PRESS RELEASE FROM NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP
3 November 2009

Contact: Grace Baynes
Corporate Public Relations, Nature Publishing Group
T:+44 (0)20 7014 4063
g.baynes@nature.com

Macmillan Scientific Communications (MSC) and Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) are pleased to announce the launch of a new open access website, A*STAR Research, to highlight some of the best research published by A*STAR's research institutions.

Established in 2002, A*STAR's mission is to foster world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. A*STAR currently oversees 14 research institutes as well as seven consortia and centers located in the Biopolis and Fusionopolis complexes of Singapore, and supports extramural research in collaboration with universities, hospital research centers and other local and international partners. The various A*STAR institutes are involved in research across a wide range of scientific fields, coordinated and funded by Singapore's Biomedical Research Council (BMRC) and Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC).

A*STAR Research, under the editorship of Charles Zukoski, chairman of the SERC, and with the support of an editorial committee of six leading A*STAR researchers, presents timely research highlights describing in easy-to-understand terms important research achievements published in the recent scientific literature by A*STAR, as well as in-depth features and coverage of the latest A*STAR innovations in science and engineering. The regularly updated website will be accompanied by a twice-yearly 60-page print compilation of research highlights and feature articles.

MSC, established last year in the Tokyo offices of NPG Nature Asia-Pacific, the Asia-Pacific wing of Nature Publishing Group (NPG), provides custom publishing services to research institutions in the public and private sector to help publicize and promote their best research. MSC has access to the high-quality editors and science writers of NPG as well as the group's print and online publishing and marketing skills, making it a uniquely strong player in the world of scientific communications. MSC began its business working with institutions in Japan but now has customers throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

"We are delighted to see the rapid launch of A*STAR Research following discussions that began with MSC only a few months ago," comments Charles Zukoski. "With this free-access online publication, working together with MSC and thereby tapping into the editorial, marketing and advertising skills of NPG, we are confident we will quickly be able to raise the profile and awareness A*STAR's best research in the global scientific community."

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About the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is the lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based and innovation-driven Singapore. A*STAR oversees 14 biomedical sciences, and physical sciences and engineering research institutes, and seven consortia & centers, which are located in Biopolis and Fusionopolis, as well as their immediate vicinity.

A*STAR supports Singapore's key economic clusters by providing intellectual, human and industrial capital to its partners in industry. It also supports extramural research in the universities, hospitals, research centers, and with other local and international partners.

For more information about A*STAR, please visit www.a-star.edu.sg

About Macmillan Scientific Communications (MSC)

Macmillan Scientific Communications (MSC) was established in the Tokyo headquarters of NPG Nature Asia-Pacific, the Asia-Pacific wing of Nature Publishing Group (NPG), in October 2008 to provide custom publishing services to research partners in the region. MSC's custom publishing packages help promote the best research from institutions in both the public and private sectors through publications in print and online media, as well as multimedia such as podcast and video.

The first of MSC's clients were research institutes and universities in Japan. With demand for its services growing rapidly, MSC now has clients throughout Asia, and in the Middle East and Europe.

MSC has exclusive access to the editorial and publishing expertise of NPG, including over 200 highly qualified Nature journal editors, science writers and journalists plus access to NPG's world-class resources in print, online and multimedia publishing and marketing and advertising skills using the powerful media of NPG's print and online publications.

MSC also has access to the custom publishing services of Scientific American, part of NPG's newly-formed consumer media division, which specializes in high-quality, well-illustrated publications targeting a broad public as well as a scientific audience.

While MSC started in Tokyo, it now is represented in London, Madrid and Delhi, and also has access to Scientific American's custom publishing services in the United States and Europe.

About Nature Publishing Group (NPG)

Nature Publishing Group (NPG) is a publisher of high impact scientific and medical information in print and online. NPG publishes journals, online databases and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences and clinical medicine.

NPG Nature Asia-Pacific is the Asia-Pacific wing of NPG, set up to serve the growing needs of the scientific and medical communities in the region, and has offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Delhi and Melbourne. For more information, please visit www.natureasia.com.

Focusing on the needs of scientists, Nature (founded in 1869) is the leading weekly, international scientific journal. In addition, for this audience, NPG publishes a range of Nature research journals and Nature Reviews journals, plus a range of prestigious academic journals including society-owned publications. Online, nature.com provides over 5 million visitors per month with access to NPG publications and online databases and services, including Nature News and Nature Jobs plus access to Nature Network and Nature Education's Scitable.com.

Scientific American is at the heart of NPG's newly-formed consumer media division, meeting the needs of the general public. Founded in 1845, Scientific American is the oldest continuously published magazine in the US and the leading authoritative publication for science in the general media. Together with scientificamerican.com and 16 local language editions around the world it reaches over 3 million consumers and scientists. Other titles include Scientific American Mind and Spektrum der Wissenschaft in Germany.

Throughout all its businesses NPG is dedicated to serving the scientific and medical communities and the wider scientifically interested general public. Part of Macmillan Publishers Limited, NPG is a global company with principal offices in London, New York and Tokyo, and offices in cities worldwide including Boston, Buenos Aires, Delhi, Hong Kong, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Heidelberg, Basingstoke, Melbourne, Paris, San Francisco, Seoul and Washington DC. For more information, please go to www.nature.com.