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ACHS Fellowship Program

Introduction

Introduction

The ACHS Fellowship Program aims to inspire and connect the next generation of biosecurity leaders and innovators.

Launched in 2025, ACHS Fellowship is a highly competitive, part-time program that provides an opportunity for talented graduate students and professionals to deepen their expertise, expand their network, and build their leadership skills through a series of training and project work coordinated by the Asia Centre for Health Security based at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS).

This 12-month fellowship does not require relocation to Singapore and can be completed alongside full-time employment or an academic schedule.

The ACHS Fellowship Program aims to inspire and connect the next generation of biosecurity leaders and innovators.

Started in 2025, the ACHS Fellowship is a highly competitive, part-time program that provides an opportunity for talented graduate students and professionals to deepen their expertise, expand their network, and build their leadership skills through a series of training and project work coordinated by the Asia Centre for Health Security, based at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (NUS).

This 12-month fellowship does not require relocation to Singapore and can be completed alongside full-time employment or an academic schedule.

Program Outline & Funding

The ACHS fellowship program will:

  • Deepen knowledge in different aspects of biosafety and biosecurity policy and practice; ​
  • Provide opportunities to connect with senior leaders, current fellows, and alumni networks in the biosecurity field; ​
  • Completion of one biosecurity project or product during the fellowship year, mentored by ACHS faculty. The project can be selected from proposals offered by ACHS, or a self-proposed project that has been discussed and approved in advance with an ACHS mentor; and ​
  • Offer access to resources and participation in events focused on the most current, relevant topics in biosecurity​
  • Deepen knowledge in different aspects of biosafety and biosecurity policy and practice;
  • Offer access to resources and participation in events focused on the most current and relevant topics in biosecurity;
  • Provide opportunities to connect with senior leaders, current fellows, and alumni networks in the biosecurity field and;
  • Mentorship by ACHS faculty and completion of one (1) project or product offered by ACHS during the fellowship year.

Funding of the ACHS fellowship program will cover:

  1. Attendance at a biosecurity event (training workshop or policy roundtable) in Singapore, and visit to ACHS-associated organisations, which includes the National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (NUS SSHSPH); National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID); and/or Nanyang Technological University, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (NTU RSIS)
  2.  Attendance at a biosecurity workshop and networking event in an international location, e.g. events organised by Global Health Security (GHS), Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
  3.  Access to webinars relevant to biosecurity e.g. webinars organised by ACHS, WHO information Network for Epidemics (EI-WIN)
  4. Additional networking events
  1. Attendance at a biosecurity event (training workshop or policy roundtable) in Singapore, and visit to ACHS-associated organisations, which includes the National University of Singapore, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (NUS SSHSPH); National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID); Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) and/or Nanyang Technological University, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (NTU RSIS)
  2. Attendance at a biosecurity workshop and networking event in an international location, e.g. events organised by Global Health Security (GHS), Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), and Biological Weapons Convention (BWC)
  3. Access to webinars relevant to biosecurity e.g. webinars organised by ACHS, WHO Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN)
  4. Additional networking events

For points (1) – (2), the Asia Centre for Health Security will cover travel expenses (air and ground), subsistence allowance, and lodging.

ACHS Fellowship Program Faculty

Adjunct Associate Professor Lim Poh Lian

Lead, Biorisk Management

Professor Mely Caballero-Anthony

Lead, Biosecurity and International Security

Professor Helena Legido-Quigley

Lead, Health Systems

Adjunct Associate Professor Marc Ho

Lead, Pandemic Preparedness

Visiting Associate Professor Michael Friedman

Lead, Public Health Response

Visiting Associate Professor Ayelet Berman

Lead, Law and Governance

Eligibility Criteria

  • Masters/Doctoral/Medical Degree graduate OR Three (3) years of professional experience in national security, public health, medicine, biotechnology, laboratory sciences, law, biosecurity/biosafety, global health, cybersecurity/AI, or a related field;
  • Citizens of or working in an eligible Asia-Pacific country for at least three (3) years at point of application;
  • Early- to mid-career professionals, aged 25 – 40 years old and;
  • Fluent in written and oral English

Application Details

Please download a copy of the ACHS Fellowship Program details here. 

Applicants are advised to prepare the following documents (in PDF) in advance before completing the online application form.

  • Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 2 pages)
  • Cover Letter (no longer than 1 page) describing your work in biosecurity and interest in the fellowship
  • One (1) letter of support from your current organisation’s employer or supervisor supporting your application for this fellowship
  • One (1) letter of recommendation from your past employer or academic supervisor
  • Copy of Degree Certificate(s) and Official Transcript(s), consolidated into one PDF
  • Documentation of English competency (optional)

Fellowship Application (2026 Intake) Form

The ACHS Fellowship Program is open for application at this link.

