Dr. Lim Siew Hoon, Senior Staff Nurse, PhD Nursing at Singapore General Hospital (SGH), for her research in how psychosocial elements such as resilience and self-efficacy can improve the outcomes of frailty in older individuals. She was also a co-investigator for a study on developing an automatic beverage thickening device for elderly with swallowing impairment which received the 2018 MSIWF Research Grant.
Three in Singapore receive Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation grant award
A total of 49 grants, amounting to more than SGD470,000, has been awarded to fund Singapore-based practicable research relating to elderly well-being and traffic safety since 2007
25 Aug 2020
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation (“MSIWF” and the “Foundation”) today announced the three Singaporean recipients of its research grant with a total award of SGD30,000. First extended outside of Japan to Singapore in 2007, these three awards make a total of 49 grants to date, amounting to more than SGD470,000 being awarded to Singapore-based researchers by MSIWF since its inception here.
Committed to serve society by building a resilient and sustainable society, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company in Japan established the non-profit MSIWF as part of the company’s dedication to contribute back to society meaningfully.
In Singapore, the research grant is administered by MSIG, a subsidiary of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company, Limited which founded MSIWF. For the 2019 MSIWF Research Grant Award, there were a total of 11 grant applications of which the following three were selected:
Clinical A/Prof Tan Ngiap Chuan, Director of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, for his research on the use of augmented reality (AR) on older persons who are 65 years and above to assess their cognitive functions. He was also the co-investigator for a published research “Prevalence of and factors associated with sarcopenia among multi-ethnic ambulatory older Asians with type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting” in the BMC Geriatrics journal in 2019 which received the 2016 MSIWF Research Grant.
Dr Ronald Tan Ming Ren, Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, for his pilot study to equip parents with knowledge and skills on proper child passenger safety to reduce child injuries in road accidents.
“At a time when many companies are concerned about the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and are reducing their capital involvement in sustainability efforts, we are thankful that MSIWF chose to continue its grant activities, propelling research and innovation forward to break new ground,” shared Mr Craig Ellis, CEO of MSIG Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
MSIWF awards a maximum grant of SGD10,000 to each recipient who has demonstrated that his/her research project will have an impact on society and strong practical applications in the area of elderly well-being and/or traffic safety.
Each year, MSIWF calls for award applications in April, followed by a review and selection by a board of directors in Japan. Research projects need to be completed within a year following the award and must be unable to receive alternative funding. The research grant from MSIWF is unique as it supports interdisciplinary research in its early stages where funding is generally more difficult to secure.
Mr Alan J. Wilson, Deputy Head of International Business Department, Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co Ltd (Japan), added, “Traffic safety and the well-being of the elderly are rising priorities in our society today following demographic trends of rapid urbanisation and longevity that have dominated the recent decades. By supporting research in these areas, we hope to encourage and uncover solutions that will contribute to the sustainable development of today’s society and the future.”
Founded in 1975 in Japan, MSIWF initially focused on providing relief to victims of traffic accidents and surviving families of police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty. In 2007, the research grant was extended to Singapore and in 2008, to Thailand. Recently in 2018, the research grant was further extended to researchers in Taiwan.
A total of 41 research grants (33 from Japan, three from Singapore, four from Thailand and one from Taiwan) with a value of more than JPY37 million (approximately SGD470,000) has been selected for the 2019 MSIWF Research Grant Award.
About Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation
The Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Welfare Foundation (“MSIWF” or the “Foundation”) was founded in 1975 by Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Company in Japan. Advocating for budding and inter-disciplinary research focused on the growing ageing population and the rising concerns over traffic safety, MSIWF has received acknowledgement as a “special public interest promotion corporation” from Japan’s Prime Minister in 1995 for its grant activities and became a public interest incorporated foundation in December 2009. MSIWF has since extended its research grant award to support research initiatives in Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.
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