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Imperial College London has launched its first overseas research and innovation centre in Singapore, aiming to strengthen collaboration between the UK and Singapore. The centre, called Imperial Global : Singapore, will facilitate partnerships with universities, industry, government, and third-sector organisations in Singapore. The first research programme taking place at the new centre is a S$20 million collaboration between Imperial College London and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore, aimed at improving the security of medical devices and health data. The programme, called IN-CYPHER, will leverage Imperial’s expertise to establish Singapore as a global leader in health cybersecurity and AI for healthcare.
As technology in healthcare improves and more personal data is collected and stored, there are concerns about the security of this data and the potential risks to medical devices. The research programme will focus on protecting implantable active devices, such as pacemakers, and securing the data protection of connected wearables and healthcare systems. The ultimate goal is to develop better ways to safeguard personal data and ensure the operation of medical devices is not disrupted by accidental or malicious actors.
The research programme will be led by Professor Anil Anthony Bharath from Imperial College London and Professor Liu Yang from NTU Singapore. The team will collaborate to tackle existing security challenges and protect emerging sensing technologies and their data. The research is expected to have applications for a range of devices, including continuous glucose monitors, smart electronic skin patches, and activity monitors.
The establishment of the Imperial Global : Singapore centre builds on the longstanding strategic partnership between Imperial College London and NTU Singapore. It aims to accelerate the translation of scientific breakthroughs and new technologies for societal benefit and commercialisation in Southeast Asia.
The announcement of the new centre and research programme comes as healthcare cybersecurity becomes increasingly important. As healthcare systems become more digitized, the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches grows. Protecting medical devices and health data is crucial to ensure patient safety and maintain public trust in healthcare systems. By investing in research and collaboration in this area, Imperial College London and NTU Singapore aim to make significant advancements in healthcare cybersecurity and contribute to the global fight against cyber threats in the healthcare sector.
