Study Tour Diary from Singapore: Day 1

Authors: Ilham Aden, Elitsa Kamberska, Sara Sekhon, Xingjian Wu and Helen Hiu Tung Mac
Photos: Yuheng Wang

During our master’s program at the Global Business School for Health, we embarked on an unforgettable journey to Singapore. A diverse group of students from Biotech and Pharmaceutical Management, Digital Health and Entrepreneurship, and Global Healthcare Management, we united with one goal: to dive deep into one of the world’s most innovative healthcare systems. This trip was not just about learning from Singapore’s healthcare leaders but also about forming powerful connections—with industry experts and each other. Fuelled by curiosity and driven by the desire to uncover cutting-edge solutions, we exchanged ideas that could shape the future of healthcare.

Day 1: Pureland Ventures and AMILI

As the first stop of the UCL study tour, the conversation with Chris from Pureland Partner perfectly illustrated the theme of the trip: exploring the future development trends of healthcare companies and technologies in an evolving capital market.

Chris focused on three main areas, starting with the geographic landscape of Singapore’s healthcare industry, delving into the current trends and growth areas for healthcare companies, and concluding with the investment climate in today’s capital markets.

Regarding the layout of healthcare enterprises in Singapore, Chris divided the country into three geographic regions based on the locations of its main medical centres, highlighting the industry structure within each area, such as company distribution and sector types.

Building on this macro overview of Singapore’s healthcare landscape, Chris further discussed the future trends and opportunities in healthcare, both in Singapore and globally, emphasising the constructive role of MedTech and AI in reshaping the healthcare industry and improving patient experience.

Additionally, from a venture capitalist’s perspective, Chris summarised recent years’ investment attitudes towards different healthcare sub-sectors and the variations in deal volume. Finally, he offered his insights and suggestions on the future of the biopharmaceutical capital market.

Chris’s insights were highly thought-provoking. As students of the Global Business School for Health, we gained a deeper understanding of global healthcare industry trends and the current market landscape from both industrial and financial perspectives.

The next stop of our Singapore trip, we had the opportunity to visit AMILI, Southeast Asia's first precision microbiota company. There, we met CEO Jeremy Lim and his impressive team, who introduced us to the profound role of the microbiota in human health. Microbiota, tiny microorganisms in our gut, play critical roles in both local and systemic health. What we eat either nourishes or starves different microbes, and these interactions can significantly impact various diseases.

Jeremy began by explaining how our modern diet has disrupted our microbiota, weakening the immune system and contributing to a rise in diseases such as obesity, coeliac disease, autism, ADHD, and mental health disorders. He referenced fascinating research from Tim Spector’s twin experiments, which showed that even genetically identical individuals can have completely different glycaemic responses to the same food—further proof that diversity in microbiota is the single most important indicator of gut health.

Jeremy shared that one of the reasons AMILI was founded is because Southeast Asia is underrepresented in microbiome research. AMILI collects invaluable data on the microbiome specific to this region’s population and offers services such as Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT), gut health testing, and personalised probiotics. FMT, which transfers microbiota from a healthy donor to a patient, is promising for treating various conditions, and we were lucky enough to visit their labs. After undergoing FMT, a patient must maintain their gut health through a proper diet, as the balance of microbes affects everything from disease management to drug side effects. This intersection of microbiota and medication is known as pharmacobiomics, a field likely to become vital to future healthcare.

We also had an engaging discussion about AMILI's business strategy, covering its financing, growth prospects, and potential exit strategies. Jeremy Lim walked us through the company's vision, emphasising the importance of their different departments and how they contribute to the company's overall success. At the core of AMILI’s operations is their data—an invaluable asset that continues to shape their growth and will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in the company's future trajectory.

The session left us all captivated by the potential of the microbiota to transform healthcare. Jeremy's presentation was full of fun, humour, and deep insights, leaving us with the sense that microbiota research is on the brink of revolutionising the way we approach human health.

After an insightful day at AMILI, we set out to explore Singapore, quickly realising the importance of carrying mini fans—the heat and humidity were relentless, even after dark! We wandered through Chinatown, bustling with vibrant restaurants and activity, before arriving at one of the city’s famous hawker centres. These bustling food markets are a cornerstone of Singaporean culture, offering dishes from across Southeast Asia.