SINGAPORE – A new cancer research institute has been launched in Singapore to develop less invasive and more accurate screening tools to detect cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage.
Named the Research Institute for Cancer Prevention, Screening and Early Detection (Rise), it will be co-led by National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS) and Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
Launched on Sept 28 at NCCS’ 25th anniversary charity dinner, Rise will bring together medical staff and scientists from public healthcare clusters, medical schools and primary care providers to evaluate emerging local and international cancer screening technologies.
A $2.5 million donation by creative arts entrepreneur Prajna Murdaya will kick-start the new institute’s public health research efforts.
President Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the guest of honour, witnessed the presentation of four $1 million gifts to support the centre’s critical research programmes to improve patient outcomes.
These donations, along with the $2.5 million earmarked for Rise, were part of $20.5 million raised for NCCS’ cancer research and patient support programmes.
They included $6 million for the Cynthia Goh Palliative Care Institute to further advance care practices and improve access to care for those living with life-limiting illnesses, as well as to increase palliative care capacity and capabilities to meet future needs.
A $4.5 million donation will support a new cancer drug discovery facility at NCCS to harness local plant biodiversity and the latest artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities.
Date : September 2025