Nucleate Singapore Pulse

Dr. Katherine Wang, Deputy Director of the Biomedical Research Council and lead of the Singapore Therapeutics Development Review (STDR), joins the show to unpack what it really takes to move a scientific discovery from the lab bench to a viable biotech company. Drawing on a career that spans a PhD at NYU, tech transfer, program building at Duke-NUS, and now national drug-discovery strategy at A*STAR, Katherine explains why Singapore's researchers excel at science but stumble at commercialization. She also delves into what STDR is doing about it through mentorship, bootcamps, and new schemes that pair scientists with serial entrepreneurs. Along the way she compares the US, China, and Singapore ecosystems, shares what she looks for when funding early-stage projects, and offers candid advice for any scientist curious about a career beyond the PI track. It's a practical, clear-eyed conversation about turning good science into products that reach patients. In this episode, Katherine discusses how researchers can translate scientific discoveries into commercially viable therapeutics and why strong science alone is not enough to build a successful biotech company. She explains the importance of defining unmet medical needs, developing a clear target product profile, understanding the competitive landscape, prioritizing value-driving experiments, and building multidisciplinary teams with complementary scientific and business expertise. Katherine also shares perspectives on the differences between the biotechnology ecosystems in Singapore, the United States, China, and Europe; the role of public funding and private-sector partnerships; and how initiatives under RIE2030 may shape Singapore’s biomedical research and innovation landscape. Host: Shamieraah Jamal Editors: Shamieraah Jamal, Chi Dam, Dillon Chew Timestamp 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Katherine Wang 01:17 From Research to Research Leadership 03:13 Comparing the US, Singapore and China Biotech Ecosystems 06:20 Building a Career Across Strategy and Operations 10:10 What Is the Singapore Therapeutics Development Review? 17:59 Global Models for Translational Funding 23:22 Introducing the Venture Lead Scheme 27:15 Bridging the Commercialisation Skills Gap 29:00 New STDR Initiatives under RIE2030 33:26 The Future of Singapore’s Biotech Ecosystem 35:01 Training the Next Generation for Commercialization 37:40 Current Gaps in Singapore’s Biotech Ecosystem

Dr. Peter Fedichev is the co-founder and CEO of GERO , a Singapore-based biotech startup that uses physics-informed AI and massive human health datasets to discover drugs aimed at slowing down aging and treating age-related diseases. In the 2nd part of this episode, Peter explains how Gero builds generative models of human health to predict disease trajectories and identify shared biological drivers across multiple chronic conditions. He discusses why metabolic dysfunction and inflammation represent promising intervention points, how partnerships with pharma companies like Chugai accelerate translation, and why companion dogs could become the proving ground for longevity therapeutics. Peter also shares his perspective on AI-driven drug discovery, arguing that target identification, not molecule generation, will create the greatest value. He outlines Gero’s open-source approach, fundraising journey, and vision for a future where therapies can meaningfully slow the aging process itself. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Dillon Chew, Chi Dam, Vasilina Gedzun 00:00 Gero Roadmap Overview 00:35 Predicting Disease Trajectories 03:03 Super Targets Strategy 05:07 Ozempic Market Wakeup 07:28 Binary Strategy With Pharma 10:11 Gerosense Wearable Aging API 11:58 Crossdisciplinary Lab Workflow 14:09 ProtoBind Diff Explained 17:16 Open Source Business Logic 21:10 Chugai Partnership Begins 23:57 AI Push In Big Pharma 27:09 Funding Gero Early 31:38 Differentiating From Calico and Altos 35:56 Longevity Roadmap Dogs To Humans 42:36 Next Milestones For Gero 43:45 Personal Motivation To Fight Aging

