ON BOARD

THIS IS YOUR NAVIGATOR SPEAKING

LOGO OF A LEADING STAR

A*STAR GALAXY

PUFF THE MAGIC FUGU

KEEP THE CELLS HAPPY

SMALL IS BOUNTIFUL

THE KING AND I

ONLY SINGAPORE HAS IT!

MAKE IT ROMANTIC OR REAL FAST

INSIDE THE SCIENCESHIP A*STAR

BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH COUNCIL

EXPLOIT TECHNOLOGIES PTE LTD

MANAGING DIRECTOR'S OFFICE/CORPORATE PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION DIVISION

A*STAR's TOP GUNS

DR SYDNEY BRENNER

DR WONG LIM SOON

PROF CHUA SOO JIN

PROF EDISON LIU

PROF YOSHIAKI ITO

ASSOC PROF KONG HWAI LOONG

DR LAM KONG PENG

A*STAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2002

SINGAPORE'S BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL (IAC) 2002

RESEARCH INSTITUTE DIRECTORS 2002

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

A*STAR! CREW LIST

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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Our mission is to foster world-class scientific research and human capital for a vibrant Knowledge-Based Singapore.

HENCE A*STAR’s Science and Technology Odyssey.

This is an Odyssey that you can go on. It is not one

from a long time ago. It is here and now. It will take you

exploring, to galaxies far and near. Unlike those light

years away, these galaxies of scientific and engineering

talent are within reach. You will encounter new vistas

and adventures, discover and achieve. You can join us,

the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in

transporting Singapore to scientific and technological

discoveries that will benefit humankind. Come, explore

the scientific universe with us. So many frontiers

beckon. Our Odyssey begins.

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2A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-2002

This is Your Navigator Speaking

On behalf of the Captain, I welcome you on board the

Singapore Scienceship SS A*STAR! You are in the flagship

of the Singapore Sciencefleet. Our destination is the

uncharted regions of the scientific universe. Our own

Galaxy has 100,000 million stars. The scientific universe

has countless points to discover and explore. So our

journey is an odyssey. We go not for the end of the voyage,

but for new knowledge to take us even farther afield. Our

mission: fostering world-class scientific research and

human capital for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. To

achieve our mission we bring on board scientists who have

the passion for research and the inspiration to accomplish.

We give them leading-edge facilities. We challenge them to

discover and invent. We also seek out the young and

talented. We show them that science is funky and sexy,

that it is hot and also cool. To keep A*STAR on course, we

need many more young people who dare to venture into

pioneering research. The pioneers of a past age crossed

oceans and mountain ranges to open up new lands for living

and farming. Similarly, the scientific pioneers of the space

age are exploring with a purpose, seeking discoveries and

inventions to prolong life and enhance living.

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5 A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-20024A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-2002

Remember “ET, come home” from that memorable movie?

A*STAR has its own ET. It stands for Exploit Technologies. It

is one of the five command sections of this scienceship.

There is the Bridge, from where I am speaking. There is the

Battle Bridge that directs operations. But the brain-and-

brawn of A*STAR is in the sections called the Biomedical

Research Council and the Science & Engineering Research

Council. They command sciencebases that generate new

knowledge. With innovative application, that knowledge can

lead to products and processes that people want. That kind

of knowledge is valuable Intellectual Property. The more IP

we own, the stronger our Knowledge base. Taking off from

that “ET, come home” call, our ET section ensures that our

explorations and experiments bring home the goodies. In

other words, bring back to Singapore wealth, high value-

added jobs, and a highly honed ability to compete with the

best anywhere.

Enough said. Explore A*STAR and see for yourself. Within

minutes you will be able to unbuckle and move about the

scienceship. Go meet the explorers on board and view their

work. You will also meet some really special people. They

are eminent scientists we have invited to work with us, or

to share experiences with us, or to speed us along in other

ways. One of them is a living legend, Dr Sydney Brenner. He

is a founding father of molecular genetics, one of the most

influential of scientists, and one of the three winners of the

2002 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is, happily

for us, a wonderful friend of Singapore. He serves in various

capacities in A*STAR. If I compare him to Spock of Star

Trek’s Enterprise, he may object to the imagery of pointed

Vulcan ears. But, like Spock, Dr Brenner is a Science Officer

Extraordinary.

That’s it, stand by! We are about to engage hyperdrive. The

acceleration may not be comfortable, but you will have fun

exploring the scientific universe with us. Now listen to the

Captain’s command: “Engage!”

The Navigator of SS A*STAR is PHILIP YEO, Chairman of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research. He is dressed like a working navigatorin a Sciencefleet, because he wants to invite savvy young people on board and chart some daring career paths for them. “Come, take up ourNational Science Scholarships, get your PhD, become a research scientist, then entrepreneur or venture capitalist, perhaps even a Nobel Prizewinner,” says Philip Yeo.

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Logo of a Leading Star

IT WAS A PERIOD OF RAPID TRANSFORMATION AT A*STAR. WEWERE REINVENTING OUR ORGANISATION AND STRATEGIES TO MEETTHE CHALLENGES AHEAD. WE ALSO WANTED TO DEVELOP OURCORPORATE IDENTITY.

DEVELOPING our corporate identity was akin to a little breakthrough

in the scientific world, where each researcher, each experiment, each

exploration uncovers some nugget of knowledge. Some explorations

lead to dead ends, whilst others generate new knowledge that

culminates in a new drug, a process, a patent or, in this case, a

logo. One that befits our name: Agency for Science, Technology

and Research. Why that name? Because we want to be an Agent of

change. To be a STAR, to provide the guiding direction for knowledge,

change and upgrading in Singapore's economy. We deliberately chose

the lead title: An Agency. And focus: for Science, Technology And

Research or STAR. Thus, A STAR or A*STAR. A*STAR aspires to be

a Leading Star that guides and inspires our young people, and

galvanises our local scientific and engineering community to pursue

knowledge for the continued prosperity of Singapore.

Edited extract from a speech by Philip Yeo, A*STAR’s Chairman, at a corporate identity launch on April 15 2002.



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A*STAR Galaxy

The Laboratories for Information

Technology and the Institute for

Communications Research will be

merged to form the Institute for

Infocomm Research (I2R).


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SPOCK of Star Trek is conjectured to have entered Starfleet Academy

in 2249. He graduated four years later at the age of 23. During his

final cadetship year, he was an intern on the USS Enterprise. You

don’t have to wait for internship on the SS A*STAR to get insights

into the workings of Singapore’s sciencebases and the achievements

of A*STAR researchers. They are doing world-class work in research

institutes. They match, sometimes overtake, research done anywhere

else. Come, venture to the frontiers as a National Science

Scholar. Start by viewing the Science that A*STAR does

SPOCK of Star Trek is conjectured to have entered Starfleet Academy

in 2249. He graduated four years later at the age of 23. During his

final cadetship year, he was an intern on the USS Enterprise. You

don’t have to wait for internship on the SS A*STAR to get insights

into the workings of Singapore’s sciencebases and the achievements

of A*STAR researchers. They are doing world-class work in research

institutes. They match, sometimes overtake, research done anywhere

else. Come, venture to the frontiers as a National Science

Scholar. Start by viewing the Science that A*STAR does.

Details about Spock are taken from “STAR TREK Chronology: The History of the Future” by Michael Okuda & Denise Okuda (Pocket Books/Paramount Pictures, 1996).


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Keep the Cells HappyPuff the Magic Fugu

NO matter where you are, if you are a true sashimi aficionado,you would not pass up the chance to eat the dangerouslydelightful slices of raw fugu. Wrongly prepared, fugu sashimi can kill the gourmet.

Dr Byrappa Venkatesh savoured top-grade fugu sashimi when on assignment in Japan. He and other researchers also aimed a

“shotgun” at the DNA of the Japanese pufferfish; not a real firearm,but a manifold sequencing method using automated DNA sequencersand powerful computers. Dr Venkatesh is Principal Investigator at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB). With the USDepartment of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute, Singapore’s IMCB led the International Fugu Genome Consortium. The world learnt inOctober 2001 that the Consortium had completely sequenced thefugu genome and found a substantial shortcut to the biologicallyimportant information embedded in the human genome.

Human DNA comprises genes and regulatory sequences inapproximately 3,000 million basepairs. The fugu genome has only 380million basepairs. That is a lot less “junk DNA” to sort through. Themagic with fugu is that its genome contains an essentially similar setof genes to the human’s. So fugu was sliced up in the lab, not foreating but for study. The whole genome shotgun approach is much,much faster and more cost-effective than clone-by-clone sequencing.So one shortcut led to another. Says Dr Venkatesh: “But it’s only thebeginning. Next challenge: how is a complex organism formed from asingle cell?”

FUGU FISH

Working at a Bioreactor inside a cleanroom

Automated DNA Sequencing

GENE

PROTEIN

DRUGS: a word that conjures up many images. In the treatment of human ailments, it refers to medicines. Generally medicinesproduced from chemicals are referred to as pharmaceuticals.Those derived from biological cells are called biopharmaceuticals.

How to ensure that biopharmaceuticals are pure and safe to use? The answer can be found in the Biopharmaceutical ManufacturingTechnology Centre (BMTC), a division of the Bioprocessing TechnologyCentre. Its cGMP facility produces biopharmaceuticals for clinicaltrials and develops manufacturing processes for the industry. cGMPstands for current Good Manufacturing Practice, a constantly updatedset of production guidelines. There are also regulations set by localand overseas bodies such as the US Food & Drug Administration andits European equivalent.

BMTC’s cGMP facility is state-of-the-art, gleaming with stainlesssteel. Masked engineers and technicians, cocooned in white uniforms,work in cleanrooms. Can you recognise colleagues just from theirheight and gait? No real problem if you get it wrong. But there is no room for error in the manufacture of biopharmaceuticals. BMTC’smission is to assist biopharmaceutical companies move products withfull assurance of quality from discovery to production. Dr Loh KeanChong, the Process & Validation Engineering Manager says: “Keep thecells happy, don’t stress them. Every stage of the production processmust be validated to ensure purity and quality.”


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NANO is the short form of nanotechnology. It enables scientiststo work with dimensions and tolerances of less than 100nanometres. One hundred may seem a lot, but a nanometre isonly 1,000 millionth of a metre. So, using nanotech, we canmanipulate individual atoms and molecules.

The Data Storage Institute (DSI) has nano-engineered spin-valvesensors for ultra-high-density hard disk drives. That is a state-of-the-art response to the insatiable demand for higher and higher magneticrecording density. The more data you want to pack onto a hard disk,the smaller and more sensitive you must make the sensor. “Thepressure was great,” says Dr Wu Yihong, a DSI Program Manager andan Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore. “Whenwe started, there was no team, no cleanroom and no fabricationfacilities.” The industry saw the areal density doubling almost every18 months. The DSI team worked 12-hour days, seven days a week.

“That was not sufficient,” says Dr Wu, “we also needed strategy.”

One of the brainwaves the team came up with was to perfect the use of ultra-thin oxide layers. Adding nano-oxide was somebody else’sidea, but Dr Wu’s team made it work. That led DSI onto an originalidea: flowing current through the perpendicular plane instead of theconventional film plane and replacing the oxides with metallicelectron filters. Again they made it work and raised significantly the recording density. Says Dr Wu: “Many processes are involved. We could not have done it without superb teamwork.”

NANO-ENGINEERED SPIN-VALVE SENSORS CANDOUBLE THE AREAL DENSITY OF HARD DISKS

Scanning Electron Micrograph of a read element

2.45 GHz Bluetooth RF IC

BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGYFOR SHORT RANGE

WIRELESS NETWORKING

BLUETOOTH gives you instant short-range wireless connectionsand ad hoc networks. It is a personal kind of network that linksup computers and other devices. It is named after King Bluetoothof 10th century Denmark. He should not be mistaken forBluebeard the storybook character who murdered his wives.

King Harold Bluetooth tried to unify his country with neighbouringNorway. Hence he is an appropriate namesake for the wirelesstechnology that can connect your mobile phone to all kinds ofdevices. For example, a digital camera that shoots and emails thepictures in one go. But Bluetooth is still an emerging technology.There are engineering issues and cost problems. Speeding forsolutions is the Institute of Microelectronics (IME). It has teamed upwith Oki Japan and its subsidiary Oki Techno Centre Singapore as wellas Chartered Semiconductor.

Working together, they have scored with one of the world’s first radiofrequency transceivers at 2.45 GHz. Of added significance is theirovercoming a big challenge: using a mainstream CMOS technology toprovide a cost-effective solution. CMOS stands for complementarymetal-oxide semiconductors. IME’s paper on this in February 2001was a Singapore first-and-only at a prestigious internationalconference. IME is moving on to second generation Bluetooth, 5 GHz Wireless LAN and 10 Gbps optical communications ICs. Says Dr Rajinder Singh, an IME R&D Manager: “We try to keep a step ortwo ahead of market requirements and help Singapore industry.”

The King and ISmall is Bountiful


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16A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-2002 17 A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-2002

muvee autoProducer Cobalt

muvee impressed even the Xtreme Sport Television guys in theUnited States. “Crazy, it works! It has to be the most amazingprogram I have ever used,” Executive Producer Skip Fredrickssays of the world’s first smart automatic video editing software.

Dr Pete Kellock is Founder CEO of muvee Technologies (pronouncemuvee’s first syllable like you say “music”). Their breakthroughproduct is called muvee autoProducer. Feed raw video into a desktop or laptop, select a music track and an editing style like Slow Romantic or Music Video. Unique signal processing techniquesanalyse video images like faces and movements, the music’s beat andmood, and give you a home-video that will not bore your audience.

“On any other product, one minute of edited output takes an hour of work,” says Dr Kellock. His product is so fast and easy thatCamcorder & ComputerVideo magazine reported: “Our mouthsliterally hung open… high-quality, stylish productions withouthassle, without training and without a learning curve.” The auto-Producer was developed at Kent Ridge Digital Labs, now mergedwithin the Laboratories for Information Technology. The core ideacame in five minutes. Development took 22 gruelling months, says

“Just-call-me” Pete.

HE came, he saw, he exclaimed: “This is a basic breakthrough!Only Singapore has it.” Technical guru Dr Gil Amelio fromSausalito, California, was visiting the Centre for WirelessCommunications, now part of the Institute for CommunicationsResearch.

What took his breath away was the revolutionary Cellonicstechnology: nonlinear dynamic circuits that enable highly simplifieddecoding of signals in a modem. A mobile phone with Cellonics hasvery few electronic components. What’s behind this technology?Nonlinear Dynamical Systems. They are a mathematical methodapplied to predictive studies such as weather forecasting andpopulation projection. The Cellonics technology has uses other thanthe receiver/modem application. Its co-inventors are Prof Lye KinMun, Prof Chow Shui Nee and Dr Jurianto Joe. They won the 2001National Technology Award for it.

Mathematician Prof Chow examined the electrical signalling ofbiological cells in response to stimuli. He converted the process intodifferential equations. He asked Prof Lye whether the equations couldbe applied to telecommunications. Dr Joe took on the big researchchallenge and found an elegant solution. Breakthrough technologywas created from their unique idea. Next-generation wireless (such asUltra Wideband) will benefit from its economical application.

FROM THIS COMPLEX TO THIS SIMPLE

CURRENT METHOD CELLONICS METHOD

Cellonics’ Modulated UltraWideband Signal

Make It Romantic or Real FastOnly Singapore Has It!

RAW VIDEO

FINISHED, FULLY- EDITED MOVIE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES

MUSIC

3


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Chairman’s OfficeTHE BRIDGEChairman’s OfficeTHE BRIDGE

Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)

Exploit TechnologiesPte Ltd (ETPL)Exploit TechnologiesPte Ltd (ETPL)

Science and EngineeringResearch Council (SERC)Science and EngineeringResearch Council (SERC)

Managing Director’s Office/Corporate Planning and Administration Division (MDO/CPAD)THE BATTLE BRIDGE

Managing Director’s Office/Corporate Planning and Administration Division (MDO/CPAD)THE BATTLE BRIDGE

Inside the Scienceship A*STAR

“To build a warship, you start by defining theoperational requirements – what you want the shipto do and where you want it to operate.”– “NAVY The Vital Force” (Republic of Singapore Navy, 1992)

THE crew of Scienceship A*STAR has mission-critical

requirements. To explore the scientific universe the

women and men need a ship that can range deep

into uncharted zones and endure the unexpected. To

discover secrets and uncover mysteries they want

a structure and fittings that facilitate knowledge

creation. They also require the capability to own and

exploit the knowledge created. Thus, though not a

battleship, A*STAR has been purpose-built to

stringent specifications for its mission and its

operational cosmos.


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21 A*STAR YEARBOOK 2001-2002

THE biomedical sciences section of Scienceship A*STAR is

adjacent to the Bridge. It is situated to starboard and forward of

the command centre. Auto-doors give direct access from the

Bridge. That is how vital the section is to operations. The section

is called the Biomedical Research Council. Just say: “BMRC!” Its

Executive Director is Professor Louis Lim. Their vision of their role

on board A*STAR: “We invest in people and ideas.”

BMRC

Biomedical Research Council

Dr Patrick TanWinner of the SingaporeNational Academy of ScienceYoung Scientist Award 2001

Dr Sydney BrennerNobel laureateBMRC Council Member*

Prof Louis Lim BMRC Executive Director

Dr Yang Xiaohang Co-winner of the NationalScience Award 2001

*BMRC Council Chairman from January 2003

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BMRC clocks frequent-user points on A*STAR’sversion of Star Trek’s transporter. A standing orderhas gone to Prof Louis Lim: “Bring 50 scientists ayear. There are 52 weeks, so you can take two weeksholiday.” That is partly banter but, hey, The Bridge is serious! Distinguished scientists get beamed onboard and then re-transported to junior colleges.They talk with students about a passion for science.They also interact with scientists in Singapore andgive public lectures. They become role models.

Prof Lim tells his distinguished visitors: “The youngare creative and altruistic. Biomedical science allowsthem to exercise both of these qualities for the goodof humankind. You have done it. Help us by pointingthe way.” The line-up of such visitors includes Nobellaureates, leading journal editors, deans of renowneduniversities and company chief executive officers.

BMRC commands public sector biomedical R&D inSingapore. Its objectives are to support, sustain and stimulate excellent research for maintaining andimproving human health; train people in high-qualityresearch skills to meet Singapore’s needs of health,quality of life and global economic competitiveness;and promote societal awareness of biomedicalresearch. “We have two strategies to achieve ourobjectives,” says Prof Lim. “One is directed researchin certain areas, so we have our own researchinstitutes. The other is research partnerships withrenowned universities and other institutions.” BMRCfunds research in two broad categories: healthcareand clinical, which directly involves people and theirlifestyles; and cell and system research, whichincludes basic research using human tissues and celllines. To support research outside its own institutes,

BMRC offers grants ranging from seed funding foryoung investigators to programme funds forextensive work by established researchers. Funding isalso given to encourage and sustain interdisciplinarycollaborative or core competence research. The result of these and other government policies andinitiatives: a biomedical industry grown “within avery short period”, says a United States Governmentreport. The report also says to American individualsand organisations: the Singapore model offers “usefullessons on technology-led economic development”.

BMRC provides for networking online with itsSingapore Biomedical Researchers Database. It is also a public source of information about biomedicalscience expertise in Singapore. Human contact acrossborders will continue under the BMRC’s InternationalPartnership Programme. “We want our people to doleading-edge research and to interact with the topresearchers,” says Prof Lim. “It is very important forour scientists to establish their personal networks.Science is all about communication.”

That is one of the main reasons for the building ofsciencebase Biopolis. From 2003 that will be wherethe R&D action is, in the biomedical sciences. “Thevery important element in scientific advance isyoung people,” says Prof Lim. “So Biopolis isdesigned to engage young people, not only withstate-of-the-art labs but also theatres, bistros, cafes and parks. There will be living space, too. Theconcept is live, learn, play and talk. Talk about whenthe next big breakthrough will come, for example,something new that will propel us to the nextunexplored bioscience frontier!”

Biomedical Research Council (BMRC)

“WE WANT OUR PEOPLE TO DO LEADING-EDGE RESEARCH AND

TO INTERACT WITH THE TOP RESEARCHERS.” – Prof Louis Lim

BIOPOLIS AT ONE-NORTHSCIENCEBASE Biopolis, where the action will bein the biomedical sciences from 2003. Withstate-of-the-art laboratories, it will bringtogether all of BMRC’s research institutes. Theyin turn will attract leading research scientists,younger researchers and bioscience students. Itwill be the “live, discover and play” place to be.


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THE physical sciences section of Scienceship A*STAR is adjacent

to the Bridge. It is situated to port and forward of the command

centre. Auto-doors give direct access from the Bridge. That is

how vital the section is to operations. The section is called the

Science and Engineering Research Council. Just say: “SERC!” Its

Executive Director is Professor Hang Chang Chieh. SERC’s focus:

“New developments in parallel with or ahead of others.”

SERC

Science and Engineering Research Council

Prof Hang Chang ChiehSERC Executive Director

Dr Bill Chen Winner of the NationalScience and TechnologyMedal 2001 Prof Wolfgang Knoll

Temasek Professor from the Max-Planck-Institute for PolymerResearch in Mainz, Germany

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THE famous technical guru from California exclaimedduring a visit to SERC: “This is a basic breakthrough!Only Singapore has it.” What excited him was theCellonics telecommunications technology, a worldfirst (go see for yourself in the Cellonics bay: page16). SERC is navigating to take more of such leads bybuilding up intellectual capital, building on a top-class infrastructure, and seeking partners in leading-edge research.

Prof Hang Chang Chieh says: “Take the new area ofnanoscience and nanotechnology. We are developingin parallel with researchers in the advancedcountries. What we want to do in this area wecannot find ready made equivalents elsewhere. Ourcounterparts are still working on it. So we want tocollaborate with them. In certain areas we are eventaking the lead.” Hence it is collaboration andcompetition for mutual benefit.

SERC runs the Temasek Professor Programme to beamon board renowned leaders of science to guide andengage in leading-edge research projects. Theirparticipation is intended to draw talented researchersfrom Singapore and other countries to catch shuttlesand come on board, too. The Temasek Professors’reputations precede them, their SERC assignmentscall for the creation of enabling technologyplatforms, and their work in A*STAR’s Fleet alsobenefits their homebases.

SERC commands public sector R&D in the physicalsciences and technology. Its focus is on fieldsessential to Singapore’s manufacturing industry,specifically electronics, communications, chemicalsand general engineering. Its objectives are to

develop a foundation of high quality research in key disciplines; nurture human capital for research;and promote information dissemination andtechnology transfer.

To fuel brainpower, SERC funds high quality projectsproposed by research scientists and engineers inSingapore universities and non-defence-relatedagencies. SERC also wants to facilitate breakthroughsin selected technologies. One such technology ismicroelectromechanical systems. Let’s just sayMEMS. Core MEMS areas targeted by SERC aresystems for wireless communications, polymerapplications, power generation and bioMEMS. Thathas to do with nanotechnology which deals withindividual atoms and molecules. Nano is a smallword with a huge promise. Some nano-scale aspectsof genetic medicine include areas like engineerednano-biomolecular systems. These devices candirectly interrogate a single cell and help usunderstand the gene expression. Why do that?Because it is essential to proceed from the HumanGenome Project to true understanding of the innerworkings of the human body.

Thus SERC has initiatives such as the Bio-sensorFocused Interest Group. The Group synergisesmultidisciplinary expertise and brings togetherresearchers of various backgrounds to explore yetanother promising new frontier: miniaturised sensortechnology. Though SERC does not fund biomedicalscience research, its operations do straddle thenomenclature divide. That’s A*STAR’s holistic way of navigating through the scientific universe.

Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC)

“OUR COUNTERPARTS ARE STILL WORKING ON IT. SO WE WANT TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM.

