Mr Philip Yeo, 16th S R Nathan Fellow for the Study of Singapore, delivered his second of three lectures as part of his lecture series, titled “Neither Civil Nor Servant: Singapore’s Disruptive Economic Playbook”.
Held on 27 March 2025, the lecture delved into how Singapore’s transformation from a “nation of technicians” to a centre for biomedical innovation was driven by bold investments in research, strategic partnerships with global scientists and companies, and long-term commitment to human capital development. Delivered with candour and colour, his lecture traced the origins of Singapore’s biomedical sciences (BMS) strategy and the critical decisions that laid its foundation.
A Nation of Technicians
Mr Yeo began his lecture by recounting the moment Singapore made a decisive pivot towards research. In a 1984 conversation between then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Nobel laureate Dr Sydney Brenner, the latter warned: “If you don’t do something like this, you will remain a nation of technicians.” That conversation spurred Dr Goh Keng Swee, then Deputy Prime Minister and Mr Yeo to explore how Singapore could invest in biomedical research. The result was the beginning of a decades-long effort to position Singapore as a centre for scientific innovation.
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology
This ambition took shape in 1985 with the establishment of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB). At a time when local scientific talent was limited, Mr Yeo recalled how he approved a two-year $40 million loan, which was drawn from the Skills Development Fund, to jumpstart the institute. Dr Brenner became its scientific founder, and IMCB brought together key figures such as biologists Dr David Baltimore and Dr Alice Huang. Today, four decades later, IMCB is led by a Singaporean scientist, a milestone Mr Yeo cited with satisfaction as symbolic of the country’s scientific maturation.
Research, Innovation and Enterprise
However, institutional beginnings were only part of the story. Mr Yeo emphasised that Singapore’s push into R&D was neither accidental nor evolutionary. In fact, it was intentional and, at times, hard-won. Drawing from his years in the Ministry of Defence and later at the Economic Development Board, he pressed the case for research to complement Singapore’s manufacturing economy. After taking over the National Science and Technology Board in 2001, he reprioritised its $5 billion budget to fund infrastructure, talent development and partnerships that would later form the core of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).
Singapore’s Biomedical Sciences (BMS) Strategy
A defining feature of this strategy was the aggressive recruitment of top global scientists — what Mr Yeo called “stealing whales”, With Dr Brenner, he compiled a list of 100 top researchers and travelled worldwide to court them. These scientists brought not only credibility and expertise but also entire research teams, catalysing institutional growth. Mr Yeo highlighted how these high-profile hires helped build Singapore’s reputation and laid the groundwork for sustainable local talent development.
Translating From Bench to Bedside
But success could not rest on basic science alone. Mr Yeo underlined the importance of translating research into tangible outcomes. “Science is not an end in itself. The end goal is the patient.” Bridging basic research with clinical applications required deliberate planning, funding mechanisms, and the right ecosystem to support translational research. This led to stronger integration between research institutions, hospitals and the emerging biomedical industry.
Biopolis: A Place for Public and Private Sector Collaboration
To foster such collaboration, Mr Yeo spearheaded the development of Biopolis, a centralised research hub. It brought together multiple institutes, researchers, and private sector partners under one roof. Built in just 18 months by JTC, Biopolis became the physical manifestation of Singapore’s R&D ambitions, designed to break silos and encourage interdisciplinary work that could accelerate scientific discovery and commercialisation.
Advancing Singapore’s Biomedical Science Ecosystem
With the foundations laid, Singapore’s biomedical ecosystem began to scale. Today, A*STAR oversees nine specialised research institutes supported by a robust pharmaceutical manufacturing base. Mr Yeo noted the country’s strengths in both drug and device production while also urging a sharper focus on identifying niches that Singapore could lead in regionally and globally.
Key Components for the Growth of the Biomedical Industry
Tying these threads together, Mr Yeo stressed that the growth of the biomedical industry hinges on three key forms of capital: intellectual, industrial and human. Among these, he singled out human capital as the most critical. From launching PhD programmes to bringing back overseas scholars, the objective has always been clear: to equip Singaporeans not only to do research but to lead it.
Q&A Highlights: Key Takeaways from the Discussion
The wide-ranging Q&A session, moderated by Dr Lisa Ooi, Assistant Chief Executive at A*STAR, delved deeper into Mr Yeo’s methods, motivations and vision for Singapore’s scientific future.
Stealing Whales
Dr Ooi began with the iconic image of a woman with a DNA tattoo — part of Mr Yeo’s early campaign to glamorise science. She asked if his tactics had to change depending on the profile of the talent. Mr Yeo replied candidly: “To capture a corporate, I offer tax incentives. To capture a scientist, you must understand what he wants.” He describes it as a “personalised conning game”.
Scientists to Entrepreneurs
Asked whether scientists can be trained as entrepreneurs, Mr Yeo acknowledged that “most biotech companies are founded by scientists,” but emphasised the need for business-savvy leadership and being willing to accept failure as a part of the journey. He discussed the possibility of local universities introducing part-time MBA programmes for scientists mirroring what was being done at University of California, San Diego’s Rady School of Management.
Education and Curiosity
When asked about how to inspire scientific passion in youth, he highlighted several Scandinavian education models that have teachers who encourage curiosity, let children explore and make mistakes.
Big Pharma and Regional Strategy
An audience member asked how Singapore could retain more value from drug development rather than selling early to foreign venture capital. In response, Mr Yeo reiterated the importance of partnering with big pharma, noting that drug development is inherently risky and long-term. “Failure is a fact of life,” he said, adding that “among 10 or 20 [companies], one or two will succeed — and then it will take off.”
He also highlighted ASEAN as a valuable and under-tapped market. Given Singapore’s multi-ethnic and diverse population, precision medicine could become a key niche, allowing Singapore to generate insights and treatments relevant not just locally but across the wider region.
AI and the Future of R&D
Mr Yeo was optimistic about AI’s potential in biomedical science. “AI can help screen potential drugs, shorten timelines and analyse patient data.” But he warned against over-reliance, especially in education.
Conclusion
Mr Yeo’s lecture traced Singapore’s journey from a nation of technicians to a hub for scientific innovation built on strategic talent recruitment, sustained investment in people, and strong industry partnerships. The Q&A further explored how nurturing curiosity, embracing risk and supporting entrepreneurship are key to sustaining this transformation.
Click here to watch the video of the lecture.