Keynote speaker
Prof. Too Heng-Phon
Associate Professor, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department, NUS Founder of local start-up MiRXES Awardee of Commercialization & Technology Grant and GAP funding by A*STAR. Profile Prof Too Heng-Phon currently holds joint appointments at both the Department of Biochemistry as well as Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He is also a Principal Investigator of the Neurobiology and Ageing Program at the Life Sciences Institute, NUS, and an adjunct scientist in the Bioprocess Technological Institute at A*STAR. Previously, he was a Faculty Fellow of the Singapore-Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Alliance. He has recently founded a local start-up MiRXES, a spin-off based on microRNA detection technologies developed in collaboration between NUS and A*STAR. Prof Too has received numerous notable grants and fellowship awards, including the Merck Sharpe Dohme Academic Development Fellowship, Commercialization of Technology grant and GAP funding by A*STAR. He holds multiple intellectual properties on technological platforms with various research departments in Singapore and in MIT, USA. Specializing in molecular and cell biology research, his team has developed in-house qPCR assays that enabled the discovery of several novel findings of blood-borne microRNA in diseases. He is now in the process of expanding his research technology with an aim of serving local and global clinical and scientific unmet needs. Abstract Keynote title: "A journey worth considering – a personal experience in forming a Singapore spin-off" In my talk, I will share our recent experience in our journey from “bench-to-business”. The first part describes the science and development of an in-house technology by my laboratory during the past few years. This endeavour, which was funded by A*STAR, has enabled the discovery of several novel findings of blood-borne microRNA in diseases. With our then-success, we begun building and expanding our capabilities, so as to serve the unmet needs of both local and global, clinical and scientific research scene. The second part shares the developmental process - from the conception of ideas to the many hilarious moments, painful realizations and mindboggling steps in forming the startup. With Singapore’s bio-entrepreneurial business ecosystem being less matured and comparable to the US, many years of planning, worrying and meandering through the maze of , guided (and still being guided) by some, has finally brought this spin-off to fruition. The motivation behind this local spin-off is to contribute to the bio-entrepreneurial ecosystem, which is in-line with the current efforts of Singapore in developing research & development for commercialization and value-creation. This is a plan for the biomedical science sector, which has also yet to be fully realized. I hope my experience will inspire today’s young scientists to venture beyond their daily regime and to take up the challenge of taking the road that is less travelled. |