Dr. Peter Fedichev is the co-founder and CEO of GERO , a Singapore-based biotech startup that uses physics-informed AI and massive human health datasets to discover drugs aimed at slowing down aging and treating age-related diseases. In this episode, explains his transition from a decade in theoretical physics to longevity biotech, motivated by applying physics tools to complex living systems and discoveries like the naked mole rat’s lack of mortality acceleration. He contrasts biology’s case-control, fact-collecting culture with physics’ search for universal variables, arguing aging is a universal, chronic-process problem well suited to physics-style modeling. Peter describes Gero’s approach as building predictive, generative AI models from large-scale medical records and omics data to capture the “equations of motion” of health over time. He critiques hallmark-of-aging narratives and emphasizes “functional decline” (functional span) over healthspan, noting very old people can be disease-free yet severely impaired. Using thermodynamics as an analogy, he argues aging involves entropy-like, stochastic damage that is hard to reverse but potentially possible to slow or stop by targeting fundamental control variables. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Dillon Chew, Chi Dam, Vasilina Gedzun 00:00 Meet Peter Fedichev 00:23 From Physics to Biology 02:30 Non Aging Animals Spark 04:27 Physics Lens on Aging 06:21 Why Gero Exists 09:46 Modeling Health Dynamics 10:49 Beyond Lifespan Healthspan 12:43 Functional Decline Focus 16:07 Thermodynamics Meets AI 18:56 Entropy Limits Reversal 22:02 Temperature and Lifespan 25:12 Modeling to Speed Drugs 27:20 Closing Why Aging First

Dr. Boon Chong Goh is the co-founder and CTO of ArrowBiome , a Singapore-based biotech startup developing precision microbiome solutions through its lysin engineering platform. Spun out from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology and NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, ArrowBiome develops proprietary and patented platform technologies that enable highly selective bacterial targeting and killing. With “arrow-like” precision, the company is advancing microbiome solutions across applications including body odour, acne, other bacteria-associated skin conditions, gut health, and antimicrobial resistance. In this episode, Boon Chong shares how his journey from physics, protein structure, and molecular simulations led him into antimicrobial resistance research and eventually entrepreneurship. He discusses why lysins are powerful tools for precision microbiome control, how ArrowBiome moved from academic research to commercialization, and why the company strategically entered skincare and personal care before tackling more complex antimicrobial challenges. He also reflects on startup fundraising, Singapore’s biotech ecosystem, scaling production, global expansion, and the personal shift from scientist to entrepreneur. Host: Shamieraah Jamal Editors: Chi Dam, Shamieraah Jamal, Dillon Chew Timestamp : 00:00 Introduction to Dr. Boon Chong Goh 00:54 Journey From Physics to Antimicrobial Research 01:36 Why Lysins Became the Focus 04:24 Why Lysin Technology Matters for AMR 05:25 Funding Early Antimicrobial Projects 07:19 From Research Scientist to Entrepreneur 09:19 From CEO to CTO 14:10 Building ArrowBiome in Singapore 15:48 Why Singapore for Deep Tech and Cosmeceuticals 17:28 ArcherZyme and SmartArrow 19:19 Why Start with Cosmeceuticals 21:15 Regulatory Pathways and Clinical Testing 22:01 Measuring Success in Acne and Body Odor 23:23 Microbiome Differences Across Populations 24:51 Scaling Fermentation 25:37 B2B Partnerships and Global Clients 26:33 Formulation Partnerships with CHAKS 27:49 Singapore Startup Ecosystem and Partnerships 29:01 Winning Gold at In-Cosmetics Asia 31:06 Belgium Subsidiary and Global Expansion 32:20 What Next for ArrowBiome 33:20 M&A Strategy and Exit Planning 34:22 Advice for Researcher-Entrepreneurs 36:31 From Scientist to Strategic Founder

Mr. Kit Yong is the co-founder of Forte Biotech , a Singapore-based agritech startup developing rapid, point-of-care molecular diagnostics for aquaculture. Forte Biotech was founded in 2021. The concept behind RAPID was inspired by the founders’ experiences working with farmers in Vietnam, as well as insights from their own family businesses. Having witnessed firsthand the challenges faced by farmers, their families, and their livelihoods, the team remains committed to developing solutions that can make a meaningful and lasting impact. In this episode, Kit shares how Forte Biotech was founded to address a critical but overlooked problem in shrimp farming: catastrophic losses due to undetected disease outbreaks. He explains how the company built a portable isothermal amplification platform and proprietary DNA extraction chemistry capable of handling challenging shrimp samples, enabling farmers to conduct reliable, onsite pathogen detection without complex laboratory infrastructure. Host: Aakash Naresh Kumar Editors: Dillon Chew, Shamieraah Jamal, Vasilina Gedzun, Hana Maldivita Tambrin Timestamp 00:00 Meet Kit Yong 02:33 No Manual for Startups 04:09 Why Forte Bio Started 06:53 Net Zero and Farm Impact 09:35 Rapid DNA Extraction Breakthrough 11:57 Sample Degradation and False Negatives 14:44 Major Shrimp Diseases Explained 18:26 Bridging Farmers and Scientists 20:18 Portable Hardware and Isothermal Tech 21:19 Balancing Cost Accuracy 21:55 Rapid Hardware Overview 22:52 On Farm Reliability Lessons 24:53 Scaling Across Southeast Asia Markets 25:46 Regulation And Local Partners 31:09 Building An Agile Team 33:40 Diagnostics And Food Security 35:57 Milestones Profitability Goals 36:47 Science Communication For Impact

