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Associate Professor Chng Wee Choo

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore Consultant, Department of Haematology-Oncology, NUH Telephone DID: (65)6772 4612 Telefax: (65)6872 3137 Mail to: mdccwj@nus.edu.sg
Qualifications
MB ChB, MRCP (UK), MRCPath, FAMS

Clinical Service

I am a haematologist and predominant see patients with blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. In addition, I also manage patients with more benigh haematological problems such as anaemia, bleeding or clotting disorders.

Training

I obtained my MB ChB from the University of Leeds in the UK in 1997 and did my internal medicine training in several hospitals in the United Kingdom including Christie’s hospital in Manchester. In 2000, I returned to Singapore for my fellowship training in haematology, which I completed in 2004. In 2004, I was awarded an A*STAR international fellowship to go to the Mayo Clinic in the United States for a research fellowship in multiple myeloma genetics. I returned in November 2007 to become a consultant haematologist and clinician scientist in NUHS.

Research Interests

My research focus is on the use of global genomics methods (gene expression profiling and array-based comparative genomic hybridization) to study the clinical and biological heterogeneity in multiple myeloma, an incurable B-cell malignancy. Using these approaches, I have extensively dissected the clinical and molecular heterogeneity within the hyperdiploid subtypes of myeloma and the genetic evolution of these subtypes. I was involved in the identification a series of novel mutations affecting the NF-KappaB pathway, their functional effect and implications on treatment. I have also identified a gene expression based index of centrosome amplification that is a powerful prognostic factor. My research has therefore provided important clinical and biological insights into multiple myeloma. Please refer to our laboratory’s webpage (blood.bic.nus.edu.sg) for more information of current projects.

Selected Publications

1. Chng WJ, Van Wier SA, Ahmann GJ, Winkler JM, Jalal SM, Bergsagel PL, Chesi M, Trendle MC, Oken MM, Blood E, Henderson K, Santana-Dávila R, Kyle RA, Gertz MA, Lacy MQ, Dispenzieri A, Greipp PR and Fonseca R. A validated FISH trisomy index demonstrates the hyperdiploid and nonhyperdiploid dichotomy in MGUS. Blood. 2005 Sep 15;106(6):2156-61.

2. Chng WJ, Ahmann GJ, Henderson K, Santana-Davila R, Greipp PR, Gertz MA, Lacy MQ, Dispenzieri A, Kumar S, Rajkumar SV, Lust JA, Kyle RA, Zeldenrust SR, Hayman SR and Fonseca R. Clinical implication of centrosome abnormalities in Plasma Cell Neoplasm. Blood. 2006 May 1;107(9):3669-75.

3. Chng WJ, Santana-Dávila R, Van Wier SA, Ahmann GJ, Jalal SM, Bergsagel PL, Chesi M, Trendle MC, Jacobus S, Blood E, Oken MM, Henderson K, Kyle RA, Gertz MA, Lacy MQ, Dispenzieri A, Greipp PR and Fonseca R. Prognostic factors for hyperdiploid-myeloma: effects of chromosome 13 deletions and IgH translocations. Leukemia. 2006 May;20(5):807-13.

4. Chng WJ, Schop RF, Price-Troska T, Ghobrial I, Kay N, Jelinek DF, Gertz MA, Dispenzieri A, Lacy M, Kyle RA, Greipp PR, Tschumper RC, Fonseca R and Bergsagel PL. Gene expression profiling of Waldenstroms macroglobulinemia reveals a phenotype more similar to chronic lymphocytic leukemia than multiple myeloma. Blood. 2006 Oct 15;108(8):2755-63.

5. Chng WJ, Ketterling RP and Fonseca R. Analysis of genetic abnormalities provides insights into genetic evolution of hyperdiploid myeloma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2006 Dec;45(12):1111-20.

6. Gonzalez-Paz N, Chng WJ, McClure RF, Blood E, Oken MM, Van Ness B, James CD, Kurtin PJ, Henderson K, Ahmann GJ, Gertz M, Lacy M, Dispenzieri A, Greipp PR and Fonseca R. Tumor suppressor p16 methylation in multiple myeloma: Biological and clinical implications. Blood. 2007 Feb 1;109(3):1228-32.

7. Mulligan G, Mitsiades C, Bryant B, Zhan F, Chng WJ, Roels S, Koenig E, Fergus A, Huang Y, Richardson P, Trepicchio WL, Broyl A, Sonneveld P, Shaughnessy JD Jr, Bergsagel PL, Schenkein D, Esseltine DL, Boral A and Anderson KC. Gene expression profiling and correlation with outcome in clinical trials of the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Blood. 2007 Apr 15;109(8):3177-88.

8. Chng WJ, Kumar S, Vanwier S, Ahmann G, Price-Troska T, Henderson K, Chung TH, Kim S, Mulligan G, Bryant B, Carpten J, Gertz M, