By Tabitha Mok

AS A doctor in training, much of what has happened in the past 12 months has made me sure that one thing is definitely going to be part of my future career: research in the life sciences.

That's because the year's developments are moving towards curing global ailments.

Back in January, scientists at the Massachusetts General Hospital found a new way of creating a hybrid immune system for four out of five kidney transplant patients. Patients not only received a new donor kidney, they also got bone marrow grafts that eliminated the need for debilitating post-surgery immunosuppressants.

Then, in August, scientists at Harvard University managed to generate stem cells without the use of embryos - bypassing controversial ethical issues surrounding the research.

Using some skin and four genes, they created embryonic-like cells that generated motor neurons for a patient with Lou Gehrig's disease. They gave hope to patients who suffer from progressive paralysis and muscle atrophy.

Sufferers of other debilitating diseases once thought incurable, such as Alzheimer's, Barrett's oesophagus and Parkinson's, stand to benefit from such advances in stem cell research too.

These findings have raised the bar on medical research. Restoring a patient's quality of life has become the gold standard, and regeneration of organs and nerves trumps symptomatic relief and transient reconstruction.

Such progress in the life sciences, to a medical student, is exciting. It also reminds me of the challenges ahead.

After receiving recognition for my research last year, I have gained some insight into the role of research within the medical fraternity, its importance and arduous nature.

I was honoured to be part of a clinical research team undertaking umbilical-cord gas analysis. I was inspired by the challenging nature of the investigation and the enthusiasm of the team's doctors and researchers.

But one thing is clear: Research cannot function in a vacuum.

We are fortunate in Singapore to have a Government with foresight.

The expenditure of $600 million in the life sciences and the setting up of Biopolis - an ecosystem of seven buildings with high-tech equipment and laboratories - have primed Singapore for a spot on the global stage.

It is commendable that Singapore is leading the charge, while other countries are still embroiled in ethical issues.

Now, I'm hoping we can take things a step further.

To live up to our reputation, we also need to produce well-trained graduates and maintain high standards in research and health care.

Research conducted here might eventually allow us to use blood samples to detect Down syndrome, predict and prevent diseases before they occur with DNA mapping, and even undo birth defects.

We live in exciting times.

If the progress made in just last year is anything to go by, it is clear that experience and research are essential when facing challenges today.

I look forward to the months ahead. As local and foreign researchers embark on cutting-edge research, I can't wait to see Singapore at the front and centre of the world's stage.

The writer, 22, is a fifth-year medical student at the University of Western Australia.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on January 19, 2009.