In Singapore, we have found the best of both worlds. Two years ago, Novartis established a public-private partnership called the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases (NITD) in this Southeast Asian island-state. The NITD, a wholly owned Novartis affiliate supported by Singapore's Economic Development Board, is now focusing on discovering novel ways to prevent and treat tuberculosis and dengue fever–two neglected diseases prevalent in the developing world. Our long-term aim is to help reduce the risk of these and other tropical diseases, and ultimately, to improve the prosperity of developing countries.