About Us

Programme Overview

The Centre for Biomedical Data Science is envisioned as a research-driven hub for data science and AI at Duke-NUS. The Centre aims to be uniquely positioned to accelerate Duke-NUS’s emergence as a national and international leader in biomedical data science and AI-driven translational research. We will focus on transformative flagship programs and Grand Challenges that address unmet clinical needs through AI-enabled innovation.

CBDS brings together deep expertise in biostatistics, computational biology, systems genetics, AI, and multi-omics analytics. We aim to create an end-to-end, interdisciplinary platform that is already delivering impactful research, advanced data services, and integrated educational programs.

Our mission is to firmly position Duke-NUS as a national leader in biomedical AI and a driver of global impact.

Research Core

Lead independent and cutting-edge research programme with a strong emphasis on Data Science, AI, Statistical Methodology and applications to biomedical and health data, Computational Omics, and Systems Biology, driving innovation and advancing methodologies in these fields. The research will contribute to both fundamental scientific knowledge and translational applications (e.g. drug discovery), fostering collaborations across Duke-NUS, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (“AMC”) and SingHealth, healthcare, and industry to address pressing biomedical challenges.

Education Core

QBM PhD program offers students a broader selection of courses and creates flexible learning tracks, allowing students to specialize in areas such as health informatics, computational biology, or statistical modeling. Enables cross-training opportunities where students can gain both theoretical and applied knowledge in multiple domains.

: Teaching and Mentorship of Year 2 and Year 3 Medical Students of Duke-NUS

: Research Critical Thinking (RCT) to prepare students for real world solutions

: Upcoming Data Science MSc programme (More details to come)

Biostatistical & Data Analytics Services (BDAS)

Provide specialised services in biostatistics, data analytics, data management and translational clinical research while actively contributing to innovative research initiatives. CBDS encompasses the Core Biostatistics and Data Analytics Service (BDAS), providing a comprehensive, end-to-end analytical solution that encompasses, but is not limited to, genetics and genomics analysis, multi-omics data integration, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, advanced statistical modeling, clinical data interpretation, and health informatics. This unified service spans the full spectrum of biomedical and health data analytics, enabling data-driven insights across different research domains.

Duke-NUS AI + Medical Sciences Initiative (DAISI)

DAISI focus on state-of-the-art methodological and applied research in AI, as well as promoting and supporting AI use in Duke-NUS on compelling biomedical questions and clinical problem statements. Beyond the school, DAISI will be keenly positioned to partner with stakeholder organisations in the space of AI-driven applications, and also ongoing AI efforts at NUS and Duke Durham. (Link to DAISI)

Director's Message

Welcome to the Centre for Biomedical Data Science (CBDS) at Duke-NUS.

Our Centre is the academic home for researchers working at the interface of AI and machine learning, biostatistics, computational biology, bioinformatics, and health data science. We bring together quantitative and biomedical expertise to turn complex data, from molecules and cells to patients and populations, into actionable insights that transform healthcare and improve lives.

CBDS serves as a strategic hub for the Academic Medical Centre, providing an end-to-end platform that spans multi-omics analytics, clinical and health data, advanced statistical methodology, AI/ML, and high-performance computing. Furthermore, through our Core Biostatistics and Data Analytics Service, we support investigators across Duke-NUS and SingHealth, enabling robust study design, rigorous data analysis, and reproducible research in areas ranging from genomics and digital health to clinical trials and population health.

Equally important is our educational mission. CBDS plays a central role in training the next generation of data scientists and physician-scientists through the PhD Programme in Quantitative Biology and Medicine and future data science MSc programmes. Our goal is to equip trainees with the skills to navigate and shape a world where biomedical research and clinical practice are increasingly driven by data, algorithms, and computation.
CBDS has already establhed and will further deepen partnerships across SingHealth, NUS, A*STAR, industry and international collaborators, and will play a key role in precision medicine, AI in healthcare, and digital innovation at national and global levels.
I invite you to engage with us—whether as a collaborator, trainee, or industry partner—as we work together to advance biomedical and health data science for the benefit of patients and society.

Professor Enrico PETRETTO (PhD)
Director, Centre for Biomedical Data Science
Associate Dean of Research Informatics

About Us