The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) announced four new leadership appointments today.

Professor Sir George Radda, who was previously Deputy Chairman of A*STAR's Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) Biomedical Sciences & Technology Group, will become the Chairman of BMRC. This will be on top of his responsibilities as Chairman of the Singapore Bioimaging Consortium (SBIC) and his role as the Chief Scientific Advisor to A*STAR's Cross Council Office.

He will build synergy between the BMRC family of seven research institutes and three consortia; as well as work together with Prof Charles Zukoski, his counterpart in the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC), to foster cross-council research.

Professor Low Teck Seng will become the Deputy Managing Director (Research) of A*STAR. He will explore and study how A*STAR can strategically synergise the work of the two councils - BMRC and SERC - to enhance and promote cross-council research efforts.

Professor Sir David Lane will become the Chief Scientist of A*STAR and return to his first love - research in the lab.

Dr Alex Matter will then take over from Professor Lane's post to become the Chief Executive Officer of the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC). He will will enhance A*STAR's capabilities in pre-commercial/pre-clinical drug development, and help to translate A*STAR's scientific discoveries into potential new drugs and treatments.

The new appointments will take effect on April 1, 2009.