Healthcare & Lifestyle Programme Office MEDTECH CONVENTION 2013

26-27 Aug 2013 @ Matrix, Biopolis

Full program

http://123.136.65.78/Events/Event_2013Aug_ASTAR_MedTech_Convention2013.htm

Inaugural A*STAR MedTech Convention 2013 sets scene for future growth of MedTech industry in Singapore

1. The inaugural two-day A*STAR MedTech Convention 2013 organised by A*STAR brings together clinicians, scientists, business figures and global Key Opinion Leaders to share and exchange the latest in MedTech R&D and business developments. The event incorporates the Singapore-Stanford Biodesign (SSB) Thought Leaders Series as well as an exhibition to showcase MedTech projects and capabilities by A*STAR and its partners.

2. Over two days (26 – 27 August 2013), participants will hear from industry leaders in the MedTech sector, including Dr. Bijan Dorri, Chief Technology Officer for Healthcare Systems, GE Healthcare and Dr. Frederic H. Moll, Chairman and CEO of Auris Surgical Robotics and Founder of Intuitive Surgical. There will also be plenary sessions for participants to interact and discuss about nascent topics such as Asian trends in MedTech, clinical trends and challenges, product development and commercialisation.

3. More than 500 participants have signed up for the A*STAR MedTech Convention – this response exceeds the initial target by 20%. In addition to industry partners as well as clinicians and scientists from the R&D community, international experts from the US, Japan and South Korea will also be attending. The overwhelming response, both locally and internationally, reflects an urgent need for a platform like the A*STAR MedTech Convention 2013.

4. “We are encouraged that the MedTech Convention has been over-subscribed and I believe this shows the rising importance of medical technology to our economy. This platform fills a need to showcase Singapore’s unique value proposition for local and international businesses to turn any innovative medical idea seamlessly into commercially viable solutions,” said Associate Professor Tan Sze Wee, Deputy Executive Director of A*STAR Biomedical Research Council.

5. MedTech was identified as a strategic area since it could leverage on Singapore’s strengths in engineering, manufacturing and biomedical sciences. Over the past decade, MedTech output in Singapore has tripled, reaching US$3.43bil in 2012. Additionally, MedTech is the source of 9,000 jobs in Singapore.

6. “I am pleased that we have generated significant buzz in the MedTech sector in just four years since A*STAR initiated the MedTech programme in 2009. Through the collaboration with Stanford in the Singapore-Stanford Biodesign Program, we are nurturing the next generation of medical device innovators; through the collaboration with the community of clinicians in Boston (CIMIT), we are putting in place a process to better develop and testbed solutions in our own hospitals and polyclinics; and through the Biomedical Engineering Program, we have brought together a community of 1,200 clinicians, allied health practitioners, engineers and scientists to interact with each other on a regular basis and funded a portfolio of MedTech projects that will be of relevance to the clinical community. These initiatives have catalysed the growth of private sector activities and public-private partnerships on the sector leading to a richer and more robust MedTech ecosystem,” said Mr. Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman of A*STAR.

7. For more information on the programme and speakers at the MedTech Convention, please see Annex A. Highlights of projects that will be exhibited at the MedTech Convention can be found in Annex B.

About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and six consortia & centres, located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis as well as their immediate vicinity.

A*STAR supports Singapore’s key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, and with other local and international partners.

For more information about A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg

About the Healthcare and Lifestyle (H&L) Programme Office

The Healthcare & Lifestyle (H&L) Programme Office is set up as a strategic initiative for cross-disciplinary research across the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and the Biomedical Research Council (BMRC). It oversees cluster and industry development of the Medical Technology (MedTech), Food Science & Nutrition and Personal Care clusters within A*STAR as well as throughout Singapore.

For more information, visit www.a-star.edu.sg/healthcareandlifestyle/