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On 5 June 2018, around 100 senior technology
executives from various government agencies in Australia gathered at the
Canberra OpenGov Leadership Forum 2018 to exchange ideas on technology trends
and learn about latest tools and techniques in building
an effective digital government strategy. The full-day Forum took place at Old
Parliament House, Canberra.
Chairman’s
Opening Remarks


Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of OpenGov Asia
Mr Mohit Sagar,
Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of OpenGov Asia, kickstarted the Forum by
highlighting the importance of digital transformation in the public sector.
In his
Chairman’s Opening Remarks, Mr Sagar remarked that digital transformation is
more than just the technology – it is about understanding citizens’ needs and
driving desirable outcomes. According to him, government officials need to
understand citizens’ needs, how they use technology and, more importantly, what
their agencies are trying to achieve, in order to make the best use of technology
to improve public services delivery
Australian Government’s Data Policy


Naomi Perdomo, A/g Assistant Secretary, Data and Digital Branch, Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Ms Naomi
Perdomo, A/g Assistant Secretary, Data and Digital Branch, Department of the
Prime Minister and Cabinet then gave her opening keynote address by sharing
current issues in the Australian Government’s data policy.
Her keynote address highlighted that the Australian Government has an
increasing focus on data and that its approach to data policy is multi-faceted,
covering a wide range of issues like data integration, data infrastructure,
data sharing and release, to community acceptance on data use and security.
Ms Perdomo also shared that the Australian Government has agreed to the Productivity
Commission’s recommendations and is working towards reforming data governance
structures for better data sharing and release.
A key message in her address is that community acceptance on data use is
critical to the success of data initiatives. To build trust among citizens, the
Australian Government is proactively engaging the community to communicate about its data and
digital initiatives to demonstrate their benefits and
value while emphasising protections and controls.


The Forum then moved on to its first gamification session. Throughout
the full-day event, the Forum hosted a total of four gamification sessions
which engaged the senior technology executives in a series of open discussions
and interactive gamification exercises through OpenGov’s signature Open
Dialogue Table format.


In between the gamification sessions, OpenGov invited a few distinguished
international speakers to present case studies on various governments’
experience in their digital transformation journeys.
New Zealand’s Integrated Data Infrastructure


Chris Buxton, Chief Digital Officer of Stats NZ
Mr Chris Buxton, Chief Digital Officer of Stats NZ, spoke about New Zealand’s integrated data infrastructure.
He shared about how his organisation uses microdata
from two large integrated databases – Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI)
database and the Longitudinal Business Database (LBD) – for research about
issues pertinent to New Zealand’s population.
In linking the
datasets and ensuring that the IDI and LBD data is kept safe, Mr Buxton explained that Stats NZ adopts the
“Five Safes Framework” under
which only authorised researchers working on approved statistical projects of
public interest can access de-identified data at the Data Lab through which
Stats NZ staff will ensure that no person nor business are identifiable in the
data.
Data Science as a Service
To give an industry perspective, Mr Mitch Robinson, Senior Data Scientist at Leidos Australia explored
the topic of data science as a Service. According to him, we are on a journey
to citizen data science in which the emergence of big data and analytics improve accuracy. Such technological
advancement thus created a need for the modern enterprise to shift strategic direction
from process based to data driven.
However, for most businesses, this transformation is still in its
infancy. Typical analytical challenges that businesses face include capability
establishment, data engineering, data discovery and insights productisation. In
his sharing on how Leidos expedites customers’ digital transformation journeys,
Mr Robinson highlighted the importance of using the right tools that allow rapid and secure data access for the organisation to develop trusted
and actionable insights.
The
Netherland’s experience in Digital
Identity


Identity, National Office for Identity Data, Ministry for the Interior and
Kingdom Relations, the Netherlands
Mr Frans Rijkers, Strategic Advisor Innovation
& Identity, National Office for Identity Data, Ministry for the Interior
and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, led the audience on the Dutch journey in creating a self-sovereign digital
identity.