Dr. Edison Liu is a medical doctor turned cancer geneticist, whose work focuses on cancer genomics, breast cancer biology, and translational medicine. He has held senior leadership roles in biomedical research institutions in the United States and Asia, as the founding executive director of the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), and later the president and CEO of the Jackson Laboratory, one of the world's leading genetics research institutions. Along the way, he helped shape Singapore's biomedical landscape, led genomics research through crises like SARS, and expanded global position medicine efforts across Asia and North America. In Part 2, Dr. Edison Liu covers covers accountability and KPIs for Singapore’s biomedical initiative and how the 2003 SARS crisis validated translational research and GIS’s role, leading to recognition, embedding in MOH pandemic planning, and expanded work on H1N1/H5N1, Chikungunya, and Dengue. He shares that Singapore engineered healthcare as a discovery engine that supports economic welfare through pandemic control, precision medicine, and healthy aging, contrasting Singapore’s efficient population-based system with the US. He describes Singapore’s planned hospital/research cluster model versus evolving academic medical centers in the US, then explains leaving GIS after 11 years after developing successors. He recounts leading Jackson Laboratory’s transformation from 2012, scaling revenues and endowment and expanding campuses internationally, and emphasizes leadership traits (risk-taking, humility, learning), self-sufficiency in training, PhD reform, and Singapore’s bilingual role bridging a “two-systems” world while noting small size can enable global excellence. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Dillon Chew, Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Shamieraah Jamal, Vasilina Gedzun Chapters: 02:40 KPI and doubts 05:25 Health as Economic Engine 09:50 Knowing When to Step Down 13:10 Why join JAX 14:01 Scaling JAX Globally 18:15 Leadership Traits for Scientists 21:10 Rethinking the PhD in today’s era 26:10 Singapore and Asia's Biotech Future

Dr. Edison Liu is a medical doctor turned cancer geneticist, whose work focuses on cancer genomics, breast cancer biology, and translational medicine. He has held senior leadership roles in biomedical research institutions in the United States and Asia, as the founding executive director of the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), and later the president and CEO of the Jackson Laboratory, one of the world's leading genetics research institutions. Along the way, he helped shape Singapore's biomedical landscape, led genomics research through crises like SARS, and expanded global position medicine efforts across Asia and North America. In this episode, Dr. Edison Liu shares his journey from being motivated from childhood by medicine, then pivoting into basic science late in training after frustration with empiric cancer care and inspiration from oncogene discoveries, leading to work at UCSF with Nobel laureate J. Michael Bishop. He explains how clinical experience shaped his research questions, how he balanced lab discovery with focused clinical work and molecular trials, and how leading a 1,200-person NCI division taught institutional-scale leadership. Recruited to Singapore by Philip Yeo and others, Liu chose functional and transcriptional genomics over sequencing alone, built GIS’s collaborative culture, recruited fearless, high-performing, non-“jerk” talent, and empowered young leaders during events like SARS, helping establish preeminence within a decade. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Dillon Chew, Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Shamieraah Jamal, Vasilina Gedzun Chapters: 02:18 Childhood Doctor Dream 06:00 Deep Dive into Molecular Biology 09:40 The value of being a Clinician Scientist 15:00 Juggling Clinic Lab And Trials 19:50 Recruited to Singapore 23:00 Leading GIS and Recruiting the right talent 29:40 Culture of GIS