IN CERTAIN AREAS WE ARE EVEN TAKING THE LEAD.” – Prof Hang Chang Chieh

DESIGNING NEW PATHWAYSTHE man from SERC is looking into the future.The present has SERC’s research institutes makingstrong progress. They push towards new frontiers ofdiscovery and innovation. They seek synergy witheach other, crossing back and forth over domainboundaries. How to step up the pace even more? By conceptualising and designing new pathways of interdisciplinary integration.


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THE Battle Bridge of Scienceship A*STAR houses the Managing

Director’s Office and the Corporate Planning and Administration

Division. The two sections have been combined to bolster both

clout and coordination. Though not a warship, A*STAR needs a

Battle Bridge to ensure that all operations are well planned and

effectively executed. The Managing Director is Boon Swan Foo.

Deputy Managing Directors are Teoh Yong Sea and Assoc Prof

Kong Hwai Loong. Their section is the scienceship’s equivalent of

the warship’s Combat Information Centre. It works with the

peaceful equivalents of the military’s over-the-horizon targeting

and pinpoint accuracy. The Battle Bridge does not order “Fire!” to

kill. It just makes sure that in competitive research and

commercialisation, A*STAR’s frontline units do not miss.

MDO/CPAD


THE ET Bays are not war rooms. Yet that is where veteran

tacticians strategise and direct operations. The Exploit

Technologies section of Scienceship A*STAR promotes the

commercial sales of intellectual property (IP) created by research

institutes. IP can be licensed out to manufacturers, or turned by

spin-off companies into products and services for world markets.

“Singapore must own and be able to exploit the IP it creates,”

says Sciencefleet HQ. “We must be able to extract value for

Singapore and also give a fair share to the researchers and

inventors.” Boon Swan Foo, who has extensive commercial and

management experience, is on board to serve as Executive

Chairman of ETPL. His section’s call-sign is COE. Because the

objective is Create, Own and Exploit.

ETPL

Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd Managing Director’s Office/Corporate Planning and Administration Division


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Dr Sydney Brenner

A RIGOROUS system of assessment, evaluation

and funding steers the Science that A*STAR’s

sciencebases do. Each national research institute has

a Scientific Advisory Board. It comprises independent

internationally renowned scientists who scrutinise

the researchers’ work. The researchers welcome

such scrutiny, because it gives their work credibility.

They may not always welcome the timing, because

research is not a respecter of deadlines. They have

visualised an objective. They go all out for it. Often

they uncover the unexpected. Often, too, they

encounter deadends. They persevere in their pursuit.

Some succeed and themselves become scrutineers.

What are they like, these people with such passion

for exploration and discovery?

A*STAR’S Top Guns

Dr SYDNEY BRENNER, a Nobel laureate, has been likened toStar Trek’s Spock, brilliant in science and devastating in logic.Spock was born on Vulcan probably in 2230 and startedserving on Enterprise at age 22.

Dr Brenner was born in South Africa, planet Earth, in 1927. Hewas only 14 when he won a bursary to study medicine. On theway to university, he passed a synagogue where he could earnpocket money as a professional mourner. “I spent quite a lot oftime being the (requisite) ‘10th man’ at prayers for the dead,” herecalls. “I don’t go to funerals now. Of course I won’t be able toavoid my own.” His passion: genetics. After a scholarship atOxford University, United Kingdom, he went to Cold Spring HarborLaboratory, United States, where he “really got injected into thewhole of modern science”.

Today he is acknowledged as a founding father of moleculargenetics. On A*STAR you may think there are Dr Brennerduplicates. He serves in various capacities and leads frontierresearch in the Fugu Genome Project which he initiated. He says:“You need to get young people to the edge as fast as possible, tothe frontier between the known and the unknown.”

Details about Spock are taken from “STAR TREK Chronology: The History of the Future”by Michael Okuda & Denise Okuda (Pocket Books/Paramount Pictures, 1996). Detailsabout Dr Sydney Brenner are taken from his “My Life in Science” as told to LewisWolpert with additional material by Errol C Friedberg & Eleanor Lawrence (BioMedCentral, 2001).


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Dr Wong Lim Soon


Prof Chua Soo Jin

Dr WONG LIM SOON has solved impossible problems inbioinformatics integration. He won the Rubinoff Award in1995 and the Singapore Youth Award in 1999, and four othersin between. He is only 36.

Dr Wong made a global breakthrough with his Kleisli QuerySystem. That is the first broad-scale data integration system that solved many “impossible” problems identified by the USDepartment of Energy in 1993. Dr Wong’s system gives effectiveaccess to biological data stored in databases around the world, a boon to researchers and pharmaceutical companies. “My workserves as a window for the database community to enjoy therichness and vigour of programming language research,” he says.

He is the Deputy Director of the Laboratories for InformationTechnology. His PhD is from the University of Pennsylvania. HisBSc is from the Imperial College of Science, Engineering andMedicine. His first career turning point came at the very firstlecture at Imperial. The professor was using the “parity of the red beans” to illustrate the logic of programing. Student Wongimmediately decided to take more mathematical and fewerprograming courses. Now he tries to take time off from hispassion for research to go skydiving or scubadiving.

Prof CHUA SOO JIN is into opto-electronics. He is also onto theCase of the No-Longer-Missing Blue Laser. “Now that it’s beenfound, it opens up avenues for the UV (ultraviolet) laser andLEDs to produce white light,” he says. That’s a big deal.

The LED has many useful applications. But without blue, the redand green LEDs were handicapped. Now that the LED’s visiblespectrum range is complete, LEDs are set to revolutionise thelighting industry. They consume less electricity, last longer than old-world bulbs, and allow you to set different moods bycomputerised remote control. Do you want romantic or raunchylighting? For the blue laser, its shorter wavelength increases by almost four times DVD storage capacity and augments high-temperature applications.

So the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering is pursuingR&D on LEDs and lasers using GaN-based materials. Use of galliumnitride gives advantages such as efficiency and environmentalsafety. IMRE’s researchers are keeping pace with the bestanywhere in developing blue and green lasers. They are alsoworking on the UV LEDs and UV laser. Prof Chua, 51, is Director of IMRE’s Opto- & Electronic Systems Cluster and of the NationalUniversity of Singapore’s Optoelectronics Centre. He became a banker after studying electrical engineering. A passion forresearch and a fascination with lasers beamed him back on board.


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Prof Edison Liu Prof Yoshiaki Ito

Prof EDISON LIU packs not a six-shooter but a nine-pointpresentation. He calls it “How to be happy in science and toavoid neurosis and low self-esteem”. Going by his mega-smile, he harbours no neurosis or low self-esteem.

He is one of the brightest stars in the scientific universe. Hiscoming to Singapore to start and run GIS is a happy developmentfor the biomedical sciences here.

GIS is the Genome Institute of Singapore. Prof Liu became itsExecutive Director in March 2001. Before that, he was Director of the Clinical Sciences Division of the National Cancer Institute in the US. “Genetic research today is global,” says Prof Liu, 50.“Venue is relevant only in terms of what natural resources areavailable. In Singapore, the relevant resources for human genomicsresearch are the ethnic diversity and well-kept clinical databases.”

He makes time to edit professional journals. One of them is BreastDisease, of which he is Executive Editor. No wonder one of thenine Fundamental Truths in his PowerPoint is “Good science isgood story-telling”. He says: “A good publication record is notnumbers, but how the story is told”. Another of this Hong Kong-born cancer specialist’s truths: “Life is never predictable”. So, Dr Liu prescribes, enjoy life, avoid sadness, do good.

Prof YOSHIAKI ITO was a schoolboy in Japan when theprominent Dr J Tomizawa and Dr M Sekiguchi conducted atwo-week course on bacteriophage, a virus that infectsbacteria. Student Ito attended and was immediately smitten.

So it was med-school for him, at Tohoku University in Japan.When he finished his medical course, he did his PhD. Over nearly30 years, he studied molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis inthe UK, USA and Japan. Then, like all good things, his productivecareer in cancer research had to end. After turning 62, he steppeddown as Director of Kyoto University’s Institute for Virus Researchon March 31 2001. He had to retire from the university exactly a year later, as he was past retirement age at the end of thatfinancial year. But good things can start again. The very next day,Prof Ito and his entire research team started work in Singapore.

