AsianScientist (Dec. 15, 2022) – Singapore has awarded two researchers with the celebrated 2022 President’s Science and Know-how Awards (PSTA). The recipients had been acknowledged for his or her invaluable contributions to the city-state’s biomedical and sustainability efforts. They had been honored at a ceremony held on December 9, 2022 at The Istana—the official residence and workplace of the president of Singapore.

Initially launched because the Nationwide Science and Know-how Awards in 1987, the PSTA is made up of three completely different awards—the President’s Science and Know-how Medal, the President’s Science Award and the President’s Know-how Award. These awards are the best honor conferred upon analysis scientists and engineers in Singapore whose work has led to vital scientific, technological or financial advantages for the nation.

The President’s Science and Know-how Medal was awarded to Professor Hong Wanjin, government director of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) on the Company for Science, Know-how and Analysis (A*STAR). Hong was acknowledged for his important function in driving Singapore’s biomedical analysis sector in addition to his dedication to fostering partnerships throughout the nation’s biomedical ecosystem.

Hong moved to Singapore and joined A*STAR’s IMCB over 30 years in the past in 1989. He discovered success for his work in protein transport and finally rose via the ranks to steer the institute in 2011.

Over the past decade, Hong has facilitated partnerships between the educational, public and medical sectors. His efforts have resulted in additional environment friendly translation of analysis from bench to bedside. Below his management, IMCB has seen 15 spin-off firms within the final seven years—every poised to learn sufferers in Singapore.

The President’s Know-how Award was awarded to Professor Wang Rong, chair within the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Nanyang Technological College and founding father of start-ups H2MO Know-how and Aromatec.

Wang was acknowledged for her vital contributions to the sphere of membrane science and expertise. Over the course of her profession, she has developed novel membranes that can be utilized for purposes like desalination, water reclamation, wastewater therapy, liquid purification and gasoline separation.

Like Hong, she has additionally leveraged profitable partnerships to convey her work out of the lab and into the sphere by working with authorities companies and business companions. Considerably, Wang’s analysis has made waves as part of Singapore’s NEWater effort.

A part of the nation’s water resilience and sustainability targets, NEWater is handled and purified reclaimed water that’s ultra-clean and secure to drink. The reclaimed water is purified utilizing superior membrane applied sciences and ultra-violet disinfection. Wang’s analysis led to the event of a novel bio-programmable hole fiber reverse osmosis membrane, leading to vital power financial savings through the water therapy course of. The method may also be tailored for different water purification processes.

Wang is a frontrunner within the discipline and presently holds the positions of Editor-in-Chief on the Journal of Membrane Science, the flagship journal for the worldwide membrane neighborhood, in addition to President of the Aseanian Membrane Society.

The awards ceremony additionally honored recipients of the Younger Scientist Awards (YSA), organized by the Singapore Nationwide Academy of Sciences and supported by A*STAR. The YSA is conferred to researchers aged 35 and beneath who’re actively engaged in analysis and improvement in Singapore and present promise to change into world-class researchers of their fields. Dr Bi Renzhe from A*STAR and Dr Koh Ming Joo from the Nationwide College of Singapore had been awarded for his or her work in bio-optical applied sciences and chemical synthesis respectively.

Bi’s work creating novel bio-optical applied sciences and translating medical expertise improvements for illness diagnostics has the potential to significantly enhance analysis and therapy of heart problems and most cancers. His analysis has since resulted in three patents with Singapore-based medical expertise firms.

Koh was awarded for his analysis in sustainable catalysis and radical chemistry. His work has resulted in cheaper and extra environment friendly catalysts and reagents for higher chemical synthesis. His analysis has been translated into environment friendly feedstock chemical compounds and he owns a number of patents. A few of these patents have been licensed by a serious Swiss-based firm to be used throughout chemical sectors like agriculture, prescription drugs and shopper merchandise.

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Supply: The President’s Science and Know-how Awards, A*STAR ; Pictures: A*STAR
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