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

Members

Cl A/Prof Goh Bee Tin (Lead)
Cl A/Prof Chew Ming Tak
Asst Prof Yu Na
Asst Prof Hemant Vijaykumar Unadkat
Adj Asst Prof Nattharee Chancharoensook
Dr Song Yi Lin
Dr Lim Wen Yi
Dr Thanuja Darshani Herath
Dr Edwin Liu
Dr Liu Yuchun
Dr Zayim Razeena d/o Seeni Syed
Dr Charles Lau Chau Sang