Nestlé and NTU Singapore launch joint research partnership on healthy longevity and women’s health

Nestlé and Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have launched a multi-year research partnership aimed at advancing scientific understanding of how nutrition supports healthy longevity and women’s health.

• Nestlé and NTU Singapore launch a multi-year research collaboration focused on nutrition, aging, and women’s health, including menopause and metabolic conditions.
• The partnership includes plans to establish a joint research lab in Singapore to support clinical studies and data analysis.
• Researchers plan to use data from the HELIOS study, which has collected health and lifestyle information from around 50,000 adults over the past decade.

The collaboration brings together Nestlé’s global research capabilities, including expertise developed at its R&D center in Singapore, with NTU’s academic research infrastructure and scientific expertise. The partners say the work will examine how targeted nutrition, dietary patterns and lifestyle factors influence biological processes linked to aging.

A central focus of the research program is the growing body of evidence suggesting that nutrition can play a role in slowing aspects of biological aging. The partnership aims to build on this understanding to develop insights that can inform new approaches to health challenges associated with aging, including metabolic health, mobility and sleep, as well as conditions linked to menopause.

To support these efforts, Nestlé and NTU plan to establish a joint research laboratory in Singapore. The facility is expected to provide shared resources for clinical studies and data analysis, enabling closer integration between academic and industry research teams.

Ryan Carvalho, Head of Nestlé Research, said the collaboration would help strengthen the scientific evidence base around nutrition and aging. “As people age, their nutritional needs change, and we know that nutrition plays a fundamental role in helping people maintain their long-term health,” he said. “Through this partnership with NTU, we will be able to strengthen the growing body of scientific evidence on how nutrition can contribute to healthy longevity, particularly through midlife and beyond, including the menopausal transition. These insights will guide the development of science-backed, consumer-centric nutritional food and beverages.”

Researchers from NTU’s Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) spearhead the university’s contribution to the program. The collaboration also draws on data from the Health for Life in Singapore (HELIOS) Study, a large-scale population cohort developed in partnership with NHG Health in Singapore and Imperial College London.

Over the past decade, the HELIOS study has collected extensive environmental, lifestyle and health data from approximately 50,000 adults in Singapore. The use of anonymized data from this cohort offers a detailed foundation for analyzing how diet, lifestyle and biological factors interact to influence health outcomes over time.

Professor Christian Wolfrum, Deputy President and Provost at NTU Singapore, said the initiative reflects the university’s approach to translating research into practical outcomes. “This latest initiative with Nestlé highlights NTU’s commitment to translating cutting-edge science into meaningful health outcomes through academia and industry partnership,” he said. “By leveraging the deidentified data from the HELIOS study and our strengths in interdisciplinary research, together with Nestlé’s capabilities in nutrition science, we aim to deepen understanding of how nutrition and lifestyle shape healthy longevity and women’s health, and translate these insights into impactful, evidence-based solutions for Singapore, Asia and beyond.”

The joint program also receives support from the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), which highlights its relevance to the region’s demographic trends and innovation priorities.

Melissa Guan, Vice President and Head of Consumer at EDB, said the initiative would contribute to addressing the needs of aging populations. “The joint research lab between Nestlé and NTU will strengthen industry–academia collaboration to develop science-based nutritional solutions that address the needs of ageing populations and support healthier, longer lives,” she said. “This partnership reflects Singapore’s research and innovation capabilities whilst providing good opportunities for Singaporeans to be involved in shaping healthy ageing initiatives.”

The collaboration comes at a time when global demographic shifts are placing increased focus on aging and health span. By 2030, around 1.4 billion people are expected to be over the age of 60, with particularly rapid aging across parts of Asia. While life expectancy continues to rise, the gap between lifespan and health span remains a challenge, with many individuals experiencing declining health and independence in later years.

The partners indicate that strengthening scientific understanding of how nutrition interacts with biological aging processes can help inform interventions aimed at improving quality of life in later years. The research program is expected to contribute to the development of nutritional solutions designed to support long-term health and well-being across aging populations.