Dr. Lewis Hong is the Vice President of Paratus Sciences, a biotech company uncovering novel therapeutics by studying the extreme biology of bats. With a background spanning genomics research, pigmentation genetics at Stanford, and leadership roles in translational sciences at MSD, Lewis brings deep scientific and industry expertise to this pioneering field. In this episode, Lewis shares how Paratus was founded to explore bats as a unique model for human health. He explains how the company built a large-scale bat genomics and bioinformatics platform which combines global sample collection, industrial sequencing, and a powerful knowledge graph, to identify high-impact therapeutic targets. Lewis highlights Paratus’ two lead focus areas: • Immunology & inflammation , featuring theirASC inflammasome inhibitor program now entering IND-enabling studies; • Cardiometabolism , inspired by bats’ remarkablemetabolic resilience and cardiac performance. He also discusses the challenges of scaling bat genomics, the role of academic partnerships, building an R&D team in Singapore, and the broader trajectory of Singapore’s biotech ecosystem. Lewis closes with practical advice for scientists entering biotech, emphasizing resilience, long-term thinking, and the importance of strong mentors and collaborators. Host : Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar Editors : Shamieraah Jamal, Vasilina Gedzun, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew Timestamps 01:07 Introduction 01:28 Early Career Journey 06:20 Transition to Industry 10:35 Bat Biology & Drug Discovery 16:28 Scaling Bat Genomics 20:58 Pursuing ASC2 as a Therapeutic Target 23:43 Future Directions & Partnerships 34:52 Advice for Aspiring Biotech Professionals 39:16 Closing Remarks

Dr. Goh Wei Jiang is the Co-founder and CEO of CraftHealth , a pioneering Singapore-based startup revolutionizing personalized medicine through 3D printing. With a background in pharmacy and a PhD-MBA from NUS, Dr. Goh brings both scientific expertise and commercial insight to the forefront of MedTech innovation. Drawing on his clinical experience and translational research, he co-founded CraftHealth to solve a real-world challenge: simplifying polypharmacy and improving drug compliance through customizable, on-demand medications. In this episode, Dr. Goh Wei Jiang shares his journey from hospital pharmacist to a Healthtech founder. Motivated by the challenge of polypharmacy and the pill burden faced by patients, Dr. Goh and his co-founder developed a 3D printing platform that enables personalized medicine—combining multiple drugs into a single, tailored pill with customized release profiles. He walks us through the early ideation phase, shaped by his experiences in Stanford Biodesign, GRIP, Lean Launchpad, and other innovation ecosystems, and how they tested their first 3D printed pill using a small grant. Dr. Goh explains how CraftHealth's proprietary platform integrates hardware, software, and material science to create a modular, scalable approach to medication production. Dr. Goh also explores real-world applications: from improving precision dosing in pediatric or renal patients to enabling compounding pharmacies and supplement companies to rapidly prototype and personalize products. He discusses regulatory challenges, automation, hospital partnerships, and long-term visions for decentralised drug manufacturing. Finally, he shares his reflections on entrepreneurship, emphasising the importance of customer validation and building what people are willing to pay for. Host: Dillon Chew Editors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew Chapters: 01:15 – Dr. Goh’s Background & Identifying the Problem of Polypharmacy 08:50 – CraftHealth’s 3D Printing Platform (Hardware, Software, Materials, Data) 13:15 – Use Cases 15:15 – Addressing Challenges, Regulatory & Commercial Fit 24:00 – Expansion and growth strategies 34:00 – Vision for Decentralized Drug Manufacturing and Closing