Just four days later another good thing came to Prof Ito, now aPrincipal Investigator at IMCB (Institute of Molecular and CellBiology). The April 5 2002 edition of the journal Cell carries hispaper on a breakthrough in gastric cancer research. “Theseobservations offer high hope that tumour growth in gastriccancer may potentially be controlled” by reactivating the silencedRUNX3 (a tumour suppressor gene), says Prof Ito’s paper. “I amvery excited,” he says in Singapore.


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Assoc Prof Kong Hwai Loong Dr Lam Kong Peng

Assoc Prof KONG HWAI LOONG says that “my lovely daughtersGrace, eight, and Clara, five, are my pride and joy!” His wifeFlorence Soh is in that circle, too. Outside it, smiles from hispatients give him the greatest satisfaction.

“I once treated a teenage boy with advanced testicular cancer,”Dr Kong says. “Now, eight years later, he is free of disease, a graduate, and merrily dating! My clinical practice isimmeasurably enriched by complementary research. R&D givesdoctors the tools and the basic scientific knowledge to betterunderstand diseases; conversely, clinical practice sharpens one’sresearch focus.”

The 37-year-old is on secondment from the National University of Singapore. He is one of A*STAR’s two Deputy ManagingDirectors; is Deputy Executive Director of the Biomedical ResearchCouncil; and Consultant Medical Oncologist in the NationalUniversity Hospital. Now he is also an MBA, after a year in theMassachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Fellows Program.

His medical research has focused on cancers of the colon, rectumand liver. Will he still have time or inclination for research? “Verymuch so,” he says. “More than half of the cancer patients stilldie of their disease. A lot more can and need to be done.Research is a powerful tool towards this end.”

Dr LAM KONG PENG, research scientist, will also become avillage headman come 2003. He will be in charge of theMickey Mouse Village. That’s the project name for a facility inA*STAR’s Biopolis that will house 200,000 mice.

Dr Lam is getting used to wisecracks such as: “What if there’s a mass breakout?” He is a Principal Investigator at IMCB(Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology). His team has focusedon the study of cells that produce protective antibodies to fightbacteria and viruses. “We are continuously being ‘invaded’ bymicrobes,” Dr Lam says. “Luckily our defence force, the immunesystem, is able to keep the invaders at bay. However, if leftunchecked, military coups occur as protectors run amok andbecome aggressors in cancer and autoimmune diseases.”

Dr Lam is going to Stanford University in the US for a year-longSloan Program leading to an MSc in Management. His team willcontinue to dissect the signals that activate cells capable ofbecoming “the ultimate fighting machines”. Why the militaryanalogies? Because he has served National Service, says the 38-year-old. One of his favourite lines: “Antibodies are like cruisemissiles; they can home in on specific enemy targets.”

Dr Lam Kong Peng is Chairman of the Editorial Committee of this Yearbook. So he didnot want to be interviewed for any article in the publication. A*STAR convinced himthat duty must come before modesty. The seven research scientists featured in thissection are just a selection. A*STAR has more than seven Top Gun researchers.


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A*STAR Board of Directors 2002

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1 Mr Philip YeoChairman, A*STAR and Co-Chairman, EDB

2 Mr Teo Ming KianChairman, EDB andCo-Chairman, A*STAR

3 Prof Hang Chang ChiehDeputy ChairmanAgency for Science, Technology & Research

4 Ms Ho ChingExecutive DirectorTemasek Holdings (Pte) Ltd

5 Dr Cham Tao SoonPresidentNanyang Technological University

6 Mr Chiang Chie FooPermanent SecretaryMinistry of Education

7 Prof Shih Choon FongPresident and Vice ChancellorNational University of Singapore

8 Prof Tan Chorh ChuanDirector of Medical ServicesMinistry of Health

9 Prof Louis LimExecutive DirectorBiomedical Research CouncilAgency for Science, Technology & Research

10 Dr Goran AndoExecutive Vice President & President R&DPharmacia Corporation

11 Dr Sydney BrennerDistinguished ProfessorThe Salk Institute

12 Dr Paul GuehlerVice President Research & Development3M Company3M Center

13 Mr Peter Ho Hak EanFirst Permanent Secretary(Defence) Ministry of Defence

14 Prof Alice S HuangSenior Councillor for ExternalRelations & Faculty Associate in Biology California Institute of Technology, USA

15 Dr Jonathan K C KnowlesDirector of Global ResearchMember of the ExecutiveCommitteeF Hoffmann-La Roche LtdPharmaceuticals Division

16 Dr Richard H (Dick) LampmanVice President, ResearchDirector, Hewlett PackardLaboratoriesHewlett Packard Company

17 Mr Boon Swan FooManaging DirectorAgency for Science, Technology & Research

18 Mr Masatoshi TakahashiSenior Advisor (Science & Technology)Sumitomo Chemical Co Ltd

19 Lord Ronald OxburghChairmanHouse of Lords Select Committeeon Science & Technology, UK

20 Dr Seiichi WatanabeCorporate Executive Vice PresidentCorporate Environmental AffairsSony Corporation

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Singapore's Biomedical Sciences International Advisory Council (IAC) 2002

1 Sir Richard Sykes (Chairman) Rector, Imperial College

2 Prof John Bell Regius Chair of MedicineUniversity of Oxford

3 Dr Sydney Brenner (Co-Chairman) Distinguished Professor The Salk Institute

4 Dr David Baltimore PresidentCalifornia Institute of Technology

5 Dr Stanley N CohenKwoh-Ting Li Professor ofGenetics and Professor ofMedicine, Stanford University

6 Dr David I. HirshJohnson Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular BiophysicsColumbia University

7 Dr Philippe Kourilsky Director Pasteur Institut

8 Dr Paul MarksPresident (Emeritus)Sloan Kettering Institute

9 Dr Alan Munro Former Master of Christ’s College Cambridge University

10 Sir Keith Peters Regius Professor of PhysicsCambridge University

11 Dr John Shine Executive DirectorThe Garvan Institute of Medical Research

12 Dr Axel Ullrich DirectorMolecular Biology Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry

13 Dr Hans Wigzell President Karolinska Institute

14 Dr Samuel Barondes DirectorCenter for Neurobiology and Psychiatry University of California, San Francisco

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Research Institute Directors 2002

8 Prof Miranda YapDirectorBioprocessing Technology Centre

9 Prof Lye Kin MunDeputy DirectorInstitute for CommunicationsResearch

10 Prof Edison Liu Executive DirectorGenome Institute of Singapore

11 Dr Gunaretnam RajagopalActing DirectorBioinformatics Institute

12 Dr Keith CarpenterDirectorInstitute of Chemical andEngineering Sciences

13 Prof Lawrence WongExecutive DirectorInstitute for Infocomm Research(To be formed by the merger of

Laboratories for Information

Technology and Institute for

Communications Research.)

1 Dr Tan Khen SangDirectorInstitute of Microelectronics

2 Dr Lim Khiang WeeDirectorSingapore Institute ofManufacturing Technology

3 Dr Wong Lim SoonDeputy DirectorLaboratories for InformationTechnology

4 Prof Hong Wan-jinDeputy DirectorInstitute of Molecular and Cell Biology

5 Prof Chong Tow ChongDirectorData Storage Institute

6 Prof Albert F YeeDirectorInstitute of Materials Research & Engineering

7 Prof Lam Khin YongDirectorInstitute of High PerformanceComputing

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Calendar of Events

April 2001Establishment of the OpticalNetwork Focused Interest Group(ONFIG) to work on strategic areasrelated to optical access technologyby pulling together competencies inphotonics, electronics and software.ONFIG members: DSI, NTRC, IME,IMRE, CWC, KRDL, NUS-EE, NTU-µE(Photonics Group) and Gintic, withover 40 participating researchers.EDB and IDA are also participants.Singtel provides industry input.

May 2001Two individuals and one team ofstudents represent Singapore at the seven-day INTEL InternationalScience & Engineering Fair in SanJose, USA.

16/05: Establishment of theInstitute of Chemical Sciences (ICS).It is to be constructed on JurongIsland by 2002 to help Singaporebuild up its indigenous R&Dcapability in the chemical sciences.

