science is a notorious example of what economists call  increasing returns to scalegroups of productive people feed off each other to create something that is more than the sum of its parts .
the reverse is also true : isolated individuals will have a hard time generating momentum and are less productive .
so how can you get a new hotbed of research started in a country with a limited history of biomedical research ?
in the 40 years since gaining independence , singapore has become one of the wealthiest nations in the asia pacific region .
per capita income , for example , has increased an average of 6.4% per year from 1965 to 2000 . yet
that change came in the late 1990s with the decision to emphasize knowledge industries , including biomedical science .
the decision was spurred in part by the worldwide electronics slump , which drove jobs in the electronics industry  a mainstay of the country 's economy  to cheaper locations in asia . and with no natural resources to bolster the country 's economy in times of hardship ,
the singapore economy needed to diversify , to become like a table with many legs ,  says philip yeo , chairman of singapore 's agency for science , technology , and research ( a*star ) .  the additional leg of biomedical science would stand us in good stead in riding the next big wave .
 philip yeo , chairman of a*star and driving force for singapore 's biomedical science initiative .
this need to diversify spawned the biomedical sciences initiative ( bmsi ) , a plan masterminded by yeo and hashed out in an all - night session with three of singapore 's top doctors , tan chorh chuan , then dean of medicine at the national university of singapore ( nus ) , and oncologists john wong and kong hwai loong  a group yeo refers to as the  biomedical sciences  gang of 4.  although the idea met with considerable skepticism , says yeo , the government eventually ( and reluctantly ) gave him the green light .
the plan was announced in 2000one day before the unveiling of the human genome project  and devoted nearly us$2 billion over five years to the development of public and private sector biomedical research .
for the government , failure of the bmsi is not an option .  when we say that singapore is serious about science , we are dead serious
,  said second minister for trade and industry vivian balakrishnau in his opening remarks at an october 2005 keystone symposium on stem cells , senescence , and cancer  the first keystone meeting to be held outside north america .
 for singapore , success is a matter of life and death.when we say that singapore is serious about science , we are dead serious.-vivian balakrishnau , second minister for trade and industry  when we say that singapore is serious about science , we are dead serious .
 -vivian balakrishnau , second minister for trade and industry yeo immediately set out to lure some of the world 's best scientists to singapore .
the idea was that top - tier scientists will help make singapore a more enticing option for the junior faculty , postdocs , and students required to get the cooperative machinery of science up and running . 
it 's a circle ,  says kong peng lam , acting executive director of a*star 's biomedical research council ( bmrc ) ,  if you get the best to come here , they will attract the best .
thanks to yeo 's aggressive recruitment efforts , singapore is now home to a bevy of acclaimed scientists . among them are sir david lane , discoverer of the p53 tumor suppressor gene , who is serving a two - year stint as the executive director of the institute for molecular and cell biology ( imcb ) , and edison liu , former head of the division of clinical sciences at the national cancer institute ( nci ) in the us , who became the executive director of the genome institute of singapore ( gis ) in 2001 .
japanese cancer researcher yoshiaki ito , who identified runx3 as a tumor suppressor gene associated with stomach cancer , relocated to the imcb in 2002with his entire laboratory staff in tow  after reaching japan 's mandatory university retirement age of 63 . also on board is molecular biologist alan colman , formerly with ppl therapeutics  the scotland - based pharmaceutical company that cloned dolly the sheep .
colman , who received a s$6 million grant to relocate to singapore , is now chief scientific officer of es cell international , a government - owned biotech company that is developing human embryonic stem cells for disease therapy .
nobel laureate sydney brenner , a long - time advisor to the singaporean government ( he served as chairman of singapore 's scientific advisory board from 1987 to 1997 ) , is now chairman of the bmrc .
brenner splits his time between singapore and the salk institute for biological studies in san diego .
if you ask what attracted these scientific heavy hitters to singapore  a country with a steamy climate , authoritarian government and a notoriously draconian penal code 
the common denominator seems to be the  vision of philip yeoa phrase heard with an almost eerie regularity in singapore .
in fact , the universally glowing reports from singapore 's expat scientists ( along with a*star 's apparently strict requirement for scientists to obtain permission before speaking to the press ) leave one wondering if the picture is a bit too rosy.if you get the best to come here , they will attract the best .
