ABOUT US
We're here for the mind
We are researchers, clinicians, educators, and community partners united by a shared conviction: that mental resilience can be built, sustained, and strengthened across every stage of life.
OUR STORY
Filling The Critical Gap
For much of the twentieth century, mental health care followed a reactive model: wait for illness, then treat it. Interventions were pharmacological, clinical, and focused on symptom management rather than prevention. For conditions like dementia, this meant families received support only after cognitive decline had already begun — when options were fewer and burdens were heavier.
A passionate and determined group of philanthropists and medical experts recognised that a different approach was urgently needed.
In 2016, they came together to establish the Yeo Boon Khim Mind Science Centre — volunteering their time and expertise to build preventive strategies that tackle mental health risk factors and enable early detection to serve the critical needs of the local community.
What began as a small initiative has grown into a university-level research centre dedicated to a paradigm shift: moving upstream. Through translational research, we have demonstrated that mental resilience is not fixed — it can be built. Through community-based programmes, we have shown that evidence-based interventions need not remain confined to labs and clinical settings — they can be delivered where people gather, led by trained volunteers, and sustained by communities themselves.
Unique in its distinctive Asian focus, the Centre combines the best traditions of Western scientific empiricism with Eastern philosophical thought — creating interventions that are culturally relevant, contextually appropriate, and grounded in evidence.
Our Impact
From Research
to Real-World
Change
Together, we advance
research and community
partnerships to build a
healthier and more resilient
society through better
mental well-being.
Research Output & Influence
104
Academic papers published in leading journals
Knowledge Translation
10,000+
People reached through webinars, public lectures, and educational events
Programme Longevity
11 Years
The Age Well Everyday (AWE) Programme has been running continuously since 2015
Proven Outcomes
2.9%
Dementia prevalence among AWE participants — significantly below national averages
Vision
An Undefeated Mind
Building resilience across all ages
Mission
Upstream. Evidence-Based.Community-Led.
We adopt a preventive approach to optimise cognitive performance, strengthen emotional resilience, and promote mental well‐being across four areas.
POLICY MAKING
04
OUR APPROACH
Mental Health Across the Full Course of Life
Mental well-being is not a destination — it’s a lifelong journey. Our research and programmes follow people across every stage of life, from the earliest years to older adulthood, because resilience built early protects people later, and support given late can still make a meaningful difference. Each stage carries its own vulnerabilities and strengths. Our work addresses them all — with targeted research, community programmes, and interventions designed for where people are in life.
Each stage carries its own vulnerabilities and strengths. Our work addresses them all — with targeted research, community programmes, and interventions designed for where people are in life.
CENTRE STORIES