Dr. Abbas Sahili is the CTO of Singzyme, a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation bioconjugation technologies. With a strong background in biochemistry and structural biology, Abbas brings deep scientific expertise and entrepreneurial vision to the field of precision medicine. His transition from academia to biotech leadership is marked by a commitment to developing antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that are more efficient, effective, and accessible. Under his leadership, Singzyme has developed a proprietary platform leveraging Peptide Asparaginyl Ligase (PAL) technology, setting a new standard in ADC manufacturing and performance. In this episode, Dr. Abbas Sahili walks us through his unique journey from academic research in structural biology to founding Singzyme, a cutting-edge biotech startup. He shares the motivations that led him to pivot from lab-based research to real-world therapeutic development and the founding story of Singzyme. Dr. Sahili breaks down complex concepts like antibody-drug conjugates and bioconjugation in a way that’s easy to understand. He discusses Singzyme’s PAL technology, a novel enzymatic platform that offers significant advantages over traditional methods, particularly in oncology and diagnostic imaging. He explains how PAL improves efficiency and precision in linking payloads to antibodies, unlocking new possibilities in targeted therapies and radiodiagnostics. He also sheds light on the operational and strategic challenges faced by a young biotech company and outlines how Singzyme is overcoming them through innovation, industry partnerships, and a strong vision. Looking ahead, Abbas discusses the potential for expanding beyond cancer into other areas like autoimmune and infectious diseases, and the roadmap for product development and partnerships. Host: Dillon Chew Editors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew 01:10 Dr. Sahili’s Background and Academic Journey 04:30 Transition from Research to Entrepreneurship 07:00 Founding Story of Singzyme 10:15 Overview of Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) 13:45 What Makes PAL Technology Unique 17:30 Challenges in Traditional Bioconjugation Methods 21:00 Application of PAL in Radiodiagnostics 24:45 Singzyme’s Milestones Since 2021 28:30 Partnerships and Industry Collaboration 32:15 Future Expansion Beyond Oncology 36:00 Roadmap for the Next 3–5 Years 40:20 Advice for Young Scientists and Aspiring Founders

Dr. Hoa Giang is the Co-founder and Data Science Lead of Gene Solutions. His background boasts a broad range of experience in the global therapeutics industry. His technical background includes computational biology, bioinformatics analysis and understanding genetic interactions and how they affect the cellular functions. This experience and immense knowledge inform his mindful and robust approach to founding Gene Solutions. Hoa’s experience spans the globe having lived, studied and worked in Vietnam and USA. In this episode, Hoa shares his journey of how he moved to the USA to pursue an advanced degree in computational biology. Starting from having an interest in biotech, he also shares how he was able to work with Professor Jun Hyong Kim at the University of Pennsylvania and broaden his expertise to bioinformatics. This knowledge helped him to develop new methods of combining wet lab protocol and dry lab analysis for next generation sequencing (NGS). He goes on to mention that he is very passionate about making new technology available to all and thus brought these new novel methods of NGS back to Vietnam in the form of Gene Solutions. In this episode, Hoa also shares about the groundbreaking work being done at Gene Solutions, including their way of staying ahead of competition while aiming to keep solutions affordable and accessible to the masses. He also briefly talks about Gene Solution’s technology, focusing on their two main pillars of reproductive health and clinical oncology, and how it varies from older tests and their strategies of expansion into various new geographical markets. Lastly, he describes the typical challenges that a company would face when they are first starting up and the importance of good teamwork. Host: Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar Editors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew, John Joson Ng 01:30 Hoa's Background and Early Career 03:58 Founding of Gene Solutions 07:05 Gaps that Gene Solutions Aims to Solve 12:03 Differences Between Gene Solutions’ New Methods and Old Methods 20:17 Challenges Faced by Gene Solutions in Expansion to New Markets 26:32 Importance of Partnerships 37:03 Advice for Aspiring Scientists and Entrepreneurs

Dr. Ivan Horak is currently the CEO and founder of Tikva Allocell, a biotech company whose mission is to develop safe, effective, readily available and affordable “off-the-shelf” T cell therapies by leveraging excellent safety profile of proprietary technologies that enhance the T cell's performance to treat cancer. In this episode, Ivan shares his journey from having an interest in becoming a medical oncologist. He also shares how his experience in working in some of the top oncology institutes in Central Europe to working in the United States helped shape his early career before moving into Singapore, where he worked with Tessa and finally set out to develop Tikva Allocell. Tikva Allocell is focused on creating therapy using proprietary IP protected platform to drive the next breakthrough in cancer therapy. In this episode, Ivan also shares about the groundbreaking work being done at Tikva, and also the typical challenges that a company would face when they are first starting up. He goes on to talk about making therapies affordable, how to manage scaling up and also the importance of collaboration. He also mentions the intricacies of VCs and also how they function. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew, John Joson Ng 01:37 Ivan's Background and Early Career 04:46 Founding of Tikva 11:41 Importance of Collaborations 14:26 Tikva's recent milestones 15:36 VC mindset 20:20 Advice for Aspiring Bioentrepreneurs and Final Thoughts

