SINGAPORE, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A new training program called Singapore-Stanford Biodesign was established here on Friday, aiming to train the next generation of Asian leaders who can develop innovative medical devices to address Asia's growing healthcare needs.

The program was set up by the Stanford University Biodesign Program and Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology & Research (A*STAR), and the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

The Singapore program will provide a fellowship for four Asian fellows to go to Stanford for six months of training in the Biodesign process.

The fellows will be based in Singapore for the remaining six months, of which at least one month will be spent obtaining first- hand experience in determining clinical needs in hospitals and clinics.

They will subsequently develop solutions to address these clinical needs through new medical device technologies and bring concepts to the prototype or proof-of-concept stage. These four fellows will come from different disciplines (engineering, medicine, business) that represent key segments of Stanford's Biodesign process to invent, develop, and commercialize innovative medical devices.

Medical technology constitutes a key part of Singapore's biomedical sciences sector, which comprises about 4 percent of the nation's gross domestic product.

About 600 researchers in 30 global Medtech companies are helping to put Singapore at the forefront of advances in Medtech innovation, as they seek to develop new products to address health- care needs in Asia and beyond.