To start, Mr Rijkers
shared that the vision of the Dutch Government is to leverage technology to
provide citizen-centric public services and create a network society. He then
spoke about the Dutch Blockchain Coalition and how the blockchain platform
allows the government to implement citizen identification whilst protecting and
preserving the privacy. In his sharing, Mr Rijkers emphasised the role of
international collaboration in creating self-sovereign digital identity and the
importance of empowering citizens to control their digital identities to build
trust with distributed ledgers.
Leveraging technology to unleash the power of
human collaboration


Australia
Mr Roberto Cordova, Major Account Manager at
Polycom Australia, then gave his insights on how organisations can leverage
technology to unleash the power of human collaborations. Technology
changes the way we live, work, and play. With technological advancements,
business communication today is also vastly different from what it was in the
past.
Mr Cordova shared
that to unleash the power of teams, Polycom Australia helps organisations to
adopt three key measures to:
(1) Enable
every workspace with voice, video, and content solutions for maximum
productivity, engagement and versatility,
(2) Provide an
easy and intuitive experience where the technology is hidden and automated to
create natural experiences that drive utilisation, productivity, and
(3) Deliver a
workflow that is accessible to everyone and integrated into your most critical
business applications.
To empower seamless collaboration across
different platforms and team, Mr Cordova emphasised the that organisation
should focus on its people and ensure the technology solutions are interoperable
and easy to use.
Portugal: The Future of Digital Economy


for Policy-Driven Electronic Governance, the United Nations University
Mr Morten Meyerhoff, Academic Fellow, Operating
Unit for Policy-Driven Electronic Governance, at the United Nations University,
explored the future of digital economy. In his sharing, Mr Meyerhoff zoomed
into major emerging technology trends such as digital identities and
signatures, data exchange and reuse, user-centric services, and relevant
governance, cooperation and legislation.
With the rise of artificial intelligence (AI)
and increasing speed of analytics, improvements in system efficiency and
service quality present great opportunities for better platform personalisation
to improve citizen engagement and provide value-add.
Malaysia's Approach to Cybersecurity


Malaysia
Dato’ Dr Haji
Amirudin bin Abdul Wahab, Chief Executive Officer of
CyberSecurity Malaysia, shared Malaysia’s holistic approach to cybersecurity. Such
an approach contributed to Malaysia high global ranking on the Global
Cybersecurity Index (GCI) by the International
Telecommunication Union(ITU) which is a multi-stakeholder initiative
to measure the commitment of countries to cybersecurity based on 5 pillars of governance,
legal capacity, technical capacity, capacity building and international cooperation.
According to Dato’ Dr Abdul Wahab, having a holistic approach means capabilities in both identifying
potential cybersecurity threats and its impact on national security and public
well-being as well as developing cyber resilience to resist, respond, and
recover from cybersecurity threats. In the case of Malaysia, the holistic
approach has helped the country to see cybersecurity as more than just a technical
issue. Instead, it addresses cybersecurity through implementing relevant policies,
training a quality cybersecurity workforce, and developing cybersecurity processes
and procedures to cope with cybersecurity challenges.


Besides international case studies, the Forum also featured panel
discussions on various topics including cybersecurity in the digital age, the
power of big data analytics and AI for Besides international case studies, the Forum also featured panel discussions on various topics including cybersecurity in the digital age, the power of big data analytics and AI for better governance, and how governments can embrace emerging technologies and respond to the fast-changing technology landscape.better governance, and how governments
can embrace emerging technologies and respond to the fast-changing technology
landscape.


Polling results
Other than serving as an interactive and engaging learning platform,
the Canberra OpenGov Leadership Forum also aimed to better understand the needs
of the public sector agencies in their digital transformation journey.
According to the polling results, over half of the delegates came
from agencies with total head count of over 1,000. A majority of these
organisations also have an IT head count of over 50 people. Over 30% of the
attendees said their organisation has an annual budget of over $501 million.