 -kong peng lam , acting executive director of the bmrc but the few complaints one can coax out of singapore 's imported scientists tend to be cultural rather than scientific .
the government 's fear of criticism , for example , has dampened artistic expression , meaning that singapore 's cultural scene does n't measure up to that of most cosmopolitan cities .
others are put off by the lack of political opposition to the ruling people 's action party , who have been in power since singapore gained independence .
but for those already in singapore , the scientific bounty clearly outweighed the cultural drawbacks . and with researchers in the us and europe complaining that funding is becoming increasingly difficult to secure , the stellar reports from singapore 's expats  along with the no - strings - attached money given to new principal investigators ( pis)might prove too tantalizing to pass up .
this was true for two of the most recent defectors to singapore : cancer geneticists neal copeland and nancy jenkins , who recently relocated to singapore 's imcb from the us nci .
in addition to the funding crunch in the us , the duo cite restrictions on stem cell research and frustration with national institutes of health 's ( nih ) new ethics policy  which forbids nih employees from consulting for or holding financial interests in private companies  as part of the impetus to end their two - decade - long stint at the nci .
 we did n't even negotiate a budget [ at imcb ] , we just told them how many people and how many mice ( thousands of cages)  then sent them a list of equipment we needed .  the husband - and - wife team  who developed a technique to accelerate the identification of cancer - causing genes in mice  turned down offers from stanford university and memorial sloan kettering cancer center in new york , opting instead for what they saw as an opportunity to conduct science in a less restrictive environment than in the us
. indeed , whereas the us nih frowns upon scientists ' involvement in the private sector , singapore 's a*star does just the opposite .
knowing that successful biotech companies generate both revenue and jobs , the government encourages researchers to apply for patents and , based on those patents , to launch biotech start - up companies  offering three - year leaves of absence and s$150,000 in seed money as incentive .
the free - flowing money is also part of singapore 's allure for younger scientists , along with the potential for upward mobility .  because we are at ground zero ,  says lam ,  there are many opportunities [ for young scientists ] and many positions available .
 a good example of this upward mobility is thomas dick , head of the tuberculosis group at the novartis institute for tropical diseases , who moved to singapore in 1990 when biomedical research was still in its infancy .
fresh out of graduate school at the university of heidelberg , dick heard that the newly founded imcb was looking for postdoctoral fellows and thought 
why not asia , why not the tropics for a couple of years ?  six years later , when the time came for dick to venture out on his own , he questioned whether to stay in singapore or return to europe . 
as it turned out ,  he says ,  this step was quite easy here in singapore , and the lab head position was attractive : it came with funding ! 
since then , dick has risen through the ranks from laboratory head to assistant professor to associate professor in regular three - year intervals.immunology picks up speedsingapore may have lagged behind other countries in the immunology arena in recent years , but they 're now trying to make up for it . the immunology program at the nus  still in its infancy at a mere two years old  is headed by michael kemeny , an allergy expert who was recruited in 2004 from king 's college hospital in london . although king 's college was then being made into a national center for allergy and immunology ( along with imperial college london ) , kemeny was enticed by the idea of launching a new program in singapore.figure 3michael kemeny ( top ) and paul macary.the fledgling program , which currently has 16 full and 14 associate members drawn from various departments and institutes at nus and biopolis , will be expanding its ranks in the next few years , with faculty positions available at the full , associate , and assistant levels.on offer for those considering a move east are the program 's lavish new digs in the refurbished imcb building ( where it will relocate later this year ) , a collaboration - friendly research environment and an outstanding start - up package .  within 1 - 2 years of coming to singapore ,  says kemeny ,  new pis typically hold up to s$1 million of competitive funding.kemeny also stresses the program 's proximity to a medical school and tertiary referral hospital , and its access to investigators across a multitude of disciplines  among them computational biology , epidemiology , neuroscience , microbiology , pharmacology , imaging , bioengineering , structural biology , and stem cell biology  which breeds a unique collaborative environment .
 no other group in singapore is able to work so closely with so many different specialities and experts ,  says kemeny.this solid financial support helped convince paul macary , an assistant professor in the immunology program , to join kemeny in singapore . 
the start - up package i was offered was significantly better than those from uk and us institutions ,  says macary , whose offer included not only research funds and a competitive salary , but also subsidized living accommodations and an education allowance for his children.but macary was initially skeptical .  as a postdoc in the uk ,  he says ,  there is a general consensus that the us and europe are the only places where you can establish yourself as a good biomedical researcher .  on top of that was concern about feeling isolated as one of only a small number of immunologists in singapore .
macary , who moved to singapore with his wife and young children , also praises singapore as a safe and child - friendly place with a world - class education system.with enthusiastic salesmen like kemeny and macary and plenty of cash to import and train new talent , the immunology program seems poised for success .
singapore may have lagged behind other countries in the immunology arena in recent years , but they 're now trying to make up for it .
