioners.

Companies just getting started on their energy efficiency journeys should take advantage of the EETC’s affordable energy evaluations, which have been available since 2020 as a collaboration between the NEA and the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

The energy assessments will assist businesses in obtaining an accurate view of their present energy profile, allowing them to make informed decisions about the energy efficiency improvements they may make.

Aside from energy assessments, the EETC is also working to grow Singapore’s workforce, including training a pipeline of engineering students in industrial energy efficiency and upskilling existing engineers or energy efficiency practitioners.

As Singapore transitions to a low-carbon economy, NEA will collaborate with SIT to build the next phase of the EETC, which will focus on developing human capacities in energy efficiency. The EETC will be improved by the establishment of a training and simulation centre, which will allow learners to study and practice their craft in a controlled and safe environment while simulating real-world settings.

The grant aims to encourage manufacturers, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, to invest in energy-efficient equipment or technology by co-funding up to 70% of eligible costs, such as external labour, equipment, or technology, as well as professional services.

The award is available to any Singapore-registered owners or operators of existing or planned manufacturing facilities with a group annual sales turnover of less than S$500 million. The project’s implementation facility must be located and operational in Singapore.

The project must include the installation and usage of energy-efficient equipment or technology at an industrial facility with a documented track record of energy savings. The project must result in energy savings that can be measured and verified.

HKUST Makes Breakthroughs in Early Diagnostics and Gene Therapy Tech

Image Credits: HKUST, Press Release
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Researchers at the Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (HKCeND), founded by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), have made promising breakthroughs in the early diagnosis and therapeutic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) that have the potential to transform disease management.

The team has established advanced biomarker discovery platforms, identified new blood-based biomarkers, and created an innovative artificial intelligence-based scoring system that enables risk prediction, early detection, and classification of AD. Furthermore, the team has successfully developed a gene therapy strategy as a novel therapeutic treatment for AD.

Established in 2020 with initial funding of HK$ 500 million from the Hong Kong government’s InnoHK Clusters initiative, HKCeND aims to be the world’s leading research centre focused on neurodegenerative diseases. A multi-disciplinary team of prominent scientists are engaged in cutting-edge research aimed at developing novel biomarkers and identifying therapeutic targets and systemic factors to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

AD, the most common form of dementia, is a devastating and incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects more than 50 million people globally. Treating AD remains a significant challenge since there are no objective diagnostic methods and patients are only diagnosed when the disease is at an advanced stage. Given that disease onset is at least 10 -20 years before the appearance of symptoms, early diagnosis of AD is the key to effective treatment.

The early detection of AD, when it manifests as mild cognitive impairment or early dementia, would enable timely management/therapeutic intervention resulting in improved outcomes. Biomarkers associated with the early stages of AD have been found to have important applications in early diagnosis.

HKCeND researchers have extensive expertise in biomarker research. Previous achievements include conducting the first whole-genome sequencing study of AD in the Chinese population and establishing the first comprehensive Chinese AD genetic database, resulting in the identification of AD genetic risk factors. These accomplishments have led to the development and establishment of novel and robust biomarker platforms at the HKCeND.

Furthermore, by leveraging their genetic studies on Chinese AD patients and utilizing AI tools, the team has developed the first deep learning-based polygenic risk scoring system that enables the objective assessment of AD risk.

The team has also identified blood-based protein biomarkers and is developing a customized panel of AD blood protein biomarkers that can accurately classify patients with AD and evaluate disease status from a single drop of blood. This technology can be applied towards developing a clinical tool to efficiently and effectively diagnose AD at an early stage and for disease stratification.

Given the clinical value of such tests, the team is actively pursuing commercialization opportunities with strategic industry partners.

Concurrent to their biomarker research, the HKCeND team is also focusing on developing new therapeutic approaches for AD, in particular, gene therapy. Gene therapy has not been considered a promising therapeutic approach for brain diseases such as AD due to the lack of an effective and non-invasive delivery tool capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Recently, the team generated the first engineered delivery vehicle and demonstrated its ability to not only effectively cross the blood-brain barrier but also deliver a genome-editing tool to the entire brain through a single non-invasive intravenous administration. Using this system, the team successfully disrupted AD-associated mutations and alleviated AD pathologies in the entire brain of AD mouse models. This work is an important milestone in the development of new disease-modifying therapies.

