Singapore, which spent almost $20 billion in the past decade to become a scientific research hub, is tightening access to funds for biomedical scientists as it seeks to quicken returns on investments.

Scientists will have to compete for 30% of the government’s biomedical-research funds by demonstrating the commercial viability of their work, George Radda, chairman of the Biomedical Research Council at Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, said at a briefing today. The agency previously guaranteed 100% funding.

 

The tighter access comes even as the city-state increases its budget for research in biology, health and medicines. Those areas will receive $3.7 billion in the next five years, a 12% increase, as part of Singapore’s $16.1 billion pledge for research and development in the period, the agency known as A*Star said today.

 

The funding changes are designed to get scientists to work with others in different disciplines to make discoveries that impact human health, Lee Eng Hin, executive director of the Biomedical Research Council, said in an interview in Singapore.

 

“There’s a frog that lives under a coconut shell, and that’s it, that’s his whole world,” Lee said on Oct. 5, referring to a Malay proverb. “What I want is for even the basic scientists now to start to look outside a little bit, to see who in their institute would be able to help them, or who in another institute would be able to.”