the immunology program at the nus  still in its infancy at a mere two years old  is headed by michael kemeny , an allergy expert who was recruited in 2004 from king 's college hospital in london .
although king 's college was then being made into a national center for allergy and immunology ( along with imperial college london ) , kemeny was enticed by the idea of launching a new program in singapore .
the fledgling program , which currently has 16 full and 14 associate members drawn from various departments and institutes at nus and biopolis , will be expanding its ranks in the next few years , with faculty positions available at the full , associate , and assistant levels .
on offer for those considering a move east are the program 's lavish new digs in the refurbished imcb building ( where it will relocate later this year ) , a collaboration - friendly research environment and an outstanding start - up package .  within 1 - 2 years of coming to singapore ,  says kemeny ,  new pis typically hold up to s$1 million of competitive funding .  kemeny also stresses the program 's proximity to a medical school and tertiary referral hospital , and its access to investigators across a multitude of disciplines  among them computational biology , epidemiology , neuroscience , microbiology , pharmacology , imaging , bioengineering , structural biology , and stem cell biology  which breeds a unique collaborative environment .
 no other group in singapore is able to work so closely with so many different specialities and experts ,  says kemeny .
this solid financial support helped convince paul macary , an assistant professor in the immunology program , to join kemeny in singapore . 
the start - up package i was offered was significantly better than those from uk and us institutions ,  says macary , whose offer included not only research funds and a competitive salary , but also subsidized living accommodations and an education allowance for his children .
but macary was initially skeptical .  as a postdoc in the uk ,  he says ,  there is a general consensus that the us and europe are the only places where you can establish yourself as a good biomedical researcher .
 on top of that was concern about feeling isolated as one of only a small number of immunologists in singapore .
macary , who moved to singapore with his wife and young children , also praises singapore as a safe and child - friendly place with a world - class education system . with enthusiastic salesmen like kemeny and macary and plenty of cash to import and train new talent ,
singapore may have lagged behind other countries in the immunology arena in recent years , but they 're now trying to make up for it .
the immunology program at the nus  still in its infancy at a mere two years old  is headed by michael kemeny , an allergy expert who was recruited in 2004 from king 's college hospital in london .
although king 's college was then being made into a national center for allergy and immunology ( along with imperial college london ) , kemeny was enticed by the idea of launching a new program in singapore .
. the fledgling program , which currently has 16 full and 14 associate members drawn from various departments and institutes at nus and biopolis , will be expanding its ranks in the next few years , with faculty positions available at the full , associate , and assistant levels . on offer for those considering a move east are the program 's lavish new digs in the refurbished imcb building ( where it will relocate later this year ) , a collaboration - friendly research environment and an outstanding start - up package .  within 1 - 2 years of coming to singapore ,  says kemeny ,  new pis typically hold up to s$1 million of competitive funding .
 kemeny also stresses the program 's proximity to a medical school and tertiary referral hospital , and its access to investigators across a multitude of disciplines  among them computational biology , epidemiology , neuroscience , microbiology , pharmacology , imaging , bioengineering , structural biology , and stem cell biology  which breeds a unique collaborative environment .
 no other group in singapore is able to work so closely with so many different specialities and experts ,  says kemeny .
this solid financial support helped convince paul macary , an assistant professor in the immunology program , to join kemeny in singapore . 
the start - up package i was offered was significantly better than those from uk and us institutions ,  says macary , whose offer included not only research funds and a competitive salary , but also subsidized living accommodations and an education allowance for his children .
but macary was initially skeptical .  as a postdoc in the uk ,  he says ,  there is a general consensus that the us and europe are the only places where you can establish yourself as a good biomedical researcher . 
on top of that was concern about feeling isolated as one of only a small number of immunologists in singapore .
macary , who moved to singapore with his wife and young children , also praises singapore as a safe and child - friendly place with a world - class education system . with enthusiastic salesmen like kemeny and macary and plenty of cash to import and train new talent ,
although biomedicine in singapore seems to be off to a flying start , the country will need more than just manpower to ensure that their costly gamble pays off .
to succeed , singapore needs to turn basic research into revenue  a feat that will require other ingredients , including state - of - the - art facilities , support for manufacturing and research and development ( r&d ) , and corporate partnerships . for top - notch research facilities ,
one need look no further than biopolis , a futuristic two - million - square - foot biomedical research complex that houses the sparkling new laboratories of a*star 's five research institutes plus dedicated space for biotech start - ups and pharmaceutical companies  not to mention restaurants , a day care center , fitness center , pub , and even a 7-eleven convenience store .
biopolis  which went from concept to reality in an astonishing 20 months  was designed to foster cross - disciplinary collaboration and bridge the gap between academic and industrial research .
