Partnership for advancing cancer research and biobanking in Asia

The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) in Taiwan and the Singapore Translational Cancer Consortium (STCC) have formed a landmark partnership to promote cancer research in Asia.

This collaboration, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU), will draw on the strengths of both organizations to strengthen cross-border partnerships in biobanking and translational cancer research.

The partnership will enrich STCC’s cancer tissue specimen repository as a resource that will empower researchers from Singapore and Taiwan to co-access anonymized biospecimens and foster translational research collaborations with a key focus on Asian-prevalent cancers, such as lung and liver cancer.

This collaboration to establish a joint cancer sample catalogue will also allow researchers from both sides to uncover novel cancer mechanisms and targets and accelerate the development of new cancer therapies to improve patient outcomes. It also highlights the importance of global collaboration in addressing the complex challenge of cancer.

NHRI was established in 1996. It is a non-profit academic research institution whose purpose is to improve the health and well-being of people, enhance the level of medical and health care, develop medical technology, and cultivate medical talents. In order to promote research progress on the causes of cancer and the development of new therapeutic drugs, NHRI biobank has collaborated with multiple hospitals in northern, central, and southern Taiwan to collect clinical, pathological, and epidemiological data on liver and lung cancer specimens and patients in Taiwan, hoping to increase understanding of the expression of tumor-related genes in the Taiwanese population and promote the development of the biotechnology and medical industry.

“We very much look forward to this collaboration accelerating translational research on lung and liver cancers, which are particularly common in Asian populations,” said Dr. Huey-Kang Sytwu, director of the NHRI. “By exchanging cross-border cancer sample data, we can stimulate innovative ideas and promote more impactful research to address cancer challenges in the region."

STCC was established in 2020, as a consortium to synergise cancer research capabilities in Singapore. STCC brings together unmatched basic, clinical, and translational talent in Singapore to create globally significant peaks of excellence in selected Asian cancers.

 “The collaboration between NHRI and STCC is a significant step forward in advancing our understanding of cancer,” said Professor Chng Wee Joo, Executive Director of STCC. “Only by integrating our expertise and resources can we meaningfully develop new treatments and improve the health of patients in Asia and around the world.”