Applications close on 16 September 2025, 10am (GMT+08:00). Late applications will not be accepted.

Application Timeline

ACHS Fellowship Program (2026 intake) Application Process

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, please download the FAQ for answers to common queries about the program, eligibility, and application process.

ACHS Fellowship Awardees

We are delighted to announce the inaugural cohort of the ACHS Fellowship Program 2025. This highly competitive program has attracted exceptional graduate students and professionals from across the globe, all committed to advancing biosafety and biosecurity policy and practice.

The ACHS Fellowship Program 2025 recipients are:

 

Dr Maggie Cai

Ministry of Health (MOH) Holdings (Singapore)

Dr Sarah Esther Winthrope

Bendigo Health

Dr Suryesh Kumar Namdeo

Indian Institute of Science

Ms JiuLing Li

UNICEF China

Ms Sandhya Dhawan

Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU)

Over the course of 12 months, these fellows will engage in an immersive program designed to deepen their knowledge in biosecurity, enhance their leadership capabilities, and expand their professional networks. Guided by esteemed ACHS faculty, fellows will engage in training, connect with experienced professionals in the field, access resources, participate in events on current and relevant biosecurity topics, and contribute to the field through impactful project work.

Each fellow will complete a biosecurity project, either selected from ACHS-proposed initiatives or self-designed in consultation with an ACHS mentor. The program’s flexibility allows participants to continue their academic pursuits or full-time employment. We look forward to the invaluable contributions they will make in advancing biosecurity research and initiatives!

Fellowship Application

Applications for the ACHS Fellowship Program 2026 will open in the third quarter of 2025.

Application Timeline

Fellowship Documents & Submission Requirements

Please download a copy of the ACHS Fellowship application form and program details below:

Application form
Program details

Prospective fellows will be required to submit the completed application form and all supporting documentation, within one zip folder by the application deadline to achs@nus.edu.sg for their applications to be considered.

More information on the frequently asked questions about the ACHS Fellowship Program 2025 can be found here.

Applications for the ACHS Fellowship Program will close on 3 November 2024, 5pm (GMT+8:00). Late applications will not be accepted.

Contact Us

For enquiries about the ACHS Fellowship Program, please contact the ACHS Fellowship Program Secretariat at achs@nus.edu.sg. 

Contact Us

For enquiries about the ACHS Fellowship Program, please contact the program secretariat at achs@nus.edu.sg

ACHS Fellowship Awardees

The ACHS Fellowship Program 2025 recipients are:

Dr Maggie Cai

Ministry of Health (MOH) Holdings (Singapore)

Dr Sarah Esther Winthrope

Bendigo Health

Dr Suryesh Kumar Namdeo

Indian Institute of Science

Ms JiuLing Li

UNICEF China

Ms Sandhya Dhawan

Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU)

Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS) Webinar Series

The Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS) Webinar Series held quarterly, features a diverse group of experts, including leading academics and healthcare professionals, to discuss and share innovative developments in health security in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from top-tier speakers, participate in Q&A sessions, and network with peers and thought leaders in the field.

Risk Assessment for Deliberate Biothreat Events – 25 July 2025, 5:00pm (GMT +8:00)

Registration has closed.

Upcoming Webinar – July 2025

Risk Assessment for Deliberate Biothreat Events – 25 July 2025, 5:00pm (GMT +8:00)

Past Webinars

Digital Technologies for Epidemic Intelligence – 22 April 2025

How do risks change during an emerging infectious disease threat? Traditional surveillance methods have inherent limitations when applied to complex or rapidly evolving outbreak situations. Newer digital technologies and event-based surveillance can provide early alerts, uncover blind spots and novel ways to integrate data.

In the webinar, Dr Oliver Morgan, Director of the WHO Hub in Berlin, discussed the potential applications and limitations of emerging digital technologies in strengthening multidisciplinary strategies for epidemic prevention, prediction, and preparedness.

How to Avoid Human-Made Pandemics - 23 Jan 2025

Studying viruses with outbreak potential is one productive approach to combat the risk of pandemics. Yet, such research – when it involves field collection and experimental manipulation of pathogens – carries the hazard of accidentally or even intentionally seeding a pandemic. Dr Filippa Lentzos from King’s College London, will discussed her findings from the Pathogen Project, which brought together an international taskforce of scientists, biosecurity and public health experts, ethicists, and civil society leaders to seek consensus on this question: Can we agree on ways to manage research that carries pandemic risk as safely, securely and responsibly as possible?