The team is confident that the Center will play a leading role in advancing research in neurodegenerative diseases, from talent development to conducting world-class research, to accelerate the development of precision diagnosis and medicine that will benefit millions of people globally.

The research work of the Center is led by eminent scientists and brings together more than 60 researchers from all over the world. The Center is looking for research talent to join the fast-growing team and is committed to nurturing a new generation of innovation and technology (I&T) talent.

Vietnam Social Security Uses IT to Connect Insurance, Population Databases

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Digital transformation efforts by the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) have helped provide chip-based ID cards for health insurance at more than 4,000 medical facilities across the country. Over the years, VSS has improved its operational efficiency through IT applications to cater to 88 million people with health insurance. According to the Vice Director of VSS’s Information Technology Centre, VSS has been developing a national insurance database, while also sharing population data.

After the national population database was put into operation, VSS connected with the system and has been working with the Ministry of Public Security to link the demographic information. So far, the system has identified about 40 million people, the Vice Director stated. VSS has provided social and health insurance information for more than 21 million people to the national population database. VSS will continue to synchronise its data with the national population database to form a complete connection between insurance and population data.

The work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2022. In February, the Ministry of Health asked the health departments of localities and medical facilities across the country to pilot the use of chip-based ID cards for health check-ups and treatment services covered by health insurance. On 1 March, VSS started to implement the scheme in all of its branches nationwide.

The state aims to build an e-government, hoping to digitally transform its key operations, under the national digital transformation programme approved in 2020. Earlier this month, the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) issued electronic identification (eID) codes for its agencies and units. As reported by OpenGov Asia, the ministry gets the eID Level 1 code and the advisory units (the office, inspectorate, and authorities of the ministry) are issued Level 2 codes. Level 3 is for its departments and their subordinate centres, and Level 4 is for the Institute of Post and Telecommunications Technology and its subordinate units.

MIC has already launched a national data exchange platform (NDXP) to help connect, integrate, and share data among ministries, sectors, and localities nationwide. All 22 ministries, ministry-level agencies, and 63 provinces and cities are now connected with the NDXP. In the first quarter of 2022, more than 134.5 million transactions were made on the NDXP, surging 24-fold from a year earlier, according to MIC.

Furthermore, the National Committee on Digital Transformation has approved a plan to increase the rate of online public services to 80%, the rate of administrative procedures dossiers processed online to 50%, and the rate of digitisation of dossiers and results of administrative procedures to 100%. Also, it will increase the rate of reports made online by state administrative agencies to 50% as well as the rate of state agencies providing full open data by category to 50%. There are 18 tasks assigned to the committee’s members, which include universalising smartphones, electronic identities, and broadband fibre optic cables. The committee will enhance network information safety and security, develop electronic health records, support online teaching, and digitally transform small and medium-sized enterprises.

UniSA Develops First-iIn-Human Trial for Aggressive Brain Tumours

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A novel technology designed to precisely image aggressive brain cancers and guide treatment is being developed by the University of South Australia and an Australian cancer diagnostic company potentially helping thousands of people who are diagnosed with the deadly condition each year. The new MRI nanotechnology targets a specific marker that is found in more than 90% of solid tumours, including high-grade brain cancers.

Already yielding promising preclinical results in a prostate cancer model, the new MRI technology has the potential to have a significant impact on aggressive brain cancers. The new funding will progress the technology towards a first-in-human trial.

UniSA’s Dr Nicole Dmochowska will lead the research, supported by a REDI Fellowship, announced recently. Dr Dmochowska says there is a critical need for better imaging of high-grade brain tumours. She noted that the prognosis for high-grade brain tumours such as glioblastoma remains abysmal, so new technologies that can potentially enable more precise targeting of tumours must be progressed.

The REDI Fellowship program provides financial support to companies in the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals (MTP) sector to bring researchers, clinicians and MTP professionals in-house for up to twelve months to work on priority medical research projects.

This research will advance a cutting-edge imaging technology developed in collaboration with the partnering company and with the support of the NeuroSurgical Research Foundation designed to more accurately image and, therefore, treat brain tumours with no additional neurotoxicity.

