The National Heart Centre Singapore is the largest cardiovascular focused hospital in Singapore with over 100,000 specialist outpatient consults a year, large interventional, electrophysiology and cardiothoracic surgery programmes, and an established track record in healthcare research.

Through research carried out at the NHCS and in collaboration with our local partners [A*STAR (GIS, IMB, IMCB), NTU, NUHCS] and around the world (USA: Stanford, Harvard, Duke Durham; UK: Imperial, Oxford, EMBL), and with industry partnerships (AstraZeneca, Merck Sharp Dome, Boston Scientific, Roche, Illumina and multiple local SMEs), we have made translational science and clinical advances (e.g. an established left ventricular assist device implantation programme) that have impacted on care of patients with cardiovascular disorders in Singapore.

Building on this infrastructure and expertise that was put in place over the years, there has been more recent transformative change in the translational and clinical research capabilities at NHCS that have mirrored the maturing of a strong relationship with NHCS’ main university partner, Duke-NUS.

Under the umbrella of the new National Heart Research Institute Singapore (NHRIS, opened by the President Tony Tan in 2014), an institute spanning from basic science (Duke-NUS) to clinical trials (NHCS), our research capabilities are enhanced yet further by additional STaR, CSA and NRF-funded research programmes. The principal investigators and consultants of NHRIS are leaders in their fields; have large established networks of collaboration in Singapore, the region and throughout the world; and work closely with technology, device and pharmaceutical companies.

At the root of all of our research endeavours at NHRIS, our overarching goal is to improve the lives of our patients through innovation, education, compassion and medical excellence.

Prof Stuart Cook
Tanoto Foundation Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
Director, National Heart Research Institute Singapore