Download the slides here.

Watch the recording of the webinar below

Contact us

For enquiries about the ACHS Webinar Series, please contact us at achs@nus.edu.sg

Celebrating the 1st Anniversary of ACHS

Over the past year, the Asia Centre for Health Security has grown into a dynamic platform for regional collaboration, research, and action in health security. We’ve made meaningful progress in strengthening preparedness for catastrophic biological threats, fostering regional dialogue, building capacity, supporting future leaders, and bridging research with policy. Looking ahead, ACHS remains committed to advancing health security for Asia.

To commemorate this milestone, we’ve curated a special anniversary page highlighting key achievements and insights from our first year. These efforts reflect our ongoing commitment to regional health security—and the generation of knowledge and partnerships that could lead to improving policies and practices across Asia.

Director's Message

As ACHS marks its first anniversary, Professor Hsu Li Yang, ACHS Director shares insights on the journey so far, key milestones, and our continued commitment to strengthening health security in Asia.

As we celebrate our first anniversary, I would like to thank our ACHS team, supporters and stakeholders for being part of this journey. Reflecting on our first year, what began as an academic think tank has quickly grown into a community for collaboration, research, and regional action on health security.

In our first year, we’ve launched a regional fellowship program to support emerging leaders in health security, brought together diverse stakeholders through high-level meetings, and initiated research that aims to shape future policy and strengthen preparedness across Asia.

These milestones reflect our commitment to a safer, more resilient region — one that is better prepared for pandemics and emerging catastrophic biological threats.

As we look ahead, we remain focused on building strong partnerships, supporting knowledge exchange, and driving forward solutions that can make a real impact on the health and well-being of communities across Asia. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, what we’ve accomplished together, and are excited about what lies ahead despite the increasing global challenges.

As we celebrate our first anniversary, I would like to thank our ACHS team, supporters and stakeholders for being part of this journey. Reflecting on our first year, what began as an academic think tank has quickly grown into a community for collaboration, research, and regional action on health security.

In our first year, we’ve launched a regional fellowship program to support emerging leaders in health security, brought together diverse stakeholders through high-level meetings, and initiated research that aims to shape future policy and strengthen preparedness across Asia.

These milestones reflect our commitment to a safer, more resilient region — one that is better prepared for pandemics and emerging catastrophic biological threats.

As we look ahead, we remain focused on building strong partnerships, supporting knowledge exchange, and driving forward solutions that can make a real impact on the health and well-being of communities across Asia. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, what we’ve accomplished together, and are excited about what lies ahead despite the increasing global challenges.

A Year in Review:
ACHS First Year Milestones

A Year in Review:
ACHS First Year Milestones

A Year in Review:
ACHS First Year Milestones

The launch of the Asia Centre for Health Security (ACHS) marks a significant step forward in advancing regional health security in Asia. ACHS is committed to contributing to global conversations as thought leaders, build expertise, and strengthen Asia’s readiness to catastrophic biological threats.

The roundtable brought together representatives from ASEAN to discuss national perspectives on biosecurity threats in Southeast Asia, and facilitated knowledge exchange on regional governance frameworks, institutions, and mechanisms.

A law side event at the Global Health Security Conference 2024 in Sydney, co-sponsored by ACHS, explored global health law reforms following the 77th World Health Assembly, with a focus on pathogen access, benefit sharing, intellectual property, technology transfer, and human rights.

The roundtable organised by RSIS facilitated the discussion of the national perspectives on current and emerging biosecurity threats and risks in Southeast Asia, and provided a platform for knowledge exchange on existing biosecurity governance frameworks, institutions and mechanisms in the region.

The ACHS website was launched to serve as a platform to house ACHS research reports and publications, education and training initiatives and resources and provides relevant information for collaboration and partnership opportunities.  

The Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity Workshop gathered over 25 senior experts from across Asia to address key issues in laboratory safety and biosecurity. The workshop focused on international guidelines, responsible life sciences use, and best practices.

The ACHS website was launched to serve as a platform to house ACHS research reports and publications, education and training initiatives and resources and provides relevant information for collaboration and partnership opportunities.  

The launch of the inaugural ACHS Fellowship Program provides emerging biosecurity leaders the opportunity to deepen their knowledge, engage with experts, and work on a biosecurity project under the mentorship of ACHS faculty.

The Asia-Europe Foundation, Asia Centre for Health Security and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health hosted over 50 officials from 27 countries with the aim of strengthening countries’ capacity for risk communication for PHEs, and provide a platform for bi-regional exchange

Asia’s pandemic preparedness remains a concern, with COVID-19 revealing critical gaps in healthcare and crisis response. To address this, expert panels in India will explore biosecurity, data-driven surveillance, and leadership strategies. Insights will guide future planning, with a disease X simulation to follow in one Asian country.

