Medical Technologies Theme

Background

Medical technologies are playing an increasing role in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of our patients. At the NHCS, we have expertise in the evaluation of several novel medical technologies, including class 2 and class 3 implantable Medical Devices. Several of our clinicians and researchers have also developed in-house new devices, bio-therapeutics tools and software for cardiovascular diseases treatment.​

Our objective is to foster Medtech translational research at NHRIS-NHCS. NHCS has a number of research collaborations with academic (A*STAR, Duke-NUS, NTU, NUS-NUHS) and industry partners. At NHCS, our clinicians have also an extensive experience conducting clinical evaluation of new medical technologies, including novel treatments for Coronary Artery Diseases (CAD), aortic and mitral valve therapy, cardiac rhythm management, diagnostic imaging, Digital Health/remote monitoring.

The experience in basic and clinical research enables us to be at the forefront of Medtech innovation and therapeutic treatments for Heart Diseases.

Research Area

Research Interests

1. Translational Models of Arterial Diseases/ Cardiac Interventions
2. Intravascular OCT Imaging
3. Applications of Biomechanics in Cardiovascular Interventions
4. Novel Interventional tools for diagnostics/treatment of CVD
5. Implantable Devices/ Preclinical Regulatory Models

Achievements

Awards

1. Best Abstract Award at TCTAP Conference 2016
2. Best Abstract Award at TCTAP Conference 2015
3. Award for the Best Scientific Research. TOPIC 2014. Tokyo. Japan (Dr​ N. Foin)
4. Best Abstract and Chien Foundation Award, AsiaPCR/SingLIVE, Singapore. 2012 (Dr N. Foin)

Grants

1. NHIC i2d: Thin Biodegradable PLLA Stent Material with Nanocomposite Fillers (Clinical PI: A/P. N. Foin-A/Prof Wong, collaboration with NTU MSE)
2. CRP project “Fiber Medical devices for diagnosis of coronary artery disease” (NTU in collaboration with NHCS-TTSH-NTU Medical School)
3. ACTIA - Automatic Cardiac OCT Analysis for Coronary Artery Disease Risk Assessment (collaboration with A-star BEP i2R)
4. SMART Award- Adventitial drug delivery using nanoparticles for treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia: Nano-Limus (in collaboration with NTU and SGH)
5. NMRC IAF-2 e-LAB Platform, “Visual Lab” Theme
6. NHCS CG 2012-2016 Research Core for Medical Technologies (NMRC)

Publications

1. Ang H, Bulluck, H, Wong P. Venkatraman S, Huang Y, Foin N, Bioresorbable Stents: Current and Upcoming Bioresorbable Technologies. Int. J. Cardiology. 2016 Nov 12; 228:931-939.
2. Xiong GM, Ang H, Lin J, Lui YS, Phua JL, Chan JN, Venkatraman S, Foin N, Huang Y. Materials technology in drug eluting balloons: Current and future perspectives.. J Control Release. 2016 Oct 10;239:92-106.
3. Foin N, Lee R., Bourantas, C, Mattesini A., Caiazzo G., Fabris E., Kilic D., Sen S., Nijjer S. Petraco, R., Low A.F., Onuma Y, Davies J.,  Di Mario C., Wong P, Serruys PW. Bioabsorbable Vascular Scaffold Radial Expansion and Conformation Compared to a Metallic platform: Insights from In-vitro Expansion in a Coronary Artery Lesion Model. EuroIntervention, : journal of EuroPCR in collaboration with the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology. 2016. Sept.; 12 (7):834-44.
4. Bulluck H, Foin N, Carbrera-Fuentes HA, Yeo KK, Wong AS, Fam JM, Wong PE, Tan JW, Low AF, Hausenloy DJ. Index of Microvascular Resistance and Microvascular Obstruction in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction. J Am Coll Card. (JACC) Cardiovasc Interv. 2016 24;9(20):2172-2174.
5. Ng J*, Foin N*, Ang HY, Fam JM, Sen S, Nijjer S, Petraco R, Di Mario C, Davies J, Wong P. Over-expansion capacity and stent design model: An update with contemporary des platforms. Int J. Cardiology. 2016 Oct 15;221:171-9.
6. Gori T, Jansen T, Weissner M, Foin N, et al. Coronary Evaginations and Peri-Scaffold Aneurysms Following Implantation of Bioresorbable Scaffolds: Incidence, Outcome and Optical Coherence Tomography Analysis of Possible Mechanisms. EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL. 2016 Jul 7;37(26):2040-9.
7. Teo JC*, Foin N*, Otsuka F, Bulluck H, Fam JM, Wong P, Low FH, Leo HL, Mari JM, Joner M, Girard MJ, Virmani R. Optimization of coronary optical coherence tomography imaging using the attenuation-compensated technique: a validation study. EUR HEART J CARDIOVASC IMAGING. 2016 Jul 28.
8. Foin N, Lee R.,Mattesini A, Caiazzo G, Fabris E, Kilic D, Chan JN, Huang YY, Venkatraman S., Di Mario C, Wong P, Nef H.  Bioabsorbable Vascular Scaffold Overexpansion: Insights from post-expansion experiments. EuroIntervention, : journal of EuroPCR in collaboration with the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology. 2016; 11(12):1389-1999.
9. Thondapu V, Bourantas CV, Foin N, Jang IK, Serruys PW, Barlis P. Biomechanical stress in coronary atherosclerosis: emerging insights from computational modelling. EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL. 2016 Feb.
10. Pedrigi R., C. Poulsen, V. Mehta, et al. Inducing Persistent Flow Disturbances Accelerates Atherogenesis and Promotes Thin Cap Fibroatheroma Development in D374Y-PCSK9 Hypercholesterolemic Minipigs. CIRCULATION. 2015 Sep 15;132(11):1003-12.​
11. Foin N, Lee R, Torii R, Guitierrez-Chico J.L., Mattesini A., Nijjer S., Sen S., Petraco R., Davies J.E, Di Mario C., Joner M, Virmani R., Wong P. Impact of Strut Thickness in Metallic Stent and Bioabsorbable Scaffolds. INT J CARDIOLOGY. 2014 Dec 20;177(3):800-808.
12. Foin N., Gutierrez-Chico JL, Nakatani S, Torii R, Bourantas CV, Sen S, Nijjer S, Petraco R, Kousera C, Ghione M, Onuma Y, Garcia-Garcia HM, Francis DP, Wong P, Di Mario C, Davies JE, Serruys PW. Flow disturbances induced by stent strut malapposition can persist despite neointimal coverage as a function of strut to wall detachment distance. CIRCULATION Cardiovasc Interv. 2014; 7: 180-189.​