The purpose of this section of our website is to give professionals a brief overview of the main biotech clusters around Europe and Internationally that might provide the job and career development opportunities that they are seeking. These are biotech clusters with which Liftstream has client relationships.

Biopolis - Singapore

Biopolis is a significant biotechnology cluster on the global landscape, placing Singapore Biotechnology firmly on the map and creating many business and job opportunities. It was conceived in 2001 and opened as recently as 2003, growing to become a globally recognised centre for biomedical research and development. It is massive infrastructure development, with over 2 million square feet of facilities housed in nine buildings, some of which are dedicated to private sector companies from the biomedical markets. The others are utilised by research institutions such as A*STAR.

There are some 2000 researchers and scientists employed across the site, all of which are highly skilled and experienced in the area of biomedical research and development. In fact, it is one of the core aims of the cluster to become an internationally attractive life science centre capable of bringing together the very best talent and skills in biotech and biomedical research, becoming a real hub for scientific experts.

To the west of Singapore and Biopolis, there are also a number of science parks which house many international and multi-national pharmaceutical companies, research institutes and biotechnology companies.
Singapore has indeed become a highly attractive location for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. It has attracted many global companies involved in pharmaceutical, biotech or medical technology R&D, including hallmark names such as Abbott, Sanofi-Aventis, Eli Lilly, GSK, Novartis, Wyeth, Pfizer and Merck, with biologics featuring highly among the growth investment areas. With this expansion comes the creation of many new jobs across the sector and the increase in employment opportunities has created great job prospects for local pharmaceutical and biotech professionals, as well as those wishing to apply their expertise in the global market.

So the market in Singapore continues to attract high numbers of companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market. Biopolis now boasts many biotechnology and biomedical research enterprises, including Ilumina, Oxygenix, Invitrogen, Proligo Singapore Pte, Novartis Tropical Diseases and Takeda. Other companies that are now present in Singapore are Genentech, S*Bio, ES Cell International, MerLion Pharmaceuticals and Via Cell, all creating interesting life science jobs for the International biotech employment market.

With the industry’s eyes trained firmly on the growth markets to the east, and with China, Singapore and India shining brightly as harbingers for the region, Liftstream has chosen to highlight Singapore as a key biotechnology cluster for job growth and biotech investment. It is increasingly apparent among the European executive community that the appetite is growing for career opportunities in these emerging markets, where expertise is highly sought after and the capabilities that these western professionals can bring across the biotechnology research and development spectrum.

As we go through 2008, we are potentially seeing slower growth and reduced investment in these high-cost western markets and more transitioning of infrastructure and biomedical research to the east. Through this cluster profile, Liftstream hopefully has allowed you to look at Singapore as real alternative for your next career move.

www.biotechsingapore.com
www.singaporesciencepark.com
www.a-star.edu.sg/astar/biopolis/index.do
www.one-north.sg
www.biomed-singapore.com
www.bio1capital.com