June 2001BMRC announces its fundingschemes. The four types of grantsare aimed at supporting excellentresearch in Singapore’s public sectorand promoting innovative as well ascollaborative research. One type ofgrant will provide seed funding forpromising new investigators to kick-start their research.

06/06: NSTB-Polytechnic StudentResearch Programme AwardCeremony presents six winningproject teams from Ngee Ann,Temasek and Singapore Poly.

07/06: IMCB wins the Nikkei Prize 2000.

21/06: The Singapore GenomicsProgram is renamed the GenomeInstitute of Singapore (GIS) toreflect its role as a researchinstitute.

July 2001Formation of SERC Review Panels for research proposals seeking Public Sector R&D funding and those seeking Strategic ResearchProgramme funding from 1 August 2001.

13/07: Launch of National ScienceScholarships by Minister for Tradeand Industry, BG(NS) George Yeo at the EDB-NSTB CombinedScholarship Award Ceremony.

August 2001International and local members of the MEMS Review Panel providean update on the technology’strends to our research communityand an opportunity for dialoguewith the international experts. Asrecommended by the Review Panel,MEMS Phase II is to be launched in

September 2001 in the strategicareas of Polymeric MEMS, WirelessMEMS, MEMS for Power Generationand BioMEMS.

September 2001Launch of the SingaporeNanoscience Initiative to define thescope of research that will advancethe nanoscience and engineeringeffort. SERC forms a NanoscienceInitiative Panel (NIP) to identifyand define programmes that harnessSingapore’s research and economiccapabilities, provide focus tostrategic programmes, enhancecooperation among researchers,catalyse the best ideas, encourageresearch teams and enlarge R&Dinfrastructure.

NSTB’s month-long “Science 2001”projects to the general publicscientific research and discovery,applications of scientific knowledgeand biomedical, engineering andtechnological innovations. Activitiesinclude a Career Forum for juniorcollege students, “X-periment!” totake interesting research techniquesout of the laboratories, and theNational Science & TechnologyAwards Dinner to accord nationalrecognition to ten outstandingresearch scientists and engineers.

01/09: The InternationalResearchers’ Club holds a Family Dayat Central Beach, Sentosa. It is afirst for the public-sector researchcommunity. The Club welcomes as

members foreign and localresearchers in both the public andprivate sectors, postgraduateresearch students and postdocs in science, technology andbiomedicine.

12/09: SERC Science & EngineeringResearch Forum to showcasesignificant achievements ofprojects/programmes funded byNSTB. It also promotes interactionsamong researchers.

14/09: SERC-Universities Forum to introduce the Council’s fundingscheme for public sector R&Dprojects.

18/09: NSTB releases the Year 2000R&D Survey. It reveals strongScience & Technology growth inSingapore.

19/09: Singapore’s BiomedicalSciences International AdvisoryCouncil (IAC) concludes its 3rdmeeting and endorses two newinitiatives: formation of aBiomedical Grid Task Force, andestablishment of the SingaporeTissue Network.

The IAC considers the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s proposal to work towards the merger of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology and the Institute ofMolecular Agrobiology.

Calendar of Events

THE National Science and Technology Board (NSTB) continued tofunction between January and December 2001. The Agency for Science,Technology and Research (A*STAR) took over from January 2002.


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Calendar of Events

19-21/09: Singapore hosts over 30of the world’s leading personalitiesin the biomedical sciences arena.The inaugural BioMedical Asia 2001Symposium and Exhibition (BMA2001) attracts 1,000 top scientistsand industry experts.

29/09: The National University ofSingapore’s Engineering Faculty, theData Storage Institute (DSI) andNSTB announce the appointment of a new Temasek Professor, DrCharanjit Singh Bhatia. This is thefirst time that the award has beengiven to an eminent researcher from industry. With Dr Bhatia’sappointment, the EngineeringFaculty receives funding for a newstate-of-the-art cleanroom facility.It is for extensive research todevelop capabilities in thefabrication of a new generation ofhigh-power super data storage disks.

Prof Artur Ekert is awarded aTemasek Professorship at the NUSPhysics Department (October 2001).With a research grant, Prof Ekert willprovide leadership in building uplocal research expertise in quantuminformation technology, particularlyin quantum communication andcryptography.

Prof Ellis Johnson is awarded aTemasek Professorship at the NUSDepartment of Industrial & SystemEngineering (November 2001). Withhis appointment, the EngineeringFaculty receives funds for researchto develop capabilities in logistics.

October 2001The International Fugu GenomeConsortium, led by the USDepartment of Energy’s JointGenome Institute and Singapore’sIMCB, announces the completion of a draft sequence of the genomeof the Japanese pufferfish Fugurubripes. On 26/10, the world learnsof this substantial shortcut to thebiologically important informationembedded in the human genome.

01/10: Dr Sydney Brenner joins theSERC Board as Chairman.

December 2001Groundbreaking at Biopolis, home of biomedical R&D. The first of thefacilities will be ready in 2003.

18-22/12: Singapore-born Prof Kay-Tee Khaw is the first scientistinvited under the BMRC’sDistinguished Visitors Programme.She is Professor of ClinicalGerontology at the University of Cambridge School of ClinicalMedicine and Fellow of Gonville and Caius College at Cambridge. Her research interests focus on themaintenance of health in later life,as well as the causes and preventionof chronic diseases. She gives alecture on longevity and health tothe public and a scientific lecture to the R&D community.

January 2002A*STAR takes over from NSTB. Itappoints Boon Swan Foo asManaging Director from 04/01. Hisrole: supporting Chairman Philip Yeo

in the overall direction anddevelopment of A*STAR. He servesconcurrently as Executive Chairman of Exploit Technologies Pte Ltd,A*STAR’s commercialisation arm. A veteran at building knowledge-intensive enterprises and creatingwealth from technology, he receivedthe Singapore Business Award forOutstanding Chief Executive Officer in 2000.

30/01: Chairman Philip Yeoannounces A*STAR’s three toppriorities: fostering world-classresearch, developing top-grade talent, and creating wealth and value for Singapore. He also launchesEXPLOSION, a quarterly newsletteraimed at bringing science to studentsin secondary schools, junior collegesand tertiary institutes. “It is criticalto Singapore that we focus onpromoting science to our youngpeople,” he says.

February 2002Joint EDB-A*STAR report says thatthe biomedical sciences industrymaintained growth trajectory in 2001.There was an increase in the breadthand depth of manufacturing activities,and also growth in the R&D base.

14/02: A*STAR launches the Young Aspiring Scientists Programme.Fresh graduates keen on becomingresearchers in science, engineering andbiomedical sciences get attachmentsat research institutes. The outstandingones also get shortlisted for NationalScience Scholarships.

March 2002Singapore’s Biomedical SciencesInternational Advisory Councilconcludes its 4th meeting. Itendorses the formation of the newInstitute of Bioengineering (IBE). The meeting is held in London.

06/03: BMRC and EDB’s BiomedicalSciences Group jointly hold aSingapore BioPartnering Seminar in London. The pioneering seminarpromotes partnerships betweenSingapore and European biomedicalcommunities.

20/03: Singapore Science andEngineering Fair 2002 opens at the Singapore Science Centre. Itfeatures 112 projects from 25secondary schools and pre-universityinstitutions. Winners will representSingapore at the Olympics of science competitions, the annualInternational Science and EngineeringFair in Louisville, Kentucky, US, inMay 2002.

Calendar of Events


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A*STAR! Crew List

Editorial Advisory Committee

Members:Jane Chua Jolyn Chua Lowell Leow Christine Low Aparna Mahadevan Zhang Tian Yi

Additional Advisers: Low Shi Min Low Shi Ping

(All the Advisers are students in secondary schools,except for one who has just finished junior college.)

Many Thanks!

The Research Scientists and their Colleagues and otherHelpful People who gave so much of their knowledgeand time to help get things right on board SS A*STAR.

