Editor’s Note

We are pleased to share the fourth quarter issue of Science Focus — an exciting edition and the final issue for the 2024-25 financial year (April 2024 – March 2025). This edition provides an overview of the achievements of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) research team over the past year and reflects on its year-on-year performance.

NICD researchers published 174 peer-reviewed articles in various local and international journals during the 2024–2025 financial year. While this fell slightly short of the target of 180 articles set at the beginning of the year, it remains a significant achievement. We congratulate and commend all NICD researchers for their dedication and contributions.

This issue also puts a spotlight on NICD researchers who are rated by the National Research Foundation (NRF). Being an NRF-rated researcher is not only a mark of prestige, but also a reflection of research quality and impact, as evaluated by international peer reviewers. According to the NRF, its ratings are based on recent research output and global influence and serve to encourage the publication of high-quality work in top-tier journals.

Lastly, this issue features research articles published in the final quarter (January – March 2025). A total of 40 peer-reviewed publications were produced during this period, covering a wide range of topics — from rabies and congenital syphilis to wastewater surveillance, and many more.

We hope you find this edition as insightful as we did while putting it together.