Dr. Joshua Wang is currently the CEO and founder of VerImmune, a biotech company focused on developing novel virus inspired particle technology platform that can be used as a delivery system to target cancers. In this episode, Josh shares his journey from having an interest in infectious diseases to leading a biotech startup that spans across the US and Singapore. VerImmune specializes in developing Virus-Inspired Particle (VIP) technology for targeting cancers. Josh discusses his academic background, including his PhD work at Johns Hopkins, and how serendipitous events led him from vaccine research to entrepreneurship. He explains the mechanics and advantages of VerImmune's VIP technology, its application in cancer treatment, and its potential for other therapeutic areas. The episode also covers challenges in biotech entrepreneurship, the importance of manufacturing and scalability, and the strategic decisions behind relocating some operations to Singapore. Dr. Wang offers valuable advice for aspiring biotech founders, emphasizing the significance of discernment, persistence, and leveraging global opportunities. Host: Dillon Chew Editors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew, John Joson Ng 00:00 Josh's Background and Early Career 05:13 Founding his first Startup 06:27 Challenges in the Vaccine Business 07:46 VerImmune and their VIP Technology 21:24 Collaborations and Global Expansion 29:48 Advice for Aspiring Bioentrepreneurs 32:38 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Ritika Khetawat is the founder of MissionBridge, a fundraising advisory firm that empowers Singapore’s biotech and medtech ventures to secure the capital they need. In this episode, Ritika discusses her transition from investment banking at Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley to supporting healthcare startups through MissionBridge. She shares her insights into the unique challenges of biotech fundraising, emphasizing the need for strategic planning, strong storytelling, and relationship-building with investors. Ritika explains MissionBridge’s mission to “democratize fundraising” by simplifying the process for founders and bridging the gap between early-stage innovation and global funding opportunities. She also highlights the importance of optionality in biotech pipelines and adapting to market dynamics during the “biotech winter.” Host: Dillon ChewEditors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew, John Joson Ng 01:17 Introduction 09:22 Various Sources of Funding for Startups 22:19 Common Challenges and Mistakes Made During Fundraising 30:00 Selecting a Good VC Partner 36:47 Future of MissionBridge and Emerging Trends in Singapore

Dr David M. Epstein is the co-founder and president of PairX Bio, a company that specializes in the next generation of cancer selective biologics. In this episode, David shares his experience and journey from working in various biotech companies and big pharma institutions to eventually building his own companies. One of these is Pairx Bio, a company specializing in the next generation of cancer biologics. David stresses the importance of how being able to follow the science and being transparent and open with the discussions on data collected from research projects plays a key role in the success of a company. He also touches on the success of targeted cancer therapies, some of which has led to an increase in lifespan, as well as the limitations in terms of the range of diseases that can be treated with this therapy. He also highlights the future of therapeutics in general, discussing the push in biotherapeutics and immunotherapeutics and expanding the horizon where these new innovative treatments can be effective. Lastly, he touches on the importance of how to handle IP matters and protecting one’s IP. Host: Aakash S/O Naresh KumarEditors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Dillon Chew, Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to the team via singapore@nucleate.org. 01:01 Introduction 05:10 Origins of Pairx Bio and Key Characteristics For a Successful Startup 13:18 Key differences in the process of IP patenting 18:22 Singapore VS USA Biotech Ecosystems 20:51 Future of Singapore’s Biotech Ecosystem

Dr. Alessandro Falcone is the Head of JLABS Singapore. In this episode, Alessandro talks about his transition from clinical medicine to business consulting, eventually landing in leadership roles at major pharmaceutical companies. He explains the mission of JLABS Singapore, a collaboration between Johnson & Johnson and Singapore’s Economic Development Board, which aims to nurture early-stage biotech and medtech startups. Alessandro highlights JLABS’ shift from a traditional lab incubator to a Universal model, which emphasizes advisory support, mentorship, and global networking opportunities for resident startups. He also discusses Singapore’s biotech ecosystem and shares his insights on building resilient companies amid the "biotech winter" funding challenges. Host: John Joson NgEditors: Hana Maldivita Tambrin, Aakash S/O Naresh Kumar, Dillon Chew, Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to the team via singapore@nucleate.org. 01:23 Introduction 05:37 JLABS Singapore: Mission and Role 16:38 Challenges and Successes 18:46 Singapore’s Ecosystem 31:09 Navigating Career Transitions