Half of the attendees indicated that their organisation’s annual IT budget
ranges from $1 to $15 million. In terms of the IT budget allocation, 22% said
over 55% of the budget is allocated to outsourced services. The top 3 outsourced area of IT services are in IT
infrastructure management (28%), enterprise IT system (28%) and data centre
(26%).
In terms of their IT and Information Management Strategy, 34% said
their organisations are in the process of updating their existing strategy
while 30% are implementing the strategy as scheduled. However, a quarter of the
delegates shared that the implementation of the strategy is behind schedule and
that 8% of the delegates said their organisations do not have an IT and
Information Management Strategy.


Regarding the
organisation’s priorities, 39% named cloud adoption and data management their
top priority, followed by citizen-centric services (24%), data sharing and
privacy (17%), cybersecurity (10%) and predictive analytics and AI (10%)
At the same
time, delegates also shared the top 5 major challenges their organisations face
in implementing IT projects, which are: the lack of clearly defined goals and
requirements (28%), the lack of funding (20%), lack of in-house skills (19%),
lack of ownership by the business (14%), lack of foundational IT infrastructure
(10%).
Results also showed that the online transaction
portal (37%), mobile application (31%), and non-interactive websites (12%) are
the major digital public services that these public sector agencies offer. On
the use of emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain, 48% of the
attendees said they are currently not using or evaluating any form of AI and
44% said they need more information on blockchain to determine if there is a
relevant application of the technology for the organisation. 33% of them also
shared that data accessibility and sharing is the biggest pain point in big
data value chain while 27% named data quality as the major challenge.


In terms of their biggest challenge in 2018, 38% of them are
struggling with legacy infrastructure, 28% are facing difficulties in creating
the culture and openness to innovation, and another 17% found cross-agency
collaboration a challenge. Outdated systems and software (32%), employee
negligence or malfeasance (28%), and migration to cloud (13%) were also named
the biggest cybersecurity risks.
40% of the organisations are using or planning to use hybrid clouds
while 21% preferred private clouds. In adopting cloud solutions, security (37%)
is the main concern, followed by the lack of skills to manage cloud (24%) and
budget and procurement constraints (19%).
To their top strategy to achieve policy objectives, 36% of the
attendees named a change in organisational culture to create a conducive
environment to promote innovation, followed by upskilling internal resource
(19%) and establishing effective partnerships (18%).


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According to Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, digitalisation plays a pivotal role in achieving a sustainable economy across various industries. He highlighted four dimensions of sustainability, and these are environmental, social, economic, and resilience.
Digitalisation offers ways to lessen the global impact of economic activity in terms of environmental sustainability. Businesses and individuals can adopt sustainable practices, maximise resource use, and reduce waste by utilising digital technologies.
Singapore’s dedication to programmes like the One Million Trees programme exemplifies how digitalisation is incorporated into efforts to preserve the environment. Additionally, digitisation can assist in addressing how climate change is affecting the biosphere and ecosystem of the world, which has an impact on food security and calls for international cooperation.
The effects of digitalisation on social sustainability are substantial. DPM Heng emphasised that technological advancement and innovation will drive future economic growth while the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitisation raises concerns about the future of work and skill sets.
He added that adopting digitalisation ensures adaptation to changing technology environments in industries like education, where professors may use AI systems. The development of digital skills and literacy must be encouraged if people are to be able to flourish in a world driven by technology.
Global economic digitisation has significant benefits and the potential for economic sustainability. Businesses now have access to previously inaccessible global markets because of digitisation.
According to DPM Heng, the phrase “unicorn” serves as an example of the possibility for substantial economic growth due to a digital economy. Discussions of ideas like universal basic income come up, underscoring the importance of carefully considering economic sustainability considering the effects of digitalisation.
In addition, the impact of technology on the labour market and the widespread adoption of digitalisation were acknowledged by DPM Heng as significant challenges in the years to come. While Singapore, with its tiny and ageing population, would embrace technological advancements, developing nations with young populations might confront greater difficulties.
