Italian Professor Paola Ricciardi-Castagnoli, 59, was appointed Scientific Director of Singapore Immunology Network in September 2007. Her husband is working on the commercialisation of scientific research at the Biomedical Research Council, which sets the direction for Singapore's biomedical push.

Dr Frank Eisenhaber, 46, from Germany, is heading Bioinformatics Institute (BII). His wife, Dr Birgit Eisenhaber is at the Experimental Therapeutics Centre.

A A*Star news release said on Wednesday Professor Ricciardi-Castagnoli is most well-known for her research on dendritic cells of the immune system.

The immune system is important in many medical conditions such as infections, allergies, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Prof Ricciardi-Castagnoli said: 'I sense a very positive attitude for inter-disciplinary research work in Singapore. By networking with different groups, we will be able to reach the necessary critical mass to create a very strong immunological research programme in Singapore.'

'It is my hope that SIgN will eventually help put Singapore on the world map for immunology research.' she said.

She will work closely with Prof Philippe Kourilsky, Chairman of SIgN, and Dr Lam Kong Peng, Executive Director of SIgN, to set up immunology as a core capability in Singapore.

She will also 'create a strong platform in basic human immunology research for better translation of what is already known about immunity in animal models into medical applications'.

Prof Ricciardi-Castagnoli is well-known for her work on the biology of the immune system and is a noted expert in dendritic cells. These cells play a central role in protecting the humans and other mammals from pathogens.

She has not only discovered basic research findings in immunology but has also seen her work translate into clinical research and therapies.

Formerly the Chairperson of Immunology and Pathology at the University of Milano-Bicocca, Prof Ricciardi-Castagnoli's high international standing is reflected in her numerous appointments on scientific and editorial boards and memberships in prestigious research organisations such as the European Molecular Biology Organisation, the Pasteur Institute and Max Planck Institute for Infectiology.

Her path first crossed with A*Star when she was invited by the Bioinformatics Institute (BII) to Singapore as a symposium speaker in 2004.

Through Prof Kourilsky, Prof Ricciardi-Castagnoli learnt more about A*Star and later, the Singapore Immunology Network which Prof Kourilsky initiated.

Prof Kourilsky said: 'These are exciting times for the Singapore biomedical scene as it plays a crucial role in clinical and translational research. I am happy to welcome Paola on board.'

Frank Eisenhaber
Dr Eisenhaber, on the other hand, is a well-known for his bioinformatics research. His speciality is in 'the discovery of new biomolecular mechanisms and the functional characterisation of genes and pathways'.

He joined A*Star as the BII Director in August 2007.

Dr Eisenhaber was previously head of the bioinformatics research group at the Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) in Vienna.

Together with his research team at IMP, Dr Eisenhaber has made a number of significant discoveries over the past eight years, including the discovery of the very first set of enzymes crucial to the understanding of gene activity and replication.

'Most notably, Dr Eisenhaber's team developed a series of sequence-based prediction tools and recognised the molecular functions of a variety of important genes and proteins in physiological processes.'

'The accuracy of their bioinformatics tools for predicting protein post-translation modifications is still unmatched in the world today,' said A*Star in the release.

'I intend to build upon the strengths of BII and raise its scientific standing to an international level,' said Dr Eisenhaber who has a multidisciplinary background in mathematics, biophysics, molecular biology, and medicine.

'One immediate plan is to enhance BII research in four research divisions centred around emerging methodologies in computational biology, namely automatic evaluation of microscopic pictures; genomic and gene expression data analysis; biomolecular modelling; and gene function prediction.'

Dr Eisenhaber said: 'I see Singapore as one of the countries at the forefront of developments. To stay at the front, Singapore will need to develop unique and innovative solutions to meet new challenges.'

'I think A*Star, as the leading science and technology agency in Singapore, is well positioned to help Singapore progress by generating knowledge and make a significant contribution in research, not only for Singapore but also for the rest of the world.'

Prof Sir David Lane, Chairman of the Biomedical Research Council of A*Star, added: 'Their knowledge, networks and international reputation will be invaluable to the scientific community in Singapore.'