Loong Wang is the CEO and Co-Founder of QDX, a company specializing in computational drug discovery using quantum mechanics and supercomputing. In this episode, Loong discusses his journey from supercomputing at the Australian National University to founding multiple startups in distributed computing and blockchain—before making a significant pivot to biotechnology. His deep dive into quantum chemistry aims to address complex drug discovery challenges by simulating atomic and molecular behaviors at a fundamental level. He also touches on the potential for quantum chemistry to revolutionize high-throughput screening methods that big pharmaceutical companies currently rely on, making these processes faster, cheaper, and more precise. He emphasizes understanding the nuances of biomedical problems and the need for a multidisciplinary approach in developing groundbreaking solutions. Host: John Joson NgEditors: Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to Joson Ng via johnjoson.n@nucleate.org. 01:02 Introduction 06:16 Understanding Quantum Mechanics in Drug Discovery 18:53 Challenges in Biotech: Collaboration and Simulations 26:30 Entrepreneurship, IP Strategy, and Scaling Up 42:22 Advice for Non-Traditional Entrants to Biotech

Fengru Lin is the Founder and CEO of TurtleTree, a pioneering biotechnology company that has successfully developed the world’s first sustainably produced lactoferrin “LF+” using precision fermentation technology. In this episode, Fengru Lin shares her journey from a tech career at Google and Salesforce to leading biotech innovations at TurtleTree. Inspired by challenges in replicating traditional cheese-making in Asia, she envisioned revolutionizing the dairy industry. Fengru discusses TurtleTree’s shift from cell-based milk to producing high-value proteins like lactoferrin, used in infant nutrition and supplements. She emphasizes the importance of market-driven innovation, sustainable ingredients, and the role of a mission-focused team in staying competitive in the dynamic biotech space. Host: Jessie WongEditors: Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to Joson Ng via johnjoson.n@nucleate.org. 01:00 Introduction 05:51 Pivoting from Cell-Based Milk to Lactoferrin Production 16:02 Challenges and Strategies in Building TurtleTree 20:14 Consumer Perception and Adoption of Precision Fermentation Products 26:09 TurtleTree’s Role in Singapore’s 2030 Sustainable Food Initiative 30:58 Balancing Sciences and Business in Biotech Startups

Dr. Lisa Ooi is the Senior Vice President of Strategy at Hummingbird Bioscience, a leading biotech company in Singapore focused on antibody therapeutics. In this episode, Dr. Ooi discusses her journey from her PhD at Stanford to her current role, highlighting her experience in biomedical research and corporate strategy. She delves into Hummingbird Bioscience's innovative platform for developing antibody-based therapies, sharing insights on the company's strategic direction, the challenges of drug development, and the potential impact of their work on cancer treatment and beyond. Dr. Ooi also explores the reasons behind Hummingbird Bioscience's success in attracting investment and the unique advantages of being based in Singapore. Host: Jessie WongEditors: Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to Joson Ng via johnjoson.n@nucleate.org. 01:00 Introduction 10:06 Establishing Hummingbird Bioscience in Singapore 14:22 Innovative Antibody and ADC Development Strategy 23:37 Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment with Dual Payload ADCs 28:56 Hummingbird Bioscience's Role in Singapore's Biotech Ecosystem

Dr. Adam Gregory is a Partner and Patent Attorney at Mewburn Ellis LLP. He works with biotech companies to build and manage their patent portfolios, drafting patent applications and co-ordinating prosecution worldwide. In this episode, he highlights success stories from Singapore’s vibrant biotech scene, including Enleofen Bio and Hummingbird Bioscience, and discusses the evolving nature of patent strategies in the face of emerging technologies like AI and gene editing. From understanding the differences between patents, trademarks, and copyrights to exploring the patent application process and common pitfalls, this episode is packed with valuable information for anyone in the biotech industry. Host: John Joson Ng Editors: Jessie Wong, John Joson Ng The show notes and transcripts for the episode can be found on nucleatesingapore.substack.com. For feedback or recommendations on who we should talk to next, please reach out to Joson Ng via johnjoson.n@nucleate.org. 01:02 Introduction 08:50 The patent application process 14:57 Strategic IP management and common pitfalls 27:06 Success stories from Singapore biotech 36:18 Emerging technologies and future trends