The potential for economies to change because of robotics and AI breakthroughs raises concerns about employment loss and other economic changes.
DPM Heng emphasised that digitalisation contributes to the capacity to withstand accelerated change. During times of crisis, financial resources are crucial for sustaining economic growth. Thanks to prudent financial management and accumulated savings, Singapore was able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic without borrowing.
Likewise, social resilience emerged during the pandemic, highlighting the significance of trust, caring, and collective action in times of crisis.
DPM Heng cited that multiple dimensions of a sustainable economy are facilitated by digitalisation. It provides solutions to environmental problems, transforms the future of employment and skills, presents economic opportunities, and challenges, and strengthens resilience.
He furthered that to ensure a sustainable future, societies embrace digitalisation, promote digital literacy, and adapt to an ever-changing technological landscape, all while resolving the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability.
Also, utilising digitalisation is essential for Singapore to create an economy that can withstand and adapt to the challenges of a world that is rapidly changing. By embracing technological advances and innovation, Singapore harnesses the power of digitalisation to generate sustainable economic growth and ensure long-term economic stability.
Utilising data-driven insights, implementing agile strategies, and fostering a culture of innovation, digitalisation enables the nation to strengthen its resilience. By leveraging digitalisation, Singapore is poised to flourish in a constantly shifting economic environment while promoting sustainability and resiliency.
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In the realm where reality intersects with science fiction, pioneering research is being conducted by Dr Fu Zhang, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, the University of Hong Kong (HKU).
Under his guidance, an innovative endeavour has materialised: the development of a Powered-flying Ultra-underactuated LiDAR-Sensing Aerial Robot (PULSAR), a revolutionary creation poised to redefine the domain of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
A growing significance is being attributed to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in diverse fields such as search and rescue operations, cave surveying, and architectural mapping. The advent of the Powered-flying Ultra-underactuated LiDAR-Sensing Aerial Robot (PULSAR), developed by Dr Fu Zhang, Assistant Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, the University of Hong Kong (HKU), signifies a paradigm shift in UAV technology.
Named after the rotational and scanning characteristics resembling those of astronomical pulsars, PULSAR transcends existing capabilities. Equipped with a micro-computer and a LiDAR sensor, PULSAR demonstrates comprehensive onboard perception, mapping, planning, and control functionalities, effectively operating in both indoor and outdoor environments, independent of any external instrumentation.
The remarkable functionality of PULSAR is attributed to its utilisation of a single actuator, which facilitates the operation of the swashplateless mechanism and simultaneously generates both thrust and moment. Through a series of meticulously conducted experiments, Dr Zhang’s research team successfully showcased PULSAR’s real-time detection of static and dynamic obstacles, its ability to track intricate trajectories, and its capacity for autonomous navigation, even in conditions of complete darkness.
In addition, PULSAR exhibits exceptional resilience in the face of external wind disturbances, thereby ensuring safer and more stable flights in unpredictable environments. Remarkably, PULSAR can maintain its hover position within a confined area even when confronted with wind speeds of up to 4.5 m/s. This characteristic engender enhanced safety and stability during flights conducted within challenging and dynamic environments.
In addition to its previously mentioned capabilities, PULSAR incorporates a sensor that can effectively expand the field of view (FoV) through self-rotational motion, thereby enhancing the UAV’s perception and task efficiency. Presently, there exist two primary approaches for extending the FoV of a sensor, both of which are associated with substantial power consumption.
The first approach entails using sensors with large FoVs, such as fisheye cameras, catadioptric cameras, or 360° LiDAR systems. However, these sensors often introduce distortions into the captured data, and while 360° LiDAR offers a wide horizontal FoV, it typically possesses a limited and low-resolution FoV in the vertical direction. The second approach involves the use of multiple sensors, such as a multi-camera or multi-LiDAR system. Nonetheless, this approach incurs additional costs and leads to lengthier data processing times.