• Elementz Cluster Lab at Nanyang Junior College

• Bowen Secondary School• Holy Innocents’ High School• Raffles Girls’ School• Serangoon Garden Secondary School• Xinmin Secondary School

and their Students, Teachers, Administrators andother Staff who welcomed A*STAR! crew andgenerously extended help in so many ways.

The patient and obliging People at: Singapore Science Centre JTC Corporation

Editorial Committee

Chairman:Dr Lam Kong Peng

Members:Dr Gunaretnam RajagopalMichelle Khor Neo Tiong Guan Teo Hsiang Ling Foo Wei Lin Alice Chan

Editor-in-Chief:Boon Swan Foo

Editor:Assoc Prof Kong Hwai Loong

Advisers:Philip Yeo Prof Hang Chang Chieh Prof Louis Lim

Editorial Consultant:Peter H L Lim

Designers:Equus Design Consultants

Illustrators:Bold & Art Strokes

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

AUDITOR’S REPORT

BALANCE SHEET

INCOME & EXPENDITURE STATEMENT

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN RESERVES

CASH FLOW STATEMENT

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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Balance Sheet as at 31 March 2002

Auditor’s Report to the Members of Agency for Science, Technology and Research

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of Agency for Science, Technology and Research. The financialstatements comprise the balance sheet as at 31 March 2002, the income and expenditure statement and statement of changesin reserves and cash flow statement for the year then ended. The financial statements are the responsibility of the Agency’smanagement. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with Singapore Standards on Auditing. Those Standards require that we plan andperform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by the management, as well asevaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

In our opinion,

a) the financial statements are properly drawn up in accordance with the provisions of The National Science and TechnologyBoard Act (Chapter 201A) and Singapore Statements of Accounting Standard and so as to give a true and fair view of thestate of affairs of the Agency as at 31 March 2002, the results and changes in the reserves of the Agency and the cashflows for the year then ended; and

b) the accounting and other records required by The National Science and Technology Board Act (Chapter 201A) to be keptby the Agency have been properly kept in accordance with the provisions of The National Science and Technology BoardAct (Chapter 201A).

During the course of our audit, nothing came to our notice that caused us to believe that the receipt, expenditure andinvestment of monies and the acquisition and disposal of assets by the Agency during the year have not been made inaccordance with the provisions of the National Science and Technology Board Act (Chapter 201A).

ERNST & YOUNGCertified Public Accountants

31 July 2002Singapore


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Note 2002 2001

S$ S$

Capital account 3 34,829 34,829Accumulated surplus 4,235,477 4,387,927

4,270,306 4,422,756Deferred capital grants 4 1,302,090 1,209,061

Total 5,572,396 5,631,817

Represented by:Fixed assets 5 1,302,090 1,209,061Current assetsOther debtors, deposits and prepayments 6 2,112,317 786,699Fixed deposits 7 7,016,266 5,816,321Cash and bank balances 7 2,167,389 1,387,277

Total current assets 11,295,972 7,990,297

Current liabilitiesOther creditors and accruals 8 6,098,644 2,373,766Singapore Inc Scholarship provision 9 210,088 478,747

Total current liabilities 6,308,732 2,852,513

Net current liabilities 4,987,240 5,137,784

Long-term liabilitySingapore Inc Scholarship provision 9 716,934 715,028

Total long term liability 716,934 715,028

Total 5,572,396 5,631,817

Research & Development Fund Account 10 124,839,903 163,362,937

The accounting policies and explanatory notes form an integral part of the financial statements.

PHILIP YEO BOON SWAN FOOChairman Managing Director31 July 2002 31 July 2002

A starQuest Acc final A/W-OK 11/12/02 10:07 PM Page 50


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Statement of Changes in Reserves for the year ended 31 March 2002


Income and Expenditure Statement for the year ended 31 March 2002

Note 2002 2001

S$ S$

RevenuesGovernment GrantOperating grant 20,681,444 20,790,980Deferred capital grant amortised 625,526 1,368,141

21,306,970 22,159,121Rental income – 11,200Interest income 68,725 –Others 490 44,364

Total revenues 21,376,185 22,214,685

Less: Operating expenditure

Salaries, allowances and staff benefits 10,608,908 9,980,891CPF contributions 794,384 1,038,253Board members’ allowances 103,635 81,250Public relations and promotion 1,227,179 866,908Maintenance and conservancy 296,439 338,619Audit fee 11 40,685 46,285Other administrative expenses 12 7,877,783 5,149,506Depreciation of fixed assets 5 579,547 1,020,522Exchange loss 75 21

Total operating expenditure 21,528,635 18,522,255

(Deficit)/surplus for the year (152,450) 3,692,430



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2002 2001

S$ S$

Capital accountBalance at beginning and end of year 34,829 34,829

Accumulated surplusBalance at beginning of year 4,387,927 695,497(Deficit)/surplus for the year (152,450) 3,692,430

Balance at end of year 4,235,477 4,387,927




Cash Flow Statement for the year ended 31 March 2002

2002 2001

S$ S$

Cash flows from operating activities:(Deficit)/surplus for the year (152,450) 3,692,430Adjustments for:

Depreciation 579,547 1,020,522Loss on disposal of fixed assets – 23,914Fixed assets written off 45,979 210,975Interest income (68,725) –

Surplus before working capital changes 404,351 4,947,841Increase in other debtors, deposits and prepayments (1,325,618) (338,236)Increase/(decrease) in creditors and accruals 3,724,878 (1,742,197)Decrease in Singapore Inc Scholarship provision (266,753) (172,138)

Cash generated from operating activities 2,536,858 2,695,270Interest received 68,725 –

Net cash from operating activities 2,605,583 2,695,270

Cash flows from investing activities:Payments for the purchase of fixed assets (718,555) (331,032)Proceeds from disposal of fixed assets – 112,730

Net cash used in investing activities (718,555) (218,302)

Cash flows from financing activities:Deferred capital grant amortised (625,526) (1,368,141)Deferred capital grant received 718,555 331,032

Net cash from/(used in) financing activities 93,029 (1,037,109)

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 1,980,057 1,439,859Cash and cash equivalents as at 1 April (Note 7) 7,203,598 5,763,739

Cash and cash equivalents as at 31 March (Note 7) 9,183,655 7,203,598


1 Corporate information

A*STAR was established on 11 January 1991 under the provisions of the National Science & Technology Board Act, 1990.

In January 2002, the National Science & Technology Board (NSTB) was restructured and renamed the Agency for Science,Technology and Research (A*STAR). This change was essential to spearhead the promotion and encouragement of science,engineering and biomedical research.

A*STAR refined its mission to foster world-class scientific research and talent so as to create a vibrant knowledge-basedeconomy. Two Research Councils – Biomedical Research Council and Science & Engineering Research Council wereestablished to support, promote and advance research.

To compete globally and to advance Singapore’s economic transformation, three key focus areas have been identified.They are: to strategise public research to integrate with industry clusters; train human capital for research and industry;and create, own and exploit intellectual capital. These are essential in the pursuit of knowledge for the prosperity ofSingapore.

The Agency employed 135 employees as of 31 March 2002 (2001:121).

The registered office is located at 10 Science Park Road, #01-01/03 The Alpha, Singapore Science Park II, Singapore117684.

The financial statements of A*STAR for the year ended 31 March 2002 were authorised for issue by the Board on 31 July 2002.

2 Summary of significant accounting policies

a) Basis of preparationThe financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Singapore Statements of Accounting Standard andapplicable requirements of Singapore law.

The financial statements, which are expressed in Singapore dollars, have been prepared under the historical costconvention.

The accounting policies have been consistently applied by A*STAR and, except for the changes in accounting policydiscussed below, are consistent with those used in the previous years.

A*STAR has adopted the following new or revised accounting standards which have become effective for 2002financial statements:

SAS 8 (Revised 2000) : Net Profit or Loss for the Period, Fundamental Errors and Changes in Accounting PoliciesSAS 10 (Revised 2000) : Events Occurring after the Balance Sheet DateSAS 17 (Revised 2000) : Employee BenefitsSAS 31 : Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent AssetsSAS 36 : Impairment of Assets

Except for those discussed below, the adoption of these standards has not given rise to any change in accountingpolicies, or adjustments to prior periods’ results.

