It is our goal to fuel R&D in the region

UK-based Abcam, a global innovator working together with life scientists to advance research and enable faster breakthroughs, has officially opened its newest regional hub in Singapore recently.

- Dr Manbeena Chawla

With healthcare expenditure in Asia projected to grow by 135 per cent to $2.3 trillion by 2026, the life sciences sector in the region continues to expand rapidly. At its new base at the Biopolis Biomedical Research Hub, Abcam joins over 350 life sciences companies, including eight of the top 10 global pharma players, that have laid down roots in the country. Abcam's new site will service the growing Asia Pacific (APAC) life sciences community, offering scientific and technical support, providing a commercial headquarters for the region. In conversation with BioSpectrum Asia, Rich Lane, Director- Sales and Marketing, APAC region, Abcam talks more about the company's growth plans in the APAC region. Edited excerpts;

What are the major plans in store for the new APAC hub at Singapore?

For a company like Abcam which strongly believes that collaboration is a big driver of progress, it is an exciting opportunity to join one of the world's leading life sciences clusters. We have long standing relationships with key local players (such as A*STAR, Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research) and we are looking to build stronger connections with organisations that share our goal of pushing the boundaries of research.

We recognise that there is a growing mass of world-class academic institutes, biopharma, medtech and other organisations in APAC that need access to the latest innovations and support in order to progress and advance their research. We have established this physical presence at the centre, to be able to better understand their needs and enable us to work together more closely. Singapore is one of the most recognised locations for life sciences in APAC, so it is a great place to base ourselves.

How is the Singapore hub different from the other Abcam's centres in China and Australia?