The introduction of PULSAR brings forth a significant advancement in energy efficiency, resulting in a remarkable 26.7% reduction in energy consumption when compared to a quadrotor UAV possessing equivalent propeller disk area and payload. This achievement is accompanied by the maintenance of agile performance.
The use of a single actuator propulsion system in PULSAR minimises energy conversion losses, consequently ensuring a high flight efficiency rating of 6.65g/W. Despite its compact dimensions, with a diameter of merely 37.6 cm and a battery capacity of only 41 Wh, this 1234-g UAV exhibits an impressive hover time of more than 12 minutes. By replacing the LiDAR sensor with a larger propeller and battery configuration, the hover time of PULSAR can be extended to exceed 40 minutes.
The research platform established by the team holds the potential to foster additional exploration in the field of self-rotating UAVs. He emphasised that the platform is expected to facilitate research on UAV control methods amidst high-speed rotation, as well as simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) techniques under conditions of aggressive motion.
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The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has urged banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services to actively support the advancement of cashless transactions and the implementation of the national digital transformation programme.
The move aims to aid the plan on developing the application of resident data and electronic identification and authentication to support the national digital transformation agenda during the period of 2022-2025, with a vision extending to 2030.
According to Document No 3956/NHNN-TT, the SBV has requested banks, foreign bank branches, and intermediaries in payment services to persist in their efforts to devise favourable programmes and policies concerning payment and intermediary payment service fees for customers. The SBV has also urged them to waive account maintenance fees and cash withdrawal fees for customers entitled to the social security policy. They were instructed to proactively engage in practical initiatives to commemorate Cashless Day 2023, which takes place on 16 June, and to continue their efforts throughout the entire month.
Furthermore, the SBV advised banks and foreign bank branches in Vietnam to collaborate with payment acceptance entities, including utility providers like power, water, and telecom services, e-marketplaces, supermarkets, restaurants, and shopping centres. The purpose is to organise promotional events and enhance marketing efforts to promote cashless payment methods.
Intermediary payment service providers have also been asked to work with banks, foreign banks’ branches, and goods and service suppliers to launch preferential policies and appropriate promotions for their users.
Over the past three years, the number of customers opening new accounts and registering for digital banking services in remote and rural parts of the country has been increasing. This shift in payment behaviour can be attributed to the government and the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) actively promoting and encouraging such practices.
As OpenGov Asia reported, the introduction of the Mobile Money service has become an important motivation for cashless payment in Vietnam. Data from the SBV show that the country has 72,000 transaction posts providing cashless payment services. Out of this figure, 39,000 are in rural and remote areas. In the first nine months of 2022, nearly 14 million customers, of whom 37.5% were from rural areas, used cashless payment services with a total transaction value of VND 167.68 trillion (US$ 7.09 billion).
For the Mobile Money service alone, as of the end of September 2022, the service had 2.34 million accounts, including 1.62 million from rural and island areas. As of January, about 15 million transactions worth nearly VND 950 billion (US$ 40.1 million) were conducted.
By 2025, the government wants the volume of mobile payment transactions to grow by 50-80% and transaction value to surge by 80%-100% annually. It also aims for at least 80% of the population aged 15 and above to have bank accounts.
Cashless payment methods like contactless cards, QR codes, and mobile banking for digital and e-commerce services are becoming increasingly popular in Vietnam, especially among young people. The country has witnessed a strong shift to electronic payment methods replacing cash, which is also a target of a plan for cashless payment development in Vietnam for the 2021-2025 period. The government aims for 85% of adults in the country to own and use smartphones.
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According to a recent guideline, China intends to reform science education in primary and secondary institutions over the next three to five years to vastly improve students’ science literacy.
New technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) will be utilised to teach students how to conduct experiments and to close the educational resource gap in underdeveloped schools and regions, according to a guideline issued by the Ministry of Education and seventeen other departments.
Local authorities must ensure that science courses in elementary and secondary schools adhere to their curricula, and instructors of other subjects should not interfere with the time used to teach these courses.
