Biopolis, My Baby

The Biopolis is a multi-million-dollar life science research complex built by the Singapore government. It was conceived by top administrators, designed by top architects, planned by top engineers and its purpose is to house top scientists and state-of-the-art research infrastructure.

This story is not about them.










This is my personal story of the small part that I played to set up our research labs.

I dedicate this photo essay* to all the ordinary people who worked day and night to make Biopolis a reality.

So let's begin!

You know, I wasn't always a graduate student.

Three years ago, I was a research technician at the Genome Institute of Singapore. It occupied just one floor of the Capricorn building at Science Park II.

Our institute had been there for about two years before I arrived, so it was already well-equipped and research activities were well underway.

In the middle of 2003, word arrived that the Genome building at the Biopolis (then a sprawling construction site about two kilometres away) was nearing completion. It was time to move. Initially we felt relieved because our institute was expanding so quickly that we were running out of space.

Smaller lab items can be easily packed into cardboard boxes and delivered by general movers. However, moving an entire floor of expensive, sensitive equipment and precious research samples was a difficult challenge.

For example, there were freezers packed with important samples that must be kept frozen. But the freezers themselves must be unplugged in order to be moved.

How can we protect these samples while moving them? Where will they go when they arrive at the Biopolis?

We need to keep them cold with dry ice, and set up "destination" freezers that are already running to receive them immediately. There were many such details to be worked out.

So the research techs, supervisors and bosses got together and formed a migration committee. We spent weeks poring over the new building's blueprints floor by floor to plan the destination of every piece of equipment. In order to resume research activities quickly after we arrived, we also needed to purchase additional equipment and furniture simultaneously with the move.

Everyone worked hard to do their part - it was team effort at its finest.










Here is a small selection of the numerous blueprints, tissue culture room maps and furniture designs that I made for our institute. I still keep these in the lab; maybe they will go into some archive someday.

When there was an opportunity to inspect the work site, we grabbed it immediately so that we can verify the actual dimensions of the laboratory space.















Basic lab furniture was in the process of being assembled. Workers were putting on the finishing touches to the interior fittings of the building.















Our roof garden was under construction, with cables and building material everywhere. I'll show you a nicer picture of the completed garden later.

After the site visit, we refined our movement plans. To ensure the safety of important samples, a relocation roster was drawn up that was precise to the hour. Equipment were labelled with destination stickers to ensure correct placement.

Then, on 1st Sep 2003, it was time to put the plan into action.

The entire institute moved house in five days, with the movement of heavy equipment complete within the first three days.

Amidst the frenzy of activity, despite our best efforts glitches did happen. I remember shouting at a lorry driver whose furniture-delivery vehicle was blocking another vehicle transporting perishable samples at the loading bay.

Of course the samples had priority of unloading, but initially the lorry driver couldn't understand why he should go second.

I was being very unpleasant with him, but it had to be done.

Although the migration was an exhausting effort, overall it went quite smoothly. Eventually the dust settled and we suddenly realized that we had become the occupants of a spanking new building.




















And this is our Genome building. Even today, when I come into the lab, I remember with pride what our team has achieved. Sadly, in the three years that have flown by, many of the original staff involved in the migration have left.

In time, all of this will be taken for granted and their efforts forgotten. Alas.

But enough reminiscing, let me show you some nice photos of the Biopolis!














This is a photo of the Chromos building in 2004 before the other letters were installed...




















...and this is a more recent photo. These guys were washing the facade of the building while rappelling downwards. I hope that they get paid well.




















Photo of a metal sculpture at the entrance of the Biopolis. I think it is supposed to resemble a dandelion. Newer sculptures have been recently installed.




















Here is our roof garden looking all artistic in black and white.
















Repeated geometric patterns are part of the theme in the architecture of the Biopolis. This photo shows one of the skybridges that link all the buildings together.











More geometric patterns, found on the outside panels of the Matrix building.




















Evening at the Biopolis. The entire complex looks quite attractive at night...
















...due to the numerous spotlights that illuminate the walls of the buildings.




















Construction at the Biopolis continues today. I took this photo of construction workers casting part of the Neuros building about six months ago. Without the sweat, blood and tears of all these hardworking professionals where would we be today?




















Finally - the Neuros building as it appears now. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly buildings seem to "sprout" up.

Oh I took many more photos, but I've decided to show you only the more significant ones here. Maybe next time!

*Excluding the Capricorn photo, all the other photos in this post were taken by me. Feel free to use them but please acknowledge me or link back to Fresh Brainz. Thanks!

Size Matters... Oh Yes

I found some good comparisons of the relative size of some celestial bodies. Check out more pictures like these from Thygoodies.















The planets compared with the Sun.














Our Sun compared to other stars.

What is especially nice about these 3D models is their shiny, billard-ball appearance. Instantly makes me think of gobstopper candy.

Just picture it.

The whole Solar System in your pocket, in nine refreshing flavours!

Sun - Insane Curry
Mercury - Hot Vanilla
Venus - Spicy Lemon
Earth - Chocolate and Vanilla Swirls
Mars - Rusty Orange
Jupiter - Milky Caramel Swirls
Saturn - Caramel Apple (with crispy sugar ring!)
Uranus - Blueberry Mint
Neptune - Blackcurrant Mint

Dwarf Planets come free - for a limited time only. Grab them NOW before they melt into pools of flavoured water!

