The 12th NUS-Nagasaki Symposium on Infectious Diseases was successfully held at the Centre for Translational Medicine (CeTM), at the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine on 11 and 12 June 2015. Proudly hosted by the National University of Singapore (NUS), the joint symposium with Nagasaki University was graced by Guest of Honour and Ambassador of Japan to Singapore, His Excellency Mr Haruhisa Takeuchi. More than 200 participants from the National University Health System (NUHS), Life Sciences Institute, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School and various local hospitals were also present at the event.
Singapore’s close proximity to her neighbouring countries, where a number of zoonotic infectious diseases are prevalent, has reinforced the need for cooperation between countries and institutions on infectious disease research. The threat of new and re-emerging infectious diseases is ever present, with SARS in 2002, the recurrent outbreaks of Ebola and MERS, together with other viral diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and pandemic influenza.
In the constantly evolving landscape of infectious diseases, the NUS-Nagasaki Symposium has been crucial in helping to develop strategic ideas and skills in the control of infectious diseases. This year, speakers from Singapore and Japan covered topics such as emerging diseases, bacterial and viral infections, and immunology and infections. Plenary speakers included Professor Yoshiyuki Nagai from Center of Research Network for Infectious Diseases, Japan and Professor Laurent Rénia from Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR.
The year’s symposium was also significant as it served as a landmark to commemorate and celebrate the establishment of the CeTM in NUS.
His Excellency Mr Haruhisa Takeuchi, Guest of Honour and Ambassador of Japan to Singapore, (right) interacting with Prof Halliwell, Deputy President of Research and Technology, NUS (centre) and Prof Lawrence Ho, Vice-Dean for Research, NUS Medicine (left).
Professor Yoshiyuki Nagai, Director of the Center of Research Network for Infectious Diseases, RIKEN, Japan, giving the plenary talk.