Each school must also have a vice-principal responsible for science education and a science student counsellor. The guideline encourages schools to invite experts and scientists to deliver lectures on campus and to organise student trips to scientific sites.
In addition, science education should become a central subject in after-school services provided by schools, and activities like science lectures and experiments should be conducted to pique students’ interest.
Universities, research institutes, science centres, and museums are expected to improve their service to elementary and middle school students. The guideline also encourages businesses, particularly those focusing on cutting-edge technology, to offer equipment, software, and personnel to schools in underdeveloped regions and to invite elementary and middle school students to visit and observe how scientific knowledge is applied in the real world.
The report of the 20th National Congress emphasised the need to further integrate the development of education, science, and talent, and this document represents another step in China’s efforts to establish an education- and science-driven nation.
In the meantime, engineering and science majors have acquired popularity among Chinese university students, with AI topping the list of the most popular majors for incoming freshmen.
Wei Yungang, director of the experimental education centre at Beijing Normal University’s School of Artificial Intelligence, stated that while larger cities provide superior science education, smaller cities and rural schools lack the necessary resources. He stated that it was notable that the guideline emphasised closing the education divide using AI.
With the advent of AI, schools must assist students in adopting the technology so they can develop the ability to solve problems using AI, he said, adding that AI proficiency will be crucial for future global competition.
Wei stated that less-developed regions can gain access to high-quality educational materials using AI and digital education. While more work is required to integrate AI into classroom learning and instruction, it will, ultimately, result in significant changes to the way students are educated.
“The vast amount of data and information gathered daily in classrooms can be analysed by AI so that we can gain a better understanding of how students learn and how teachers and education authorities can apply this knowledge in policymaking,” he said.
Additionally, the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong strengthen educational cooperation by facilitating exchanges of teachers and students for mutual learning. The largest delegation since travel resumed is a group of 200 Hong Kong principals and teachers on an exchange tour to Beijing.
The visit seeks to provide insights into the mainland’s socioeconomic progress and basic education achievements. Officials emphasised the need of developing talent and lead pupils towards a better understanding of the country.
The trip aims to enhance experience sharing, leverage teacher training platforms, and strengthen basic education cooperation between Hong Kong and Beijing. The effort is in line with national education reform and promotes student national identification.
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Recently, most drug discoveries have been selected and synthesised with the suitable molecules needed by knowledgeable humans to come to the safe and efficient medicine we rely on daily. Scientists often employ a retrosynthesis technique to identify the synthesis. The retrosynthesis technique is a method used in organic chemistry to plan the synthesis of complex molecules. It involves working backwards from a desired target molecule to identify the necessary precursor molecules and the sequence of reactions needed to synthesise the target.
The process of sifting through millions of potential chemical reactions can be a challenging and time-consuming task. With the vast number of possible reactions and transformations that can be applied to different functional groups and molecules, it becomes crucial to streamline the search for suitable reactions during the retrosynthetic analysis.
To address this challenge, several computational tools and software programs have been developed to assist chemists in identifying potential reactions. Researchers at The Ohio State University have created an AI framework called G2Retro to generate reactions for any given molecule automatically.
The recent research demonstrated that the framework outperformed existing manual-planning methods by encompassing a vast structure of potential chemical reactions and effectively and efficiently determining the most suitable reactions for synthesising a specific drug molecule.
“We are seriously concerned in AI development to save human lives, and medicine is what we want to focus on,” said Xia Ning, lead author of the study and an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Ohio State.
The objective of using AI is to accelerate the drug design process, and the results revealed that this approach not only offers time and cost savings for researchers but also generates drug candidates with significantly superior properties compared to naturally occurring molecules.
Ning’s team trained G2Retro using a data set comprising 40,000 chemical reactions compiled from 1976 to 2016. The framework utilises graph-based representations of molecules and employs deep neural networks to generate potential reactant structures for their synthesis.
