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Health & Biomedical Exhibit

Discover cutting-edge R&D, technologies and applications that contribute to our growing biomedical landscape, and innovative solutions to improve human health.

Preserving the Sight of Patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Preserving the Sight of Patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration

Presented by OccuTrack

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) afflicts the elderly with a prevalence of 6% above the age of 75. The disease results in deterioration of the eye’s macula and severely impairs its central vision.

This often leads to blurred or distorted vision, making essential activities such as reading, driving, and recognising faces increasingly difficult. There are two forms of AMD: Dry AMD, the more common type, which causes gradual vision blurring.

On the other hand, Wet AMD is far more severe. It is characterised by the leakage of blood or fluids from vessels beneath the retina, potentially leading to rapid and profound vision loss.

Patients with AMD are often gripped by the fear of impending blindness and uncertainty surrounding their treatment options. In addition, frequent visits to eye specialists add to their burden, causing significant inconvenience.

In response, Occutrack has developed Crystalsight, an innovative prototype eye-tracking system designed for home use. Patients simply look into their computer screen, and the software accurately measures their visual performance. These results are then transmitted to their doctors, enabling the formulation of a tailored treatment plan.

Occutrack collaborates with esteemed institutions such as Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, Dartmouth University in New Hampshire, and Israel’s Hadassah Hospital to advance this groundbreaking technology.

Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease in Under 10 Minutes

Diagnosing Coronary Artery Disease in Under 10 Minutes

Presented by A*STAR Institute for Infocomm Research (A*STAR I²R) and A*STAR Bioinformatics Institute (A*STAR BII)

Apollo has transformed the way radiologists diagnose coronary artery diseases. It addresses the needs of radiologists to diagnose them quickly and accurately for better patient outcomes.

By integrating AI into Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography (CTCA) tools, radiologists can leverage on four key AI apps for coronary artery disease assessment: Calcium score, epicardial adipose tissue volume, stenosis grading and plaque phenotypes. These factors are essential in determining a patient’s heart health.

Apollo’s state-of-the-art technology has validated more than 5,000 cardiac imaging and clinical data. It generates a detailed report automatically in under 10 minutes, compared with one to three hours, helping radiologists make informed decisions. Apollo also contains an editing tool for doctors to make adjustments as needed before arriving at a diagnosis.

Their partners include the National Heart Centre Singapore, the National University Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing and Nanyang Technological University Singapore.

Leveraging AI to Help Eczema Patients Manage Their Condition

Leveraging AI to Help Eczema Patients Manage Their Condition

Presented by A*STAR Institute of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC)

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to eczema. The condition, also known as atopic dermatitis, presents in various forms, often leaving patients with irritated and at times, scaly skin. Many patients struggle to understand their conditions or assess its severity.

To help patients better manage their condition, A*STAR IHPC has developed AI-powered app, ADimaster which uses advanced machine learning to accurately evaluate the severity of eczema through skin images captured by any smartphone camera.

Unlike other solutions, ADimaster performs consistently across variables such as skin tone, lighting conditions, and camera specifications, making it suitable for multi-ethnic populations, including Singapore.

With just a smartphone, patients can now effectively monitor their condition at home, gaining reliable insights to reduce clinic visits, or facilitate faster treatment.

In addition to helping patients, ADimaster can also be used by pharmaceutical companies to track the efficacy of their products during clinical trials. This provides valuable insights that optimise research and development efforts.

Accelerating Healing of Chronic Wounds by 50%

Accelerating Healing of Chronic Wounds by 50%

Presented by A*STAR’s Skin Research Lab (A*STAR SRL)

Chronic wounds, especially diabetic foot ulcers, are among the most difficult to heal. In Singapore, diabetic foot ulcers account for the majority of chronic wounds, with 15% to 25% of diabetic patients at risk due to high blood sugar and poor circulation, often leading to lower limb amputations if untreated.

A*SRL’s Product Ten (PTEN) hydrogel dressing provides a breakthrough solution, speeding up wound healing by up to 50%—often within three days—compared to other hydrogels on the market. PTEN effectively addresses the dysregulated factors in chronic wounds with an advanced hydrogel matrix containing FDA-approved antioxidants and pH-modifying buffers, reducing inflammation and promoting faster recovery.

Developed in collaboration with Nanyang Technological University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, PTEN is expected to greatly improve patient outcomes, with clinical trials planned in Singapore to validate its efficacy.

A*SRL welcomes partners interested in collaborating to bring PTEN hydrogel to healthcare institutions globally, advancing the standard of chronic wound care.

Detecting Pathogens in a Flash

detecting pathogens in a flash

Presented by A*STAR Genome Institute of Singapore (A*STAR GIS)

Doctors rely on diagnostic tests to accurately diagnose infections and guide treatment decisions. For patients with weakened immune systems, such as those undergoing cancer treatment or organ transplants, timely and accurate diagnostic tools are even more critical. More than 15% of hospitalised patients suffer from low immunity.

However, conventional tests often fail to provide diagnoses for immunocompromised patients, leaving infections undiagnosed. Untreated invasive infections in these vulnerable patients carry a high mortality rate of 40%.

To address this gap, they have developed an AI-assisted diagnostic kit that rapidly and accurately detects a broad range of pathogens, providing answers when conventional tests fail. The kit delivers timely answers that help doctors decide on treatment options, ensuring patients receive the life-saving treatments they need.

They have partnered with the Singapore General Hospital to launch the kit and are looking forward to taking it to other healthcare institutions in the near future to benefit more patients.

Have a Cup of Bean-free Coffee

have a cup of bean-free coffee

Presented by Prefer

Global demand for coffee is expected to triple by 2050. However, studies show that climate change could erase 50% of the world’s coffee farmland in the same period.

To future-proof coffee from the threat of climate change, they ferment upcycled foods, leveraging technology to reverse engineer the key aromas of coffee into the product. Their coffee is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly, leaving a much smaller carbon footprint than traditional coffee farming, which requires substantial water and land resources.

In Singapore, they work with more than 30 businesses, including corporate pantries, cafes, restaurants, bars, food service companies and retailers.

As a sustainable bioflavours company, they plan to expand our fermentation platform to develop other foods facing climate-related threats, including vanilla, cacao, and citrus.

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