construction of biopolis phase 2 , which will add another 120,000 square feet of research space , is currently underway and is targeted for completion at the end of this year . also under construction is phase 1 of a 390,000-square - foot center for physical sciences called fusionopolis , slated for completion in mid-2007 .
it recently launched a preclinical research facility for neurodegenerative diseases , the first such facility in the asia pacific region , and its next investment in singapore will be a us$70 million r&d pilot plant dedicated to converting experimental molecules into commercially viable drugs .
schering plough , merck , pfizer , and eli lilly also have active subsidiaries in singapore . in 2004
, swiss pharmaceutical company novartis teamed up with the singaporean government to create the novartis institute for tropical diseases , which is focused on studying neglected tropical diseases such as dengue fever and drug - resistant tuberculosis .
singapore 's biomedical initiative is also bolstered by partnerships with overseas universities including stanford and johns hopkins universities in the us , sweden 's karolinska institute , and japan 's riken institutes .
one example is the recent development of a diagnostic kit for avian influenza ( h5n1 ) .
the kit , developed by local start - up company veredus laboratories pte ltd using nucleic acid primers designed at a*star 's gis , allows for rapid , accurate diagnosis of human cases of avian flu and is currently being used in indonesia .
but the real question is whether the biomedical science push is translating into jobs and revenue .
10,200 people were employed in the country 's biomedical science industry , a figure the economic development board hopes will increase to 15,000 by 2015 . the biggest revenue source so far is the bulk drug manufacturing rather than the more recently established biotech sector .
biomedical manufacturing output is also on the rise , surpassing its 2005 target of s$12 billion a year ahead of schedule .
another part of keeping the biomedical ball rolling is keeping the money flowing  a nonissue for the singaporean government , whose financial commitment to biomedical research has been unwavering . on the heels of the initial bms initiative
comes the science and technology 2010 plan , announced in february of this year , which will commit another us$5 billion over five years toward bolstering public and private sector r&d . with its chunk of the change ,
the bmrc will focus on translational research with the hope of turning basic research discoveries into clinically useful and commercially viable products . but money alone will not ensure success . according to yeo ,
the most important elements for maintaining momentum in the biomedical sciences are  two - legged ones , people ! 
indeed , singapore needs to maintain a critical mass of scientists , preferably while lessening its reliance on imported talent  currently about one third of all scientists in singapore are foreigners .
another brainchild of yeo , this endeavor involves a complete revamping of the country 's education system  from overhauling the primary school curriculum to offering scholarship programs that fund undergraduate and ph.d .
this training comes with strings attached : a*star scholars are committed to six years of research at an a*star research institute after graduating .
a*star is also fishing out younger students with its new young researchers attachment program , in which pre - university students from around the globe study at singapore 's secondary schools and junior colleges , spending vacations on stints at a*star 's research institutes .
those that do well are then eligible for a*star scholarships.whereas the us nih frowns upon scientists ' involvement in the private sector , singapore 's a*star does just the opposite .
whereas the us nih frowns upon scientists ' involvement in the private sector , singapore 's a*star does just the opposite .
biopolis boasts a complete  work  live  play  atmosphere . as with his recruitment efforts
those who are funded are allowed only three years to complete their undergraduate degree and five for their ph.d .
when you first start out at 18 years old ,  says pearline teo , an a*star scholar who earned her undergraduate degree in biology at johns hopkins university , 
 teo , who is now working toward a ph.d . in immunology at stanford university , says the gpa requirement is a source of grumbling among her fellow a*star scholars , particularly at stanford , where only about 10% of the class receives an a grade .
perhaps the biggest hurdle that singapore faces in revamping its education system is cultural . in a country
where education is notoriously rote and rigid , it remains to be seen whether a*star students will measure up in terms of scientific creativity . as the first crop of ph.d .
former singapore prime minister lee kuan yew famously stated that air conditioning was the most important invention for lifting tropical developing countries out of their heat - induced lethargy .
now , singapore is taking the next step  attempting to make the inventing process itself an integral part of the economy .
 we have the funds , single - minded focus , long - term planning , and industrial investment experience  and the daring to go for it .
 figure 1biopolis , singapore 's futuristic research hub.how does a country one - fourth the size of rhode island with little history in biomedical science become one of the world 's biomedical research giants ? 
 the answer : with a pile of money and a large dose of chutzpah . 
 since 2000 , singapore has dumped more than us$2 billion into developing a biomedical research industry  from scratch . 
 is the gamble paying off ? 
A matter of life and death
The personnel payoff
IMMUNOLOGY PICKS UP SPEED
Recipe for success
Keeping the ball rolling