Overview

SOFI is a tripartite collaboration among academic, clinical and industry partners to drive the development, translation and commercialisation of oro-facial innovations.

SOFI aims to:

Develop oral devices and technologies with a focus on patient-specific implants and digital solutions, particularly for Asian oro-facial conditions and the elderly
Drive oro-facial innovation, accelerate clinical translation and commercialisation by co-locating clinicians, surgeons, engineers and scientists within an integrated healthcare setting in Singapore
Leverage the synergies of a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional and cross-industrial collaborative network to grow industry R&D investments

Background

The oro-facial complex is an organ system comprising a complex network of muscular, skeletal, vascular, neuronal, sensory, respiratory and secretary tissues. Maintaining proper function or restoring function of the oro-facial complex is very important for quality of life, especially as a person ages.

With the rapidly ageing Singapore population, there is a growing need for innovative and cost-effective restorative, replacement and reconstructive solutions for the oro-facial complex, harnessing the latest advancements in the engineering arena, such as new imaging technologies, 3D printing and novel biomaterials.

Key Research Areas

Patient-specific Devices	Novel Bioactive Materials	Integrated Digital Solutions
Dental implants Dental prostheses Oral appliances Maxillofacial reconstruction/regeneration/cosmetic devices	Surface topographical modifications Immunomodulation Controlled-release therapeutics	3D/4D treatment and surgical planning algorithms for Asians 3D printing

Core Research Platforms

SOFI has four core research platforms to support the key research areas:

Advanced characterisation and manufacturing
Digital technologies
Clinical trials
Business development

Advanced Characterisation and Manufacturing	Rapid prototyping systems Industrial scale micro-thermoforming, nano- and micro-patterning and electrospinning equipment
Digital Technologies	2D and 3D clinical imaging Clinical simulation for surgical and treatment planning Computer-aided design, computer-aided manufacture and/or 3D printing
Clinical Trials	Investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trial support GCP-trained clinical research coordinators Administrative support
Business Development	Industrial collaboration Intellectual property protection Licensing Incubators Commercialisation