Dr Hien Le, a radiation oncologist at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and one of the Chief Investigators in the seed funding for this work, says the research has the potential to advance cancer treatments. “As someone who specialises in the management of brain cancer, I understand the importance of accurate tumour delineation.”

It was noted that better imaging means the tumour target can be more confidently defined, precise treatment delivery can be facilitated, whilst damage to normal healthy tissues can be minimised. In 2021, there were 1896 new diagnoses of brain cancer (1191 males and 725 females). Glioblastoma is the most common brain malignancy with a five-year survival rate of only 5%.

The R&D Manager at the company stated that the research will streamline preclinical validations for the technology for brain tumours, in preparation for a phase 1 ‘first-in-human’ clinical trial. She noted that the company is determined to transform the precision of cancer imaging, surgery and therapy to ensure that everyone diagnosed with cancer is given the best possible care.

The new technology builds on the firm’s cancer staging technology FerroTrace currently undergoing clinical trials in several cancer types. By bringing together the best minds in chemistry, bioengineering and oncology, the firm is continuing to push the boundaries to help make sure no one dies unnecessarily because the cancer was missed.

The global cancer diagnostics market size was valued at us$ 168 billion in 2020 and is projected to reach us$ 280 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 6.9% from 2021 to 2028. Cancer diagnostics is a method of identifying different biomarkers, proteins, and some signs that lead to the identification of the presence of a cancerous tumour.

Efficient diagnostic testing is used to validate or rule out the existence of illness, monitor the progression of the disease, and schedule and review treatment outcomes. Diagnostic procedures for cancer may include imaging, tumour biopsy, laboratory tests (including tests for tumour markers), endoscopic examination, surgery or genetic testing.

Nationwide lockdown, government regulations, and continuous increase in infection rates across countries created a widespread financial impact on neurology hospitals and clinics.

Taiwan University New Centre to Focus on AI Self-driving Technology

Image credits: https://www-en.ntut.edu.tw
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Autonomous cars are the wave of the future. For that to happen, Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be harnessed along with an army of sensors and Taiwan has opened a research centre to do just that.

The National Taipei University of Technology, known as Taiwan Tech, recently launched a research centre. Established in 1912, the school is one of Taiwan’s foremost universities known worldwide.  In cooperation with the public sector, Taiwan Tech’s new tech centre focuses on research on energy, semiconductors and AI. Particularly, it will study deeper the technology behind self-driving cars.

The centre itself has been in the works for years. University President, Wang Hsi-fu, pointed out that it will become a platform for tech Research and Development (R&D) while at the same time serving as a training ground for expertise. Moreover, it shall serve as a centre for global collaboration.

Wang disclosed the centre would be a joint venture of private and public entities. State-of-the-art facilities, for one, will be furnished by a host of the university’s private partners. Such a partnership should boost the tech centre’s practical applications in its research.

Moreover, the centre will also be financed by private sector entities. One microelectronics company has committed NT$ 46 million (US$ 1.54 million) over a two-year spread. Plus, government-owned Academicia Sinica will also pitch in for funding under the industry-university initiative of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).

A key technology to be studied is with regards to AI. Specifically, the private sector is interested in the research of lane-keeping technologies and adaptive cruise control, both necessary techs in the propagation of self-driving cars.

.AI becomes the driver in autonomous vehicles. The AI software integrates all the data that it receives from all the sensors attached to the vehicle. These sensors (e.g., radar sensors that monitor nearby obstacles/vehicles, video cameras to watch road signs/traffic signals, LiDar) are the eyes and ears of the car. It is up to the AI to come up with a timely decision to navigate the streets through them.

By simulation and deep learning, AI approaches a human’s ability to perceive and decide in real-time. After coming up with the right choice, AI then manipulates the car’s controls (e.g., steering, brakes) to move forward or evade as the situation may call it.

The new tech centre is in accordance with the “five plus two” industry plan of President Tsai Ing-wen where five technologies will be developed along with two additional ones. These industries are advanced manufacturing, biotech, defence and aviation, green energy and robotics as well as agriculture with a focus on achieving a circular economy.

Taiwan has gone a long way in its digital transformation. It’s safe to say its economy is a product of the advances in technology. Years ago, the island nation was not a key player in the global chip industry. Today it is the chip breadbasket of the world.

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