In Focus: A Lookback on A Landmark Year

 



By Sanjay Devaraja, Editor, LKCMedicine's Redefine Newsletter



2024 has been yet another defining year for LKCMedicine, marking significant milestones in education, research, and corporate development. The School expanded its educational offerings, incorporating cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary approaches to ensure students are equipped with the skills needed for the evolving healthcare landscape. It also intensified its research efforts, with a focus on personalised medicine, digital health, and sustainable healthcare solutions, aiming to tackle both local and global health challenges.

From launching an upgraded medical degree programme to refreshing its brand identity, the School embraced changes for the better and entered an exciting new phase throughout 2024. Let’s look back at what LKCMedicine has accomplished in the past year.

The School celebrated a major achievement with the largest intake of students in its history: 186 students in the first cohort to graduate with an NTU MBBS degree. This signals a vote of confidence in our commitment to academic excellence and reflects the rapid growth of LKCMedicine. The curriculum has been revamped to include contemporary content like precision medicine, artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, and medical humanities, ensuring students are equipped with both practical and theoretical knowledge of modern medical practices and emerging technologies. The newly enhanced MBBS programme emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration within NTU, fostering critical thinking and real-world skills for students. This comprehensive approach ensures graduates are well-prepared to tackle complex healthcare challenges worldwide.

The annual White Coat Ceremony marked the arrival of the 12th cohort, with three new Houses added to accommodate the growing student body. The total number of Houses expanded to eight, bringing together over 800 students in the system.

Also this past year, LKCMedicine introduced Professional Growth, a programme designed to equip medical students with skills for modern medical practice, mental resilience, and professional identity. This initiative spans the five-year MBBS curriculum, addressing key challenges like burnout, help-seeking strategies, and coping with grief in medicine.

LKCMedicine also launched Elentra (LKCMedicine Learn), a state-of-the-art learning management system developed over four years. This system is a critical part of the School’s curriculum analytics, driving data-informed decisions for medical education.

LKCMedicine also contributed to the Healthier SG initiative by expanding its Continuous Education and Training (CET) programmes for healthcare professionals. These programmes foster continuous learning, empowering healthcare workers with new skills.

The School also introduced new postgraduate programmes, including the Holistic Palliative Care Programme (HoPE) and the Graduate Diploma in Cardiovascular Medicine (GDCVM), both designed to enhance the expertise of healthcare professionals in their respective fields.

The vibrant student life at LKCMedicine continued to thrive with ramped-up events such as the Peanut Butter and Jam talent show, the inaugural MedCamp, Overseas Community Involvement Projects (OCIP) in Vietnam, India, and Cambodia, and the creation of the History Taking History Making coffee table book, which earned the Nanyang Award for Teamwork.

LKCMedicine's research achievements in 2024 were exceptional.

On the research front, the launch of the Centre for AI in Medicine (C-AIM), a centre by NTU-LKCMedicin and the National Healthcare Group (NHG) marked another bold step toward integrating technology into healthcare. C-AIM focuses on using AI to enhance clinical practices and public health policies, with applications in elderly care, mental health, and cancer screening.


The Regenerative Medicine Programme evolved into the Cancer Discovery & Regenerative Medicine Programme, addressing challenges in cancer treatment and diagnosis. Other research breakthroughs included efforts to repurpose cancer drugs for glioblastoma and studies revealing the global impact of fine particulate matter on premature deaths.

Meanwhile, the Dementia Research Centre (Singapore) at LKCMedicine launched three mobile apps designed for the Asian population to support cognitive health. These were unveiled during the second annual Cognition Awareness Day on 30 October 2024, emphasising the role of digital technology in addressing cognitive issues.

In collaboration with healthcare and social sectors, LKCMedicine researchers developed an AI tool that identifies early signs of depression by analysing voice samples. Part of the three-year SoundKeepers study, this project is conducted with the College of Computing and Data Science of NTU to support mental health in seniors.

LKCMedicine researchers also identified the SMPD1 gene's connection to Parkinson's disease, finding that a defective copy more than doubles the risk. This discovery points to potential treatment strategies targeting SMPD1 deficiencies.

Another research highlight: joint study between LKCMedicine and the University of Oxford that revealed a new DNA repair process critical for colorectal cancer treatment. Using advanced tools and models, the study highlighted nucleophagy as essential for repairing DNA in cancer patients.

Additionally, the School is proud to launch Singapore's first Academic Health System (AHS) in partnership with the NHG. The AHS aims to integrate both institutions’ programmes, plans and policies in education, healthcare, and research to improve patient outcomes.

The creation of OPEN Voices, a network of patients and caregivers collaborating with LKCMedicine researchers, further strengthens the School's commitment to patient-centered research and education.

On the people front, the School is delighted to have faculty, staff, students and alumni earn prestigious awards, including the KIPRIME Award for Professor Jennifer Cleland; the Nanyang Alumni Service Award for alumnus Dr Leon Tan Yuan Rui; the Ministry of Health’s National Outstanding Post-Graduate Year 1 (PGY1) Award 2024 for LKCMedicine alumni Dr Brandon William Hew Hsien Loong and Dr Lee Wei En; the Nanyang Award (Teamwork) for students worked on the History Taking, History Making: Walking into Singapore’s Medical Story book; and the Colab4Good Award for students of Project Butanding, Project Camp Simba, Project Chiang Mai, Project Davao, Project ISIP and Project Songkeum.

The corporate teams of LKCMedicine had also marked several achievements in 2024. The Communications team led a major rebranding in 2024, reflecting the School’s evolving identity as a leader in medical education and innovation and to mark its identity as a NTU medical school ahead of the 2028 successful conclusion of the NTU-Imperial collaboration agreement to set up LKCMedicine back in 2012. The refreshed logo links the NTU and LKCMedicine symbols with a forward slash, symbolising progress, dynamism, and technology.

The Experimental Medicine Building achieved the Green Mark Platinum certification for its commitment to sustainability and resource efficiency. Meanwhile, the Facilities & Ops team undertook a year-long R&R project to refresh the Headquarters (HQ) building of the Novena Campus. The HQ turned 100 years old in 2024. The IT team also successfully implemented an IT refresh across the dual campus of LKCMedicine. This technical refresh encompassed several enhancements designed to elevate functionality and user experience, including enhanced audio and visual capabilities, advanced hybrid teaching features, and user-friendly interface.

LKCMedicine also experienced leadership changes in 2024, with Mr Lim Chuan Poh stepping down as founding Chairman. He was succeeded by Ms Chan Lai Fung, an experienced public service leader, who took on the role as Chair Designate in October 2024, and full Chair on 1 January 2025.

LKCMedicine hosted several significant events.

Professor Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization, spoke at the James Best Distinguished Lecture, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue in healthcare.

The Art & Science of Medicine Festival attracted over 4,000 residents, offering a glimpse into the School’s education and research.

MedCamp 2024 and the Anatomy Challenge brought together students from across Singapore, while the Homecoming to a New Chapter event in August 2024 marked a historic milestone of the School embarking on its next phase as an NTU medical school. The celebration of the 100th year anniversary of LKCMedicine’s Headquarters building included the launch of the School’s new logo and the recognition of the Class of 2024 awardees.

LKCMedicine's progress in 2024 underscores its commitment to advancing medical education, fostering innovative research, and shaping the future of healthcare. With a forward-thinking approach, the School continues to be a key contributor to both Singapore’s healthcare system and the global medical community.

This year, the School seeks to expand its impact – education and research, as well as corporate excellence. Key strategic areas identified for growth include innovative more learning-focussed medical education, more impactful research, more synergistic partnerships, and organisational excellence. The School has many to thank for a remarkable 2024 and looks forward to an even better 2025!