It is my pleasure to welcome you to this inaugural print edition of MEDICUS. As Duke-NUS celebrates our 20th anniversary this year, the timing could not be more fitting. This special issue celebrates not only our milestones, but the spirit of restless innovation that has shaped who we are—and who we aspire to be.

Bringing together Duke University’s global research excellence, the National University of Singapore’s academic strength and SingHealth’s deep clinical expertise, Duke-NUS has stood at the intersection of three remarkable institutions since its founding. Together, they form a unique partnership strategically positioned to reimagine what health innovation can be. Our School was designed not just as a medical school, but as an active learning system—a place where fresh ideas, scientific rigour and clinical insight converge, and where novel solutions can be explored, testbedded and refined.

As we look to the future, innovation will continue to be our defining arc. Not innovation for its own sake, but innovation with purpose—grounded in patients’ needs, informed by data, and strengthened by collaborations across disciplines. In today’s healthcare landscape, breakthroughs depend less on singular discoveries and more on the collective ability to bring science, engineering, technology and clinical practice into continuous dialogue. At Duke-NUS, this culture is not an aspiration; it is part of our DNA. From students to early career researchers to seasoned clinician-scientists, our community is united by a willingness to question, to experiment and to translate ideas into real-world impact—and all by working in a collegial team-based environment.

This commemorative issue highlights some of the people who embody that ethos—individuals whose creativity, persistence and teamwork have advanced our understanding of human disease, shaped new models of care, and strengthened Singapore’s position in biomedical innovation. Their stories remind us that meaningful progress is always a human endeavour. It begins with someone who sees a possibility that others have not yet imagined and is willing to build the path toward it, step by step, in a rigorous evidence-based manner.

As we turn the page to our next chapter, I am confident that Duke-NUS will continue to serve as a bridge—between discovery and implementation, between academia and healthcare, and between Singapore and global partners working to transform medicine. That is our commitment for the decade ahead.

I hope this special edition inspires you as much as it has inspired us to create it. Thank you for walking this journey with us.

Warm regards,
Professor Patrick Tan,
Dean, Duke-NUS Medical School