Angelique CHAN

As an internationally recognised academic leader in ageing and the social determinants of health, Angelique Chan has devoted the past 30 years to advancing research, policy, and practice in Singapore and globally. In 2015, she founded the Centre for Ageing Research & Education (CARE), at Duke-NUS Medical School, serving as its inaugural Executive Director for over a decade. Under her leadership, CARE emerged as one of Asia’s leading interdisciplinary research hubs, bringing together medical, social, and community-based approaches to support and sustain healthy, meaningful longevity.

She has extensive expertise in designing and leading nationally representative, population-based cohort studies in Singapore to understand the determinants and trajectories of healthy ageing, including landmark cohorts such as the Panel on Health and Ageing of Singaporean Elderly (PHASE), the Transitions in Health, Employment, Social Engagement and Inter-Generational Transfers in Singapore Study (THE SIGNS Study), and the Targeted Assessment and Recruitment of Geriatrics for Effective fall prevention Treatments (TARGET). These cohorts have generated critical insights into the complex determinants and trajectories of healthy ageing.

In recent years, her research has focused on the complex interplay of cognitive health, physical function, and frailty with social factors including loneliness, employment, caregiving, and access to tailored interventions. Through this research, she has shown that cognitive and functional challenges can often be alleviated by holistic, non-pharmacological measures—including social participation, targeted exercise, environmental modifications, and technology-enabled assessments—to address both medical and social needs. These findings reinforce her commitment to pioneering novel, interdisciplinary approaches that seamlessly bridge community, clinical, and policy spheres to optimise ageing outcomes.