High Tech Singapore: Part 2

In this second part of a special series of Computer Chronicles in Singapore, we explore how Singapore is repositioning itself as a major high-tech player and staking its future largely on the new field of biotechnology. [Episode #1940, First broadcast 6/18/2002] At the Genomic Institute of Singapore, researchers are following up on the breakthrough of the sequencing of the human genome. Dr. Edison Liu says now that the human genome has been laid out, scientists here are finding what each of the proteins are responsible for and what biological functions they perform. They are seeking system biology, taking genomic knowledge and linking it with cell biology and medicine. And, as they look for that one protein appropriate for pharmaceuticals, a fundamental tool is high-end computational capabilities that can handle analysis and database requirements for many terabytes of data. Dr. Liu says Singapore's enlightened view of biomedical research encourages researchers in the country while still maintaining ethics for the people. The Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology takes a different approach to genetic research. B. Venkatesh says scientists here are studying the fugu fish because it has the smallest genome size of all the vertebrates while still having the same number of genes as humans; and sequencing the fugu fish will enable them to identify all the genes in the sequence of the human genome. Researchers at this institute are identifying genes that may be useful for developing cures for human diseases by discovering how the genes function, how they are regulated and what turns them on and off. Another approach in Singapore to curing diseases is studying millions of natural products found in soil to see if microorganisms can be useful in pharmaceuticals. Merlion Pharmaceuticals uses high throughput screening methods for testing thousands of samples for their exact biological activity. Tony Buss says Merlion's computational methods handle the 2 million t