ACHS welcomed the inaugural cohort of ACHS Fellows 2025 — emerging leaders committed to shaping Asia’s biosecurity landscape.

The ACHS Webinar Series kicked off in January 2025. This quarterly series hosts a diverse group of experts to discuss and share innovative developments in health security across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

The ACHS International Advisory Panel met with the ACHS staff and faculty to review the centre’s progress and provide recommendations, and guidance on the strategic direction to achieve its vision.

The NTS Centre at RSIS, in collaboration with ACHS, hosted the inaugural CSCAP Study Group Meeting on Biosecurity and Health Security. Co-chaired by CSCAP Singapore, New Zealand, and Japan, the meeting fostered discussions on regional challenges. Key findings from the RSIS baseline study on Southeast Asia’s biosecurity landscape were presented to inform future priorities.

ACHS 1st Year Anniversary Dinner

The 1st year anniversary was marked by a special dinner attended by ACHS faculty and staff. The evening was a time of reflection on the collective efforts and milestones that we achieved in the first year. The team also renewed their commitment and dedication to making a meaningful impact through leading conversations, building expertise, and strengthening regional preparedness against health security threats in the region.

Looking Ahead

As we step into our second year, we remain deeply committed to strengthening partnerships, exploring innovative solutions, and leading efforts to enhance health security across Asia. We look forward to working alongside our partners in Asia and beyond to advance health security by ensuring communities are better prepared for health security threats.

To stay updated on ACHS initiatives, we invite you to subscribe to our mailing list.

Celebrating One-Year of ACHS!

As we celebrate our first year, we reflect on the progress and pivotal moments that have shaped our journey in strengthening the region’s preparedness for biological challenges. ACHS has made significant strides in fostering regional dialogue, building capacity, investing in future leaders, and bridging research and policy. From convening experts at high-level roundtables to launching the ACHS Fellowship Program 2025, we’ve laid a strong foundation for continued growth and impact. Looking ahead, ACHS remains committed to advancing health security in Asia. 

As we celebrate this milestone, we reflect on our achievements and look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in the coming years.

Director's Message

How to Avoid Human-Made Pandemics - 23 Jan 2025

 

Studying viruses with outbreak potential is one productive approach to combat the risk of pandemics. Yet, such research – when it involves field collection and experimental manipulation of pathogens – carries the hazard of accidentally or even intentionally seeding a pandemic. Dr Filippa Lentzos from King’s College London, will discussed her findings from the Pathogen Project, which brought together an international taskforce of scientists, biosecurity and public health experts, ethicists, and civil society leaders to seek consensus on this question:

ACHS Staff at ACHS One Year Anniversary Dinner

The ACHS staff came together to celebrate our One Year Anniversary at a special dinner, marking a key milestone in our journey. The evening was a time to reflect on our achievements and express gratitude for the collective efforts that have fueled our success. We recognized the dedication of each team member and looked ahead to the continued growth and impact of ACHS in the years to come.

Participants of Laboratory Biosafety & Biosecurity Workshop 2024
Prof Hsu Li Yang (Director, Asia Centre for Health Security) provided welcome remarks at the Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity (LBB) Workshop.
Prof Stuart Blacksell (Professor of Tropical Microbiology, Nuffield Department of Medicine from the University of Oxford) discussed the challenges of regulating genetic modification of pathogens and dual-use research (DUR), highlighting the complexities of forming risk assessments and addressing cybersecurity issues in biosafety and biosecurity.
Particpants of LBB24 during one of the group discussions.
A/Prof Lim Poh Lian (Lead, Biorisk Management, Asia Centre for Health Security) addressing participants of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity Workshop 2024.
LBB participants attended a welcome dinner at the end of Day 1 of the workshop, enjoying an evening of networking and informal discussions.
Dr Kazunobu Kojima (Medical Officer for Biosafety and Biosecurity, World Health Organisation) shared resources on safeguarding biosafety and biosecurity in laboratories from World Health Organization.

Looking Ahead

As we step into our second year, we remain deeply committed to building on our foundation of collaboration, research, and resilience. We will continue to strengthen partnerships, explore innovative solutions, and lead efforts to enhance health security across Asia. Our focus will remain on ensuring that communities are better prepared for future health emergencies and that we remain at the forefront of advancing global health security. The journey ahead is full of possibilities, and we are excited to continue working alongside our partners to achieve even greater success in the coming year.