Hmm... I think I may have something going here.

Life On The Pharma

In this second story about the life science industry in Singapore, I focus on Mr. Chris Molloy, the Chief Operations Officer of MerLion Pharmaceuticals. This article is based on a lecture he gave on 25 Sep 2006.

I realize that my first essay about Dr. Rosemary Tan was really long, so here I will only mention the most interesting bits about Mr. Molloy's talk, to keep everything readable.

Mr. Molloy graduated from the University of Bradford with a honors degree in biomedical sciences. He then spent 14 years at the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, working in drug discovery. He came to Singapore in 2004 and has served as the COO of MerLion for about two years now.

He is neither a dropout nor a PhD holder.

To me, he is an elegant demonstration of the fact that work abilities will eventually supercede educational qualifications as the key ingredient towards sustained success.

During his talk, Mr. Molloy mentioned a number of important lessons that he learnt during his extensive experience in industry.

1. In large Pharma companies, change is endemic.

To be successful here, you need generalized skills in science and should be efficient, fast and agile. The industry is very process-driven. Whether you were initially science-trained or not, a great manager must be responsive and drop the science when it is not related to the business.

2. People make a company great.

Mr. Molloy emphasized the double-meaning of the word "company". People are especially vital in a small company. Finding the right people, and organizing them well such that they feel happy in their work and deliver results, is of utmost importance.

3. Focus is everything.

For a small start-up, defining a goal that is clear, realistic, simple to understand and not too restrictive is a good way to start. One should always focus on the goal to see if certain activities are central, or just distractions. This will be helpful in the decision-making process.

However, the goal is not something cast in stone - occasionally people must get together and determine if the goal is still relevant to the market.

4. Communications is key.

In his talk, Mr. Molloy discussed the importance of communication several times. Constant communication is a must within the company, because if it fails you will only have a one-eyed view of the world, which may be wrong. Effective communication outside of the company is also crucial. He pointed out that:

"In communication, one size does not fit all. Tailor your communication, otherwise you're talking to yourself."

It is also important to have scientific advisors who critique the company's activities from time to time, to allow them to check if your direction is still correct. Mr. Molloy noted that:

"If you want to believe that you're fantastic, get somebody else to tell you."

5. Big companies are not always right.

This is a curious lesson. Mr. Molloy observed that big Pharma companies are not always right, because they are frightened of each other. As a result, they are "trendy" and sometimes follow dubious fashion trends set by their competitors, which may not make sound business sense. Thus, as a small company there is no need to be too intimidated by big Pharma, because if they see value in doing business with your company, you should negotiate with them on equal terms.

In closing, Mr. Molloy reminded us that investors will always assume that your business plans are not good enough and are over-optimistic. To address their concern, you must be realistic and careful when drafting your proposal.

Heh, that almost sounds like thesis writing.

Random Art

101st Post!

Wow, would you believe it, in just two months Fresh Brainz has already hit 101 posts! Yes, it has been a pleasure writing for you, my friends!

*bows*

And in this celebratory mood today, I will blog about something light.

Like toys!

I just bought this toy recently.














It was sitting together with a bunch other education toys such as plastic dinosaur kits at a Popular Bookstore.

Of course I like dinosaurs too, but I bought this because I don't have a plastic model of a Cambrian animal yet. There is small selection of these.

I chose the Pikaia. I'll tell you why later, it's a nice story.

This is actually a small, pocket-sized toy that is really cheap, about four dollars. I like the way they make the packaging look like a book (not terribly original though).





















Inside is a tiny booklet (written very simply for kids), the unassembled plastic model and an instruction sheet.

Just three pieces. It isn't brain surgery.















Viola! All assembled. It took like two seconds.

So now that I am the proud new owner of a Pikaia toy, you might be wondering - what's so special about it?

Actually there is nothing really special about Pikaia. It's just a small, extinct animal that lived in the ocean over 500 million years ago.

It wasn't the biggest, it wasn't the fastest, it wasn't the strongest and it certainly wasn't the most exotic-looking animal of its time.


















Compare it to the ferocious Anomalocaries. Ten times larger, with fearsome grapper arms and a huge disc-shaped mouth - a killing machine!

It's certainly true that Pikaia was a middling, boring nobody. But an important nobody nonetheless, because Pikaia (or its cousin species) is the ancestor of all living chordates today.

That includes vertebrates like you and me.

In contrast, many exotic Cambrian animals like the Anomalocaries have no modern descendants.

You think, "Hey! Didn't Darwin say that evolution was about 'survival of the fittest'? What the fuck is so fit about a tiny grey fish-thingy?"

Actually Darwin never said that - he knew that the hottest hunk cannot contribute to the future biologically if he makes no babies. Herbert Spencer was the one who coined the term "survival of the fittest".

Perhaps Pikaia was only super good at baby-making. We may never know.

Still, what I want to say is: don't be discouraged if you feel yourself below par in terms of your looks, your abilities or your wealth. What is more important is how well you adapt to your environment.

We human beings are lucky that we are mobile enough to move to another environment when the going gets tough. In a supportive environment, every ordinary person has a good chance to live a happy life.

To learn more about Cambrian animals, here is a good interactive website from UC Berkeley.

Cheers!