The Singapore National Biofilm Consortium (SNBC), launched in February 2019, is one of the technology consortia funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF). SNBC is administered through NTUitive and the Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE), a Research Centre of Excellence hosted by NTU in partnership with NUS.

The SNBC initiative is driven by SCELSE’s translational capacity and multidisciplinary research on microbial biofilm biology and ecology and microbiology. SCELSE’s research focus deals with harnessing and controlling microbial biofilms and microbiomes, and delivers innovations relevant to a broad scope of important applications, from public health, to water treatment, to industrial practices.

The National Research Foundation has funded SNBC to serve as a coordinating platform at the convergence of health, engineering, technology and science, that integrates innovation and business to address emerging challenges across diverse industries.

SNBC is fostering collaborative research and translational projects involving academics from different IHLs, local agencies and industry partners. In addition to accessing SCELSE’s research expertise and network, consortium members can participate in training and workshops, and are eligible for seed funding for technology development and applications to foster collaboration and translational innovation between academia and industry.

As we continue to grow the role of SNBC in promoting the Singapore R&D ecosystem, we are also focused on developing international collaborations to further enhance Singapore’s position in global innovation. In early 2020, SNBC was a co-founder of the International Biofilm Task Force along with the Center for Biofilm Engineering in the US, the National Biofilm Innovation Consortium in the UK and EU based members. SNBC is committed to raising Singapore’s R&D profile with its world class IHLs and industry partners.