Author: cheng.sp@chugai-pharmabody.com

To mark CPR’s 12^th anniversary in Singapore, our Rec Club pulled out all the stops to organize a series of fun and memorable events.

We kicked things off with an exciting Teambuilding Event on 27 June 2024 that captured the spirit of working together. Tackling an Escape Room and Treasure Hunt challenge, we split up into teams and raced to complete missions in the fastest time possible. The challenges brought out our problem-solving skills, and in the end, the winning teams walked away with fantastic prizes.

After all the excitement, we shifted gears to unwind over refreshing drinks and bonded over a variety of games such as bowling, darts, and arcade favorites, making the rest of the day a more relaxing experience.

Two weeks later, we held our much-anticipated CPR 12^th Anniversary Dinner on 12 July 2024 at the Sofitel Singapore City Center. With a ‘Celebrity Night’ theme, the event was all about glitz and glamour.

Besides the sumptuous 4-course meal, the evening’s highlights included a photo booth where everyone could capture memories with their colleagues. For that extra pizazz, we even had a dress-up station that came complete with props so we could add more sparkle to our outfits. A roving photographer scouted for the Best-Dressed contestants, with the winners receiving the title of Mr and Ms Chugai on stage.

A series of “Minute to Win It” games such as Chopstick Transfer and Movie Charades added an extra layer of excitement to the evening’s festivities. One of the evening’s standout moments was the lively dance performance by our talented new expat employees, who dazzled everyone with their moves!

We took a moment to celebrate our top research teams, who were applauded for their stellar achievements. Our CEO Mr Hideaki Shimada also took center stage to cut the cake, symbolizing 12 years of teamwork and success together. The night ended on a celebratory note, with a toast for another memorable year ahead.

A big thanks to the Rec Club for pulling off such a grand celebration! Here’s to many more years of success at CPR!  

What does it take to be a scientist and innovator? We sought to answer this and other burning questions students had when we participated in two separate university career fairs in February 2024.

As advocates for a career in science, the NUS Career Fest 2024 and the hybrid NTU Career Fair 2024 provided a platform for us to engage with students who had an interest in this field. At each of these events, we met with over 200 undergraduate and postgraduate students who stopped by our booths.

Our participation at the career fairs provided an opportunity for us to share more about CPR’s values, ethos and company culture, including our mission to create innovative drugs that can meet unmet medical needs. We also highlighted the opportunities that were available to fresh graduates in CPR and addressed any questions they had.

Overall, it was a pleasure to connect with the students and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to inspire the next generation of innovators! We were struck by the students’ curiosity and enthusiasm, and we wish them success in their future endeavors!

The Lunar New Year festivities are an annual tradition that we look forward to each year. Thanks to our Rec Club, our office was buzzing in excitement when we came together to celebrate this festival on 20 February 2024. We enjoyed bonding over engaging team activities while savouring an array of traditional snacks and treats such as pineapple tarts and loveletters.

To mark an auspicious start to the Year of the Dragon, we were treated to a lively lion dance performance that filled the office with energy. The lions dazzled with their acrobatic prowess, while skillfully peeling and tossing the lettuce and mandarin oranges that were offered to them. This symbolic gesture represents the spreading of wealth and fortune.

Another cherished activity which we enjoyed was the Lo Hei! Shouts of “Huat Ah” filled the air as we tossed the Yu Sheng salad higher and higher. This was a joyful occasion as we wished everyone prosperity and abundance for the year ahead. It is moments like these that strengthen the bonds among colleagues!

Our 2023 Christmas celebrations provided a chance for us to celebrate our achievements for the year and embrace the holiday spirit alongside our colleagues.

To get into the festive spirit, we held a Christmas Tree Design Competition in the office. With the ornaments, bells and ribbons provided, different units showcased their creativity and collaborative spirit in decorating miniature Christmas trees.

We then took things up a notch with a Christmas Slumber Party held at the M Hotel on 7 December 2023. Dressed in our comfiest onesies, warmest attire and Christmas-themed sweaters, we enjoyed a night filled with laughter, delicious food and exciting tabletop games such as Jenga.

The photo booth turned out to be a hit as we captured cherished memories of the fun-filled night.

A highlight of the evening was the best-dressed competition, where participants flaunted their best festive fashion with flair. The lucky draw also added some excitement to the evening as we waited to see who would walk away with prizes such as a staycation and various electronic goods.

Amidst the fun, we also took the time to recognise and celebrate the hard work and dedication of our research teams. Their achievements have certainly contributed to CPR’s success in 2023.

Congratulations to Sir David Lane on receiving the Honorary Citizen Award

We would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to CPR Chairman Sir David Lane on his conferment as an Honorary Citizen of Singapore.

The Honorary Citizen Award is conferred for life and is the highest form of recognition by Singapore’s government to foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to Singapore’s growth and development.

Sir David was recognised for his significant contributions to the development of biomedical sciences in Singapore. He received his award from Singapore President Mdm Halimah Yacob on 25 August 2022 at a ceremony at the Istana.

Over the past 15 years, Sir David has contributed profoundly to the research ecosystem in Singapore by helping to build R&D capabilities, set up key infrastructure, attract investments and recruit top R&D talent.

He is an Honorary Senior Fellow at A*STAR and its former Chief Scientist. He has held leadership positions at A*STAR’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) where he led efforts to discover new biomedical knowledge to improve healthcare and therapeutic outcomes.

He also established A*STAR’s Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), now known as the Experimental Drug Development Centre(EDDC), where he spearheaded the development of research capabilities and cutting-edge technological platforms for drug discovery and screening. This led to notable successes including the placement of two promising drug candidates in clinical trials and a strong pipeline of drug discovery projects. As the former Chairman of A*STAR’s Biomedical Research Council (BMRC), he steered the strategic direction of its research network.

Sir David has also played a key role in the landmark discovery of the p53 cancer gene in 1979. His expertise in this field led him to establish A*STAR’s p53 Laboratory, which uses p53 as the model system to research protein interactions and drug development to inhibit such interactions. Sir David was knighted in 2000 for his pioneering work and efforts in cancer research.

As Chairman of CPR, Sir David helps to drive the direction and focus of CPR so we can achieve new innovations in drug discovery. We are grateful for his insights and leadership in this arena.