This multi‑year partnership will bring together Nestlé’s global research capabilities and local expertise built through its R&D center in Singapore, as well as NTU Singapore’s scientific know-how and world-class research infrastructure.
Since opening in 1980, the regional R&D Center for South East Asia in Singapore has played a key role in driving innovation across key products and brands, including ready-to-drink beverages and plant-based meat alternatives.
The organizations believe that this collaboration comes timely as populations are aging especially rapidly across Asia, while increasing evidence highlight nutrition’s influence on the biological pathways linked to aging and can help people maintain good health for longer.
Fortifying the scientific understanding of these mechanisms will enable the development of solutions that can help narrow the health span gap and support healthy longevity.
By combining their strengths, Nestlé and NTU will examine how targeted nutrition, dietary patterns, and lifestyle factors can impact the biological processes linked to aging.
Research findings will be used to identify services and solutions to improve health concerns linked to aging such as metabolic health, mobility, and sleep, as well as the needs associated with menopause.
“As people age, their nutritional needs change, and we know that nutrition plays a fundamental role in helping people maintain their long-term health,” said Ryan Carvalho, head of Nestlé Research.
“Through this partnership with NTU, we will be able to strengthen the growing body of scientific evidence on how nutrition can contribute to healthy longevity, particularly through midlife and beyond, including the menopausal transition. These insights will guide the development of science-backed, consumer-centric nutritional solutions.”
Leveraging a unique resource
Spearheading NTU’s efforts in this collaboration are researchers from the University’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine).
Notably, anonymized data from the Health for Life in Singapore (HELIOS) Study will be further analyzed to deepen understanding of how lifestyle, diet and biology shape health outcomes, and to inform potential nutritional solutions that support health and well-being.
The HELIOS Study is a population cohort study established and led by LKCMedicine, in partnership with National Healthcare Group in Singapore and Imperial College London.
Its aim is to identify environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors that cause heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other chronic diseases in Singapore. Over the past decade, the study has collected comprehensive data from about 50,000 adults living in the country.
“This latest initiative with Nestlé highlights NTU’s commitment to translating cutting-edge science into meaningful health outcomes through academia and industry partnership,” said Prof Christian Wolfrum, deputy president and provost at NTU.
“By leveraging data from the HELIOS study and our strengths in interdisciplinary research, together with Nestlé’s capabilities in nutrition science, we aim to turn these insights into impactful, evidence-based solutions for Singapore, Asia and beyond.”
The joint research program is supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), underscoring its importance for the local innovation ecosystem and regional population.
