Singapore opens first centre dedicated to stem cell research of the Asian heart

SINGAPORE – The study and treatment of heart disease in the region have been boosted by the opening of the first centre in Singapore dedicated to stem cell research of the Asian heart that can be developed into treatments.

Launched on Oct 16, the Centre for Integrative Human Cell Research and Translation (CIPHER) aims to ensure that the science behind heart disease treatment takes into account the biology of Asian patients.

Its deputy director, Chrishan Ramachandra, said Asian patients develop heart disease earlier, present it differently, and tend to fare worse than their Western counterparts.

Yet for decades, the models used to study cardiovascular disease and develop treatments for Asian patients have been built largely on animal models and Western biology.

“We want to study Asian cardiovascular biology in more detail from stem cells acquired from a 5ml blood sample,” said Chrishan, who is also the principal investigator with the National Heart Research Institute Singapore (NHRIS) and the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS).

The blood is “reprogrammed by exposing it to certain cocktails and turning them into stem cells known as induced pluripotent stem cells with the hope of trying to improve cardiovascular outcomes for these (Asian) populations”.

Chrishan added: “The centre’s mission is to accelerate our discovery (and develop) precision therapeutics for Asian cardiovascular diseases using human stem cell models and advanced multimodal platforms.”

NHCS has developed more than 40 patient-derived disease models covering conditions such as heart failure, arrhythmogenic disorders, and cardiomyopathy.

Arrhythmogenic disorders are rare, inherited conditions where the heart muscle cells fail to stick together properly, and are gradually replaced by scar tissues and fat.

Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that causes it to stretch, thicken, or stiffen, making it difficult for the organ to pump blood effectively to the rest of the body.

NHCS’ library forms the foundation of CIPHER’s research programme.

“When we grow a heart muscle cell from a patient’s own blood and watch it beat in a dish, carrying that patient’s disease, we are looking at something no animal model can replicate,” Chrishan said.

Derek Hausenloy, who heads CIPHER, NHRIS and NHCS, said the cell platforms can be used to test drugs, as well as to improve heart function and metabolism.

“(With these platforms), we are able to see which patients are more likely to be responsive without giving the drug to the patient himself and exposing him to the potential side effects or a drug that may or may not work,” he said.

CIPHER was officially launched by Senior Minister of State for Health Tan Kiat How at the 6th NHCS Heart to Heart Gala at The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore.

“We are placing greater emphasis on prevention, earlier intervention and helping Singaporeans stay healthy and independent for longer,” Tan said.

“Innovation can support this shift, but its value is not measured by how sophisticated a technology is. It is measured by what it changes for patients.”

In Singapore, about 23 people die from heart disease and stroke every day, with cardiovascular disease accounting for one in three deaths in 2025.

Hausenloy said: “Singapore is ideal for research (into the Asian heart) because of the varied ethnicity we have in our local populations – the Chinese, the Malays, and the Indians. This gives us an opportunity to really understand Asian cardiovascular diseases in an ethnic-specific context.”

Apart from using stem cells from the blood samples of patients, CIPHER has partnered clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Medera Inc. to develop Human Heart-in-a-Jar, a miniaturised bioengineered human ventricular chamber that allows researchers to replicate and study selected features of human heart disease.

The mini-heart model about the size of a fingertip – a first in Asia – offers more physiologically relevant platform for testing potential treatments.

“By making these models, we want to identify specific drivers of the disease to find out why Asians have these unique cardiovascular phenotypes, identify new targets, and develop personalised therapies,” Hausenloy said.

Tong Ming Chuan Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery

At the centre launch, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medicine Centre also announced that it had named its inaugural professorship after cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon Tong Ming Chuan.

Tong, who is currently in private practice at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, is also a visiting consultant at NHCS.

When he was at the Singapore General Hospital from 1981 to 1992, he and his colleagues pioneered a number of cardiac surgery procedures in Singapore, including the first heart transplant operation in Singapore in 1990. He was part of the team that did the first lung transplant here, in 2000.

The Tong Ming Chuan Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery – made possible by a $2.5 million gift from Tong – is aimed at advancing clinical excellence, driving surgical research and nurturing future surgical leaders

The professorship, established under the Cardiovascular Sciences Academic Clinical Programme at SingHealth DukeNUS, will be awarded by Duke-NUS Medical School.

Chief executive officer of NHCS Yeo Khung Keong said: “Through CIPHER and the Tong Ming Chuan Professorship in Cardiothoracic Surgery, we are making two complementary commitments to the future of cardiovascular care.

“CIPHER ensures the science we build is grounded in the biology of our patients and strengthens Singapore’s position as a biomedical hub. The professorship ensures that we have the surgical leaders to translate that science into care.”