Congratulations to the MAGNET research project team, including our ITRP members, on securing S$10 million in funding under the Open Fund–Large Collaborative Grant at the National Medical Research Council Awards 2025!
Singapore’s first nationwide research effort to tackle age-related muscle loss, the Mechanistic Investigation and Clinical Innovation for Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Therapy (MAGNET) project seeks to improve the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of sarcopenia – a condition that affects nearly 1 in 3 adults aged 60 and above in Singapore.
MAGNET comprises 4 themes:
-
Theme 1: Molecular and Metabolic Landscape
-
Theme 2: Molecular and Metabolic Inflammatory Markers
-
Theme 3: Mechanistic and Proof-of-Concept Investigations
-
Theme 4: Clinical Cohort Development and Clinical Implementation
Our programme is proud to be represented by two key Principal Investigators:
Associate Professor Veronique Angeli, Assistant Dean (Research) and Chair of Immunology Translational Research Programme at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, is one of the two PIs leading Theme 2: Molecular and Metabolic Inflammatory Markers. Her team uses cutting-edge genetic and imaging tools to identify immune and metabolic markers that can signal the onset of sarcopenia early — potentially revolutionizing diagnosis and treatment.
Associate Professor Chen Jinmiao, from Duke-NUS Centre for Computational Biology, is one of the two PIs leading Theme 1: Molecular and Metabolic Landscape. Using advanced AI algorithms and high-resolution profiling, his team dissects the genetic and metabolic changes in sarcopenic muscle tissue to better understand disease mechanisms and develop personalized therapies.
Together with other leading scientists and clinicians, our ITRP PIs drive key research themes spanning molecular discoveries, clinical trials, and real-world implementation.
We are proud of the collaboration and leadership shown by our ITRP team in advancing this vital research that will benefit older adults across Singapore.
Read more about the MAGNET research project in this Straits Times article:
https://www.straitstimes.com/…/nationwide-research…
Or find out more here:
https://www.duke-nus.edu.sg/newshub/media-releases/magnet
