As deputy president for Innovation and Enterprise at the National University of Singapore, professor Freddy Boey oversees the academic body’s initiatives in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and research translation, as well as graduate studies. Prof Boey is a pioneer in the use of functional biomaterials for medical devices in Singapore, and holds over 100 patents. He has also founded several companies to commercialise his cardiovascular, ocular and surgical implants.

He developed a customisable hernia mesh with funding from the US and China, and his fully biodegradable heart-stent company, Amaranth, is working with medical-device manufacturer Boston Scientific on FDA clinical trials in America. His spin-off firm, Peregrine Ophthalmic, uses a nano-based drug delivery system to treat glaucoma, and won the 2014 Singapore President’s Technology Award.

Prof Boey clinched Singapore’s highest scientific award, the President’s Science & Technology Medal, in 2013 for his contributions to the country’s science and engineering landscape. He was also awarded Singapore’s Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 2016 for his work in developing the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.

He received the title of Honorary Fellow from the UK’s Loughborough University and the Distinguished Alumni of the Year award from Australia’s Monash University in 2011, and also holds honorary professorships from the University of Indonesia, China’s Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications and Nanjing Tech University.