Singapore's population is rapidly ageing - people are living longer, while the birth rate remains low. By 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be 65 years and above, twice the current ratio. In addition, direct costs of elderly healthcare in Singapore are projected to rise tenfold to more than $66 billion. Given the increased prevalence of age-related disease that accompanies the ageing population, this issue may represent the biggest medical challenge of the 21st century. Ageing is the most common and biggest risk factor for most chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, frailty, most forms of cancer and diabetes.
The Centre for Healthy Longevity will be a multi-disciplinary hub that integrates research and clinical care, providing a holistic strategy to promote healthy living throughout the ageing process, from effective disease prevention in the healthy to novel and compassionate end-of-life care.
A major focus of the Centre is to delay ageing, prolonging disease-free life as well as maintaining high functionality and resilience. The programme will improve the quality of life for people as they age and reduce healthcare costs in Singapore with its ageing population. Maximum impact can be achieved by combining novel strategies to delay the onset of age-related conditions with effective clinical management in the elder population that maximises life quality. The former strategy involves the development of interventions that exploit the pathways modulating human longevity and testing these interventions using newly identified biomarkers of human ageing, as well as prevention of chronic disease onset. Once approaches are validated, the Centre will develop strategies for implementation in the Singapore population.
Our Mission
To delay ageing and increase human healthspan, prolonging disease-free life and maintaining functionality through leading research in the biology of ageing, development and validation of interventions and novel implementation strategies to extend the healthy lives of Singaporeans.
Our Programmes