SINGAPORE EYE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
will then give teams ideas on how they think they can make things better.” From a leadership standpoint, Jod says that the organisation is“ always,” looking at how it can support clinician scientists and researchers to develop a career path“ where they’ re able to do research in a protected time” and aren’ t“ swamped” in clinical work.“ There’ s several grant schemes available for clinicians to do just that,” he says.“ This role is a very difficult one for most people, because it’ s balancing that time you have to do research against clinical practice – which requires not only a drive from the individual, but at institutional level as well.” From there, SERI has worked to create an“ ecosystem,” through administration and support that allows people to“ translate the research,” taking it from initial experimentation all the way to preclinical work.“ It involves investment in the individuals who want to do this career path, but I think everybody in the wider clinical facility has to support this concept, hence must be driven by the leadership.”
Visionary innovation Some of the key medical innovation SERI is taking on is centred around AI – which Jod says is“ dominating everywhere”.“ We’ ve been using some form of artificial intelligence for quite some time,” he says.“ It’ s just come a little bit more into the forefront.”
6