PRECISE and IHCC Jointly Organise Conference to Advance Global Precision Medicine Research

• Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE), in collaboration with the International Health Cohorts Consortium (IHCC), jointly organised a conference, a first of this scale in Southeast Asia, held in Singapore from 21 to 23 August 2024

• Themed “From Cohorts to Clinics: The New Landscape of Global Healthcare”, the conference is highly relevant in the fast-growing era of large-scale genomics and population-based programmes. It promises a stellar line-up of over 50 speakers from both Singapore and the international community

• The conference will assemble leaders from prominent population cohort study programmes worldwide, creating a nexus in Asia that spans the Americas and European regions, emphasising the significance of this event in drawing global expertise into the Asian context

SINGAPORE, 21 August 2024 – Precision Health Research, Singapore (PRECISE), in collaboration with the International Health Cohorts Consortium (IHCC), launched the PRECISE-IHCC Conference, themed “From Cohorts to Clinics: The New Landscape of Global Healthcare”, from 21 to 23 August 2024. The event is graced by Guest of Honour (GOH) Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Digital Development and Information, and Ministry of Health.

The conference, a first of this scale in Southeast Asia, promises a stellar line-up of over 50 speakers from both Singapore and the international community, presenting a unique platform to spotlight the latest advancements in precision medicine. Additionally, the conference theme is also highly relevant in this era of large-scale genomics and population-based programmes.

Harnessing insights from the PRECISE-SG100K genome dataset to advance precision medicine in Singapore

At the event, local researchers were also recognised for their project proposals that were selected to leverage the first release dataset, generated from fully consented cohorts, to advance scientific knowledge and enable clinical translation. 

This development stemmed from an "Open Call For Proposals (CFP)" in November 2023, where scientists and physicians were invited to submit their proposals to utilise the PRECISE-SG100K data resource and to translate these research findings into precision health care approaches.

A total of 36 projects were selected. 

Eight Flagship Projects were selected based on their alignment with Singapore’s National Precision Medicine (NPM) programme and their potential for impactful discoveries. These projects will play a crucial role in showcasing key research outcomes and will have the opportunity to work closely with the PRECISE Scientific Committee and Data Science Team to discover new insights and advance precision medicine in Singapore.

In addition, 28 Driver Projects were also selected for their scientific value and well-articulated project plans. These projects will deep dive into a diverse range of topics from chronic liver disease to in-depth studies into the intricacies of how genetic variants or associations can affect disease susceptibility, drug responses, metabolism, behavioural traits and more.

PRECISE-IHCC Conference – From Cohorts to Clinics: The New Landscape of Global Healthcare

Distinguished plenary speakers include Professor Dame Sue Hill, Chief Scientific Officer from the National Health Service (NHS) England, Professor Patrick Tan, Executive Director from PRECISE, Professor Kathryn North, Director of the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, and Professor Vajira Dissanayake, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

Over the three-day conference, the speakers will share their perspectives on translating scientific research into patient care and address the challenges and opportunities in precision medicine. The conference will also include 17 panel discussions, some of which will be helmed by experts in the field of precision medicine, such as Professor Heidi Rehm, Chair of the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health, Mr Grant Wood, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Genomic Medicine Collaborative and Dr Geoffrey Ginsburg, Chief Medical and Scientific Officer of the All of Us Research Program.

The conference will also gather leaders from prominent population cohort study programmes worldwide, creating an intellectual nexus in Asia that spans the Americas and European regions. This gathering will cover cohort study programmes in China, Japan and Taiwan, emphasising the significance of this event in drawing global expertise into the Asian context.

This landmark event will bring together close to 600 thought leaders, clinicians, scientists and companies from across the globe who are at the forefront of precision medicine and healthcare innovation and present an excellent opportunity for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and the forging of new pathways towards advancing precision medicine for the benefit of patients worldwide.

The conference seeks to foster scientific exchange, integrate precision science into patient care, and showcase global advancements in genomic medicine. Key topics include the development and utilisation of biobanks for precision medicine, advancements in cancer genetics, ethics and policy in genomic research, and strategies for resolving complex genetic traits and variants. 

Discussions will also cover data-driven discovery and validating data from cohorts. Attendees will explore genetic counselling, community engagement, and the role of genomics and precision medicine in therapeutic Research and Development. 

Additional focal points include genomic diversity, genomic science in cohort studies, genomic screening, pharmacogenomics, and population health. The event will also lend attention to research in rare diseases, efforts in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and opportunities for early career scientists to present their work and engage with leading professionals.

Professor Patrick Tan, Executive Director, PRECISE, said “The PRECISE-IHCC Conference is a testament to our collective dedication to transform healthcare through precision medicine. By harnessing the power of genomic data, we are paving the way for ground-breaking advancements in patient care. This conference is a wonderful platform for Singapore to showcase and leverage our unique Asian heritage to better understand precision medicine advances and share these insights from Singapore to Asia, and to the world.”

Dr Michèle Ramsay, Co-chair, IHCC, said “IHCC is delighted to partner with PRECISE to bring together an international community of population cohorts with the unified purpose of promoting precision health for all. Technological advances and partnerships are enabling mechanisms that fuel novel discovery. Furthermore, data from large and diverse cohorts will enrich our understanding of mechanistic pathway to disease and will enable machine learning approaches to develop targeted interventions. With a focus on cohorts from under-represented and underserved communities worldwide, with 89 member cohorts in 42 countries, collectively including over 34 million participants, IHCC will contribute global perspectives and provide opportunities to study the comparative utility of clinical interventions. Together we will connect, convene, and catalyse discussions around the implementation of precision medicine globally.”