In accordance with SAS 17, the Agency made provision for the estimated liability for unconsumed leave as a result of services rendered by the employees up to the balance sheet date in the current financial year. Previously, noprovision was made for this liability. The effect of the change in accounting policy is insignificant to adjustretrospectively.

Notes to the Financial Statements– 31 March 2002


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2 Summary of significant accounting policies (cont’d)

b) Other debtorsOther debtors are recognised and carried at original invoiced amount less an allowance for any uncollectible amounts.An estimate for doubtful debts is made when collection of the full amount is no longer probable. Bad debts arewritten off to the Income and Expenditure Statement as incurred.

c) Fixed assetsFixed assets are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. The cost of an asset comprises its purchase price and any directly attributable costs of bringing the asset to working condition for its intended use. Expenditure foradditions, improvements and renewals are capitalised and expenditure for maintenance and repairs are charged to the Income and Expenditure Statement. When assets are sold or retired, their cost and accumulated depreciation areremoved from the financial statements and any gain or loss resulting from their disposal is included in the Incomeand Expenditure Statement.

Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line method to write off the cost of fixed assets over their estimated usefullives as follows:

Renovations and improvements – 5 yearsComputer equipment – 3 yearsFurniture, fixtures and equipment – 5 yearsMotor vehicles – 5 years

Fully depreciated assets are retained in the financial statements until they are no longer in use and no further chargefor depreciation is made in respect of these assets.

d) GrantsGovernment grants for the establishment of A*STAR or for the purchase of non-depreciable assets are taken to the Capital Account.

Government grants for the purchase of depreciable assets are taken to the Deferred Capital Grants account. Deferredcapital grants are recognised in the Income and Expenditure Statement over the periods necessary to match thedepreciation of the assets purchased with the related grants.

Government grants to meet operating expenditure and research and development disbursements are recognised asincome on accrual basis.

e) ImpairmentThe carrying amounts of the Agency’s assets are reviewed at each Balance Sheet date to determine whether there isany indication of impairment. If such indication exists, the recoverable amount is estimated.

Any impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its recoverable amount. All impairment losses are recognised in the Income and Expenditure Statement.


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3 Capital accountThe Capital account comprises capital fund and net assets transferred from the Science Council of Singapore on 11January 1991.

4 Deferred capital grants

2002 2001

S$ S$

Balance as at 1 April 1,209,061 2,246,170Add: Capital grants received during the year 718,555 331,032

1,927,616 2,577,202Less: Grants amortised to Income and Expenditure Statement (625,526) (1,368,141)

Balance as at 31 March 1,302,090 1,209,061

5 Fixed assets

Furniture,fixtures and Motor

equipment Computers vehicles Total

S$ S$ S$ S$

CostAs at 1 April 2001 2,359,023 1,412,318 706,538 4,477,879Additions 257,871 216,307 244,377 718,555Disposals (81,139) (9,398) – (90,537)

As at 31 March 2002 2,535,755 1,619,227 950,915 5,105,897

Accumulated depreciationAs at 1 April 2001 2,072,810 915,573 280,435 3,268,818Charge for the year 128,350 334,802 116,395 579,547Disposals (35,160) (9,398) – (44,558)

As at 31 March 2002 2,166,000 1,240,977 396,830 3,803,807

Depreciation for 2001 472,637 462,511 85,374 1,020,522

Net book valueAs at 31 March 2002 369,755 378,250 554,085 1,302,090

As at 31 March 2001 286,213 496,745 426,103 1,209,061



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6 Other debtors, deposits and prepayments

2002 2001

S$ S$

Prepayments – 31,376Interest receivable 1,524 3,221Deposits 192,466 133,090Other debtors 664,414 448,370Recoverables 1,253,913 170,642

2,112,317 786,699

7 Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents included in the Cash Flow Statement comprise the following Balance Sheet amounts:

Cash and bank balances 2,167,389 1,387,277Fixed deposits 7,016,266 5,816,321

9,183,655 7,203,598

Included in cash and bank balances is an amount of S$12,722 (2001: S$12,617) held in trust on behalf for third parties.

8 Other creditors and accruals

Accrued expenses 5,042,072 1,628,678Public Service 21(PS21) Provision 407,262 451,628Other creditors 649,310 293,460

6,098,644 2,373,766

PS21 provision refers to a provision set up by the Agency for the implementation of projects which will lead toorganisational efficiency and excellence.

9 Singapore Inc Scholarship provision

Within one year 210,088 478,747After one year 716,934 715,028

927,022 1,193,775


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10 Research & Development Fund Account

The Agency receives grants (in the form of R&D fund) from the Government to provide financial assistance for industry-driven research and development (R&D) activities undertaken by private companies, research institutes and other publicorganisations.

2002 2001

S$ S$

Balance as at 1 April 163,362,937 223,450,612Amount received during the year 516,676,636 415,210,219Interest from banks 3,997,985 8,939,081Refund from grantees 655,499 1,469,488

684,693,057 649,069,400Less: R & D grants utilised– Research institutes & centres (407,523,537) (375,316,643)– Public sector research funding (108,856,384) (76,753,873)– Others (37,340,379) (12,844,967)– Operating grant to A*STAR – (20,790,980)

R&D grants utilised (553,720,300) (485,706,463)

Grants transferred to EDB (682,854) – Grants transferred to investment in companies held in trust on behalf of Government (5,450,000) –

Balance as at 31 March 124,839,903 163,362,937

Represented by:Cash and bank balances 5,836,762 41,479,079Fixed deposits 115,000,000 110,000,000Long-term Loan 5,177,035 6,547,059Other debtors, deposits and prepayments 97,452 5,542,438Other creditors and accruals (1,271,346) (205,639)

124,839,903 163,362,937

With effect from FY 2001, the Agency’s operating grant is received directly from the Government instead of via Research& Development grant.

The long-term loan is unsecured, non-interest bearing and not repayable within the next 12 months.

11 Audit fee

2002 2001

S$ S$

Current year provision 40,685 46,247Under provision in prior years – 38

40,685 46,285




12 Other administrative expenses

The following items have been included in other administrative expenses:2002 2001

S$ S$

Office rental 1,398,120 1,017,858Assets written off 45,979 210,975Loss on disposal of fixed assets – 23,914

13 Operating lease

The Agency lease office units under lease agreements that are non-cancellable within a year. Future lease payments withinitial or remaining terms of one year or more are as follows:

Within one year 1,787,127 1,076,360More than one year and less than five years 2,372,703 85,833

4,159,830 1,162,193

14 Financial risk management objectives and policies

The main risks arising from the Agency’s financial instruments are interest rate risk, liquidity risk, foreign currency riskand credit risk. The Board reviews and agrees policies for managing each of these risks and they are summarised below:

Interest rate riskSurplus funds in the Agency are placed on deposits with reputable financial institutions.

Therefore, the exposure of the Agency to interest rate risk relates primarily to interest income on bank deposits.

Liquidity riskLiquidity risk arises in the general funding of the Agency’s operating activities. It includes the risks of not being able tofund operating activities in a timely manner. To manage liquidity risk, the Agency maintains sufficient cash withreputable financial institutions, which are readily available to fund its operating activities and meet financial obligationsas and when they are due.

Foreign currency riskAs at the balance sheet date, the Agency’s currency exposures are insignificant.

Credit riskThe carrying amounts of other debtors and cash and cash equivalents represent the Agency’s maximum exposure to creditrisk. No other financial assets carry a significant exposure to credit risk.

Fair valueThe carrying amounts of trade and other debtors, cash and cash equivalents, trade and other payables, short-term loansapproximate their fair values due to their short-term nature.

15 Comparative figures

Certain comparative amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation.


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Concept and Design by Equuswww.equus-design.com


A*STA

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The Science and Technology OdysseyThe Science and Technology Odyssey


Yearbook 2001-2002

10 Science Park Road, #01-01/03 The Alpha, Singapore Science Park IISingapore 117684 Tel 65 6826 6111 Fax 65 6777 1711www.a-star.edu.sg

M YC K


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A*STAR Yearbook 2001 - 2002

Documents

Transcript of A*STAR Yearbook 2001 - 2002