The framework’s remarkable generative capabilities allow it to generate hundreds of novel reaction predictions within a few minutes when provided with a specific molecule, as highlighted by Ning.
Ning chose this method due to this generative AI method G2Retro can supply multiple different synthesis routes and options, as well as a way to rank other possibilities for each molecule. She also emphasised, “This is not going to replace current lab-based experiments, however, it will offer better drug options so experiments can be prioritised and focused much faster.”
To evaluate the efficacy of the AI system, Ning’s team conducted a case study to assess G2Retro’s ability to accurately predict the synthesis of four recently introduced drugs: Mitapivat, a treatment for hemolytic anemia; Tapinarof, used for various skin diseases; Mavacamten, prescribed for systemic heart failure; and Oteseconazole, employed in the treatment of fungal infections in females.
“G2Retro was able to generate the same patented synthesis routes for these medicines correctly and provided alternative synthesis routes that are also feasible and synthetically useful,” Ning said.
According to Ning, G2Retro successfully produced the exact synthesis pathways for these medications and additionally provided alternative synthesis routes that are both viable and valuable for practical use.
Possessing such a dynamic and efficient tool at scientists’ disposal can facilitate the production of more potent drugs at an accelerated rate.
However, while AI, such as G2Retro, may provide an advantage to scientists within the laboratory, Ning underscored the crucial point that the medications generated by G2Retro or any generative AI still require validation. The validation process needs testing the created molecules in animal models first and subsequently progressing to human trials.
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The Queensland and Bavarian state governments have established a fresh scientific research agreement, aiming to assist Queensland in its efforts to address climate change and achieve its target of net zero emissions by 2050.
This recent agreement establishes an official partnership between the two governments to facilitate collaborative research at the university level, focusing on crucial areas such as sustainable fuels, energy storage, and technologies for reducing emissions.
During a live videoconference, the Science Minister of Queensland and the Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts signed the agreement between the two states. This agreement capitalises on the already established research and industry ties between Queensland and Bavaria. Notable collaborations include the partnership between the Queensland University of Technology and the University of Bayreuth in Bavaria, as well as the alliance between the University of Queensland and the Technical University of Munich.
In June 2022, the Bavarian Government proposed an enhanced level of formal cooperation between the state governments of Bavaria and Queensland. This collaboration aimed to bolster joint research efforts at the university level, focusing on priority research areas.
The agreement supports collaborative research in various important fields, including green hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and energy storage. It also encompasses cleantech and emission reduction technologies, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, additive manufacturing, life sciences, biomedical research, the broader bioeconomy and aerospace.
Through this agreement, research opportunities will arise that contribute to the development of a robust and prosperous economy in Queensland. The aim is to effectively manage the risks associated with climate change while capitalising on the numerous opportunities presented by transitioning to a net zero emissions economy.
The science priorities emphasised in the agreement, such as green and synthetic fuels, improved energy storage, emission reduction technologies, and the bioeconomy, play a crucial role in supporting Queensland’s pursuit of the objectives outlined in the Queensland Climate Action Plan 2030.
The Climate Action Plan serves as a strategic guide for addressing climate change and achieving specific targets within the next decade. These targets include attaining a minimum of 50% renewable energy by 2030, reducing emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030, and ultimately transitioning to a net zero emissions economy by 2050.
By focusing on the science priorities highlighted in the agreement, Queensland can leverage research and technological advancements to advance its climate action goals and make significant progress towards a sustainable and low-carbon future.
The Science Minister of Queensland stated that the agreement between Queensland and Bavaria will facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology, contributing to the advancement of vital environmental, social, and economic research. Through this collaboration, research topics closely aligned with the priorities of both states will receive support, directly benefiting their economic development.
This agreement ensures that existing international science partnerships will be strengthened and opportunities for new international collaborations will be identified, bolstering the global scientific reputations of Queensland and Bavaria.
