SIgN Research

As a Centre of Excellence in Human Immunology, SIgN’s scientific mission is to expand the knowledge base in immunology research and facilitate the translation of research discoveries towards clinical applications. Our key research programs focus on (1) Infection and Immunity, (2) Cancer Immunology and (3) Immune Dysfunctions. Our researchers also have specific interests in Inflammation, Immunotherapy, Aging, Allergy and Skin Diseases.

SIgN established the Human Monoclonal Antibodies Platform and a 2-Photon Imaging Facility in 2009, a CyTOF facility in 2011 and finally consolidated the Clinical Immunomonitoring platform in 2014 to include Flow cytometry, CyTOF, Genomics, Bioinformatics and Translational Immunology. Access to these sophisticated, world-class facilities promotes high-level scientific excellence and ground-breaking discoveries. Today, SIgN hosts 16 Principal Investigators and their research groups, and eight core technology platforms under the executive direction of Professor Lam Kong Peng. As of 2022, SIgN’s workforce includes ~170 researchers and support staff.

Research Achievements

Since its establishment, SIgN researchers have continually been recognized for their scientific excellence in the field of immunology. In 2008, Dr Lisa Ng received the 8th Asean Young Scientist and Technologist Award, in 2010 Dr Norman Pavelka was awarded an A*STAR Investigatorship and in 2013 Dr Florent Ginhoux received the EMBO Young Investigator Award. SIgN has also opened its doors to the wider community by founding the Singaporean Society for Immunology (SgSI) and initiating the First International Singapore Symposium of Immunology in 2008, launching the SIgN–NTU Ph.D. program in Immunology in 2010, establishing the NIF School on Advanced Immunology together with iFReC (Japan) in 2012, hosting Singapore’s inaugural EMBO workshop on Complex Systems in Immunology in 2013 and co-organizing the 6th Congress of the Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania in 2015.

Please see our Scientific Publications page for a summary of SIgN’s research output and refer to the SIgN 10th Anniversary Book here, for more information.

Collaborations

SIgN Principal Investigators closely collaborate with numerous local institutes and hospitals in Singapore, including: the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University, the DUKE–NUS Graduate Medical School, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, the National University Health System, the Singapore General Hospital, the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, the Tan Tock Seng Hospital the National Skin Centre, the Health Sciences Authority and various A*STAR institutes.

Extensive international and industrial collaboration networks have also been established, allowing for the incorporation of additional expertise into our research aims, the generation of large cohort studies and clinical trials and most importantly, the establishment of a welcoming and comprehensive community of leading minds in the field of immunology.