The laboratory, a collaboration between NTU and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM), will be based in Dongfang Hospital, a clinical medical college in BUCM. NTU Chinese medicine students will be sent there to do research.

Announcing the lab at the inaugural Singapore Global Traditional Chinese Medicine Summit at Pan Pacific Orchard hotel, Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon said it bridges “ancient knowledge with cutting-edge technology”.

NTU’s director of Chinese medicine Linda Zhong, speaking at the summit organised by NTU on Sept 28, said that the future of TCM is linked to the rise of AI.

“Imagine AI-powered diagnostics that complement our pulse and tongue assessment, or data analytics that unlock new patterns in herbal formula efficacy,” said Associate Professor Zhong, urging practitioners to embrace these new tools.

Dr Koh also announced a new master’s degree in Chinese medicine at NTU slated to be launched in 2026, marking the first such postgraduate programme offered by a local university.

The programme is open to graduates and practitioners of Chinese medicine, as well as medical, dental and allied health practitioners.

Students pursuing the master’s degree have to complete core courses on research methodologies and the integration of classical and modern Chinese medicine theories and treatments.

They will then choose to specialise in gynaecology, acupuncture or biomedical sciences.

Said Dr Koh, who is also Senior Minister of State for Manpower: “The foundation we lay today will provide a local pipeline of good-calibre TCMPs for the future advancement of TCM.”

He pointed out that one out of every five Singaporeans consults TCM practitioners (TCMPs).

Dr Koh, a former colorectal surgeon, said his patients would often ask him about TCM as they believe it could help mitigate some of the side effects of chemotherapy, for instance.

In the coming years, he said, 

accredited TCM clinics and practitioners will be part of Healthier SG

, a national scheme that encourages people to register with a family clinic to take personalised steps for their health.

“Imagine a healthcare journey where your TCMP can refer you to your family doctor for fully subsidised vaccinations, screenings and chronic disease management, while continuing to provide you with TCM care.”

Public health institutions have 

given 18 TCM-related proposals

 to the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a sandbox initiative, including using acupuncture to treat migraines and for cancer-related care.

A TCM research grant launched by MOH in 2014 has supported 21 research projects thus far, with 31 new proposals submitted in the latest grant call in 2025, said Dr Koh. “All these exciting developments underscore a key point – TCMPs are an invaluable component of Singapore’s future healthcare workforce,” he added.

The new master’s degree adds to NTU’s programmes in this field. In 2005, it launched a joint double degree in biomedical sciences and Chinese medicine with BUCM.

In 2024, NTU announced a 

new bachelor’s degree in Chinese medicine

, which integrates TCM practice and research into the curriculum based on Singapore’s growing healthcare needs.

Prof Zhong said about 30 students are expected to join the master’s degree programme, with 80 per cent of them from the TCM field.

Ms Felicia Lee Ying Xuan, 20, a second-year student in NTU’s Chinese medicine bachelor’s programme, is open to pursuing the master’s degree in future to hone her expertise.

Ms Lee, who hopes to conduct research in gynaecology, said: “What Singaporeans want is credibility... to make sure that our treatment plans are all credible, we definitely need to have research to prove that the services we are selling are beneficial to them.”

Dr Koh also noted in his speech that it was the 20th anniversary of NTU’s Chinese medicine programme and said the summit would lay the foundation for how TCM is developed within Singapore.

At the summit, academics from BUCM and two other Chinese universities specialising in TCM shared insights on the clinical applications of Chinese medicine and advances in the field.