Professor Lim Chwee Teck, NUSS Chair Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been elected an International Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE). This election is one of the highest professional honours accorded to engineers worldwide and recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, and leadership.
Founded in 1964, the NAE is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an independent, non-profit institution chartered by the United States Congress to provide objective advice on matters of science, engineering, and health. Members are elected by their peers through a rigorous process that reflects exceptional engineering achievement and impact. This year, the NAE elected 130 new members and 28 new international members.
Prof Lim’s election recognises his contributions to biomedical engineering, particularly in the areas of mechanobiology, microfluidics, and wearable and AI-enabled health technologies. His research has advanced the understanding of disease biomechanics and enabled new approaches to diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment, including innovations in label-free cell capture and blood-based cancer screening. These efforts have translated into patented technologies, licensed innovations, and spin-off companies that bridge fundamental research and real-world healthcare applications.
Prof Lim also highlighted the importance of institutional support in fostering an environment that encourages long-term research growth, interdisciplinary collaboration, and translation of ideas into impact, noting the strong support he has received from successive academic leaders within CDE.
Prof Lim joins other CDE members of the US NAE, including Professor Liu Bin, NUS Deputy President (Research and Technology), and Visiting Professor and CDE alumnus Dr Radha Nagarajan. Their appointments highlight the College’s strong engineering community, including internationally recognised faculty and alumni.
This honour follows Prof Lim’s recent elections as a Fellow of the Royal Society and an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, further reflecting his sustained contributions and international standing in the field.
Looking ahead, Prof Lim continues to advance research at the interface of engineering and healthcare, while mentoring the next generation of engineers and researchers at NUS. He added, “I look forward to continuing our journey together in translating research from the laboratory into meaningful real-world impact.”