Of particular significance is the emerging model of the bioeconomy, which emphasises the sustainable use of renewable biological resources for the production of food, energy, and industrial goods. The new agreement signifies an exciting milestone in Queensland’s broader relationship with Germany, as the two regions work together to provide technological solutions to global challenges.
The Bavarian Minister for Science and the Arts stated that by signing the agreement, the exciting new potential is unleashed. The universities of Queensland and Bavaria are recognised for their excellence and prominent positions in influential rankings.
Both regions represent robust and competitive economies with substantial investments in science and research. Bavaria, through the Hightech Agenda, has implemented a comprehensive strategic program of €5.5 billion dedicated to high-tech research and innovation.
The collaboration between Bavaria and Queensland forms an exceptional partnership, as both regions recognise the significance of addressing global-scale challenges by working together. Shaping the future collectively, they understand the need to provide solutions to pressing questions.
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Using digital innovation to advance cardiovascular and dental care has enormous promise for enhancing diagnosis, treatment, patient engagement, and research. Healthcare professionals may improve precision, efficiency, and accessibility in several domains by employing digital tools, thereby benefiting individuals, communities, and healthcare systems.
Taipei Medical University (TMU) and a biotechnology company recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a semiconductor (IC) firm with a strong presence in the Japanese market to develop a project involving industry, academia, and medicine.
The project will use BioSpace Surface Functionalisation (BSSF) technology to collaborate on the development of two sophisticated medical devices: a drug-containing cardiovascular stent system and an artificial tooth root system.
Late last year, the three parties announced their alliance. Chien-Huang Lin, TMU’s president, indicated that in the future, the six hospitals affiliated with TMU will supply clinical trial sites and resources, and the three parties will collaborate to create and sell breakthrough medical equipment.
The IC company has advanced biomedical implants to new heights. The bionic nanoporous or microporous structure produced by BSSF increases compatibility with the human body, paving the way for the development of advanced medical devices.
Innovative medical devices, such as drug-containing cardiovascular stent systems and artificial dental root systems, have been created through collaborative efforts. These devices address critical clinical issues, including stent re-occlusion and osseointegration in patients with low bone quality.
The drug-containing cardiovascular stent system that will be jointly developed by the three parties will not only surpass the current drug-containing stent technology but will also address the clinical problem of existing stents’ tendency to re-occlude blood vessels.
The artificial tooth root system can facilitate blood absorption and osseointegration to alleviate the discomfort and risk associated with receiving a dental implant for patients with poor bone quality and low bone density.
The biotechnology company is the first high-tech bioprinting company in Taiwan that focuses on the development of advanced medical devices and biological 3D printing technology, with the added benefit of a certified advanced medical device quality management system (QMS) and product certification.
The phosphate component of the dental material, which was granted a Taiwanese patent in March 2023, is essential to the development of transparent orthodontic and oral health toothpaste and mouthwash products.
Taiwan has established itself as a global leader in medical device innovation, driving advancements that enhance patient care and revolutionise the healthcare industry. Taiwan has seamlessly transitioned its expertise from the semiconductor industry to the biomedical sector, utilising cutting-edge technologies and nurturing a culture of innovation.
Taiwan’s collaborative ecosystem is a major contributor to the nation’s innovation achievement in the medical device sector. In interdisciplinary partnerships, academia, industry, and medical institutions fuel research and development efforts.
TMU plays a pivotal role in this ecosystem by providing clinical trial sites and resources for medical device development, while collaborations have led to technological advances in medical device development.
Taiwan’s emphasis on digital technologies also contributes to the innovation of medical devices. Digital tool integration permits remote monitoring, telehealth consultations, personalised medication, and data-driven research. In addition to enhancing precision, efficiency, and accessibility in cardiovascular and dental care, this empowers patients and improves treatment outcomes.
Taiwan’s medical device industry is further stimulated by government support, research grants, favourable regulatory environments, and robust protection of intellectual property. Taiwan’s expertise in supply chain management and manufacturing bolsters its position as a global leader in the medical device industry by ensuring the efficient production and distribution of medical devices.