The NIC Conference is a biannual event for NIC members. Participation is by-invitation only. To find out how to join in, please write to: NIC Administrator, Ms NG Hwee Koon at mednhk@nus.edu.sg.

Time

Programme

6:00pm – 6:30pm 

Registration

6:30pm – 9:00pm

Welcome Dinner hosted by Dr Raja Kamal

Senior Director, NUS Medicine International Council (NIC)

End of Day 1

Time

Programme

8:00am – 8:20am

Registration

8:20am – 8:30am

Welcome Remarks by Professor Kishore MAHBUBANI

Chairman, NUS Medicine International Council (NIC), Singapore

8:30am – 9:30am

“Predatory Hegemony and the War with Iran” by Professor Stephen M WALT 

Robert and Renée Belfer Professor of International Affairs, Harvard Kennedy School

Professor Walt will discuss how the United States has become a predatory hegemon during Donald Trump’s first term, and then consider the implications of the current war with Iran.

Moderator: Professor Kishore MAHBUBANI

Chairman, NUS Medicine International Council (NIC), Singapore

9:30am – 9:40am

Intermission

9:40am – 10:30am

Healthcare Keynote on “Precision Oncology and the Future of Cancer Care: Personalised Medicine in a Complex World” by Professor Giampaolo TORTORA

Full Professor of Medical Oncology, Medical School, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Director, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Policlinico Universitario Gemelli, Italy

For decades, cancer treatment relied largely on surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. Today, advances in genomics, molecular diagnostics and targeted therapies are transforming how cancer is understood and treated, bringing medicine closer to the goal of delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.

Professor Giampaolo Tortora has been at the forefront of the scientific advances that have transformed cancer treatment worldwide. In this conversation, he examines how the next generation of breakthroughs is reshaping cancer care and improving outcomes for patients worldwide. The conversation explores not only the advances driving this transformation, but also the challenges of ensuring that increasingly personalised therapies remain accessible, affordable and sustainable in healthcare systems facing growing complexity.

Moderator: Dr Glenn BONNEY

Senior Consultant, PanAsia Surgery, Singapore

10:30am – 11:00am

Morning Tea Break

11:00am – 12:00pm

NIC Members’ Meeting

Update on NUS Medicine by Professor CHONG Yap Seng

Dean, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) 

12:00pm – 1:30pm

Lunch

1:30pm – 2:20pm

“Next Generation Breast Cancer Prevention: Can We See Cancer Before It Happens?” by A/Prof Mikael Hartman

Head of Division & Senior Consultant, Division of General Surgery (Breast Surgery), Department of Surgery, National University Hospital

Modern medicine has transformed the prevention of infectious and cardiovascular diseases, yet cancer prevention remains one of healthcare’s greatest challenges. Could advances in genomics, data science and artificial intelligence finally change that?

Drawing on his pioneering work in personalised breast cancer screening and risk prediction, Associate Professor Mikael Hartman discusses how genomics and predictive analytics may enable clinicians to identify women at elevated risk years before cancer develops, opening the door to earlier intervention, tailored screening and even preventive therapies. The conversation explores not only the scientific advances driving this transformation, but also the ethical, societal and policy implications of a future in which healthcare increasingly seeks to predict and prevent disease before it appears.

Moderator: Dr Kanwaljit Soin

Orthopaedic and Hand Surgeon (Retired), Former Nominated Member of Parliament of Singapore

2:20pm – 3:10pm

From Innovation to Impact: Building the Future of Cancer Care

by Professor CHEE Cheng Ean

Executive Director and Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore; Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore

Cancer care is undergoing profound transformation. Advances in artificial intelligence, genomics, and precision oncology are reshaping what is possible in the fight against cancer. At the same time, ageing populations, workforce constraints, and rising healthcare demands are challenging healthcare systems worldwide to rethink how care is delivered.

At the helm of Singapore’s only public academic cancer centre caring for both adults and children, Associate Professor Chee reflects on how healthcare systems can harness innovation to create meaningful and lasting impact. From prevention and early detection to survivorship and emerging therapies, she explores the opportunities and challenges of building cancer services that are not only innovative, but also equitable, sustainable, and deeply human.

As healthcare enters a new era, this conversation considers what it will take to ensure that scientific progress translates into better outcomes, better experiences and healthier futures for the populations we serve.

Moderator: Dr Harish MITHIRAN

Executive Director of the National University Cancer Institute, Singapore

3:10pm – 3:40pm

Afternoon Tea Break

3:40pm – 4:30pm

A Conversation with Mr YEO Whee Jim on “(Re)Defining Singapore: Is There Heart in Our Competence?”

A CFS “Everyday Heroes of Philanthropy” who stablished the Lok Yan and Whee Jim Fund

In an increasingly uncertain world, what values will sustain us as individuals and as a society? Through reflections on living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), caregiving, vulnerability, and dependence on others, this conversation explores resilience, compassion, and the Singapore we hope to build. Drawing inspiration from Whee Jim’s determination to embrace life with humour, grace, and purpose despite immense challenges, it considers how Singapore can cultivate not only excellence and achievement, but also dignity, inclusion, and hope.

Moderator: Ms Bianca CHEO, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, Mewah International Inc, Singapore and Co-Author of the “(Re)Defining Singapore” book

4:30pm – 5:20pm

“The Iran War and the New Geometry of US–China Relations” by Professor Kishore MAHBUBANI

Chairman, NUS Medicine International Council (NIC), Singapore

While headlines focus on the immediate consequences of the Iran war, the deeper significance of the conflict may lie in the long-term shifts it reveals. As the global balance of power evolves and new centres of influence emerge, are we witnessing the gradual transition into a post-American era? Professor Mahbubani explores how the war is reshaping perceptions of power, accelerating geopolitical realignments, and challenging assumptions that have underpinned the international order for decades.

5:20pm – 6:30pm

Free & Easy

6:30pm – 9:00pm

Special Highlight Dinner Programme:

Launch of Aileen Wee Professorship in Liver Diseases

End of Day 2