Delta Electronics Int’l Singapore,he global leader in power and thermal management solutions, and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) of ASTAR announced the official opening of the Delta-IBN Life Science and Diagnostics Lab at the Biopolis. The lab aims to develop next-generation infectious disease detection kits through collaborative research projects undertaken by Delta, IBN, and local universities. Lim Chuan Poh, chairman of ASTAR, was the Guest-of-Honour and officiated the opening ceremony together with Ping Cheng, CEO of Delta Electronics, and Prof. Jackie Y. Ying, executive director of IBN.

The Delta-IBN Life Science and Diagnostics Lab brings together IBN’s strengths in medical diagnostics, microfluidic systems and biological assays, and Delta’s expertise in microelectronics, optical devices, and global operations. The lab will focus on developing enabling technologies for improved infectious disease detection and personalised medicine. Current diagnostics require a long processing time and extensive, specialised laboratory equipment, and the lab will develop portable miniaturised all-in-one systems to provide on-the-spot, real-time detection results.

Prof. Jackie Y. Ying, executive director of IBN, says: “Improving healthcare through technological innovations has been IBN’s mission since 2003. We are excited to work closely with Delta to bring the technologies we have developed for disease diagnostics to market. With IBN’s platform technologies and Delta’s industry expertise, we are confident that our partnership will lead to innovative healthcare products that will benefit patients, and facilitate their care and treatment.”

Ping Cheng, CEO of Delta Electronics, said: “Delta is very pleased to establish this collaboration with IBN, a world-class research institute in bioengineering and nanotechnology. IBN's biosensors and diagnostics research has led to lab-on-chip devices for infectious disease detection and nanoprobe assays for genetic testing, which we intend to further develop for the global healthcare market. Our joint lab represents a significant step towards a strong partnership that crosses industry sectors.”

“The Delta-IBN Life Science and Diagnostics Lab represents a strong commitment from Delta to establish a long-term partnership with IBN and to continually invest in R&D and advance technological innovations in Singapore,” said ASTAR Chairman Lim Chuan Poh.

Delta is a global leader in high-efficiency power and thermal management solutions. As a technology-driven company, Delta invests 6 percent of its worldwide revenues in research and development each year. The company mission, “To provide innovative, clean, and energy-efficient solutions for a better tomorrow”, has guided Delta to further expand its efforts in human well-being, including environmental protection, natural resources preservation, and enhancing healthcare.

Due to the rapid growth in urbanisation and globalisation, the world is facing unprecedented challenges in providing healthcare. These challenges also bring forth strong demand for smart biomedical platforms, offering various opportunities in medical diagnostics, including in vitro diagnostics, imaging diagnostics, and vital sign monitoring. Delta believes that data generated from these smart platforms can be analysed collectively to produce insightful information and knowledge for better healthcare.

The Singapore government’s commitment to develop the biomedical and life sciences industries corresponds with Delta’s belief in the biomedical sector’s future growth. This, coupled with Singapore’s political and economic stability, as well as its large, highly-skilled, and innovative workforce, makes Singapore an extremely favourable location for Delta to set up its R&D facilities.

The Delta-IBN Life Science and Diagnostic Lab is expected to have over 50 Delta staff, who will work on joint projects with IBN researchers. The lab has also started research programmes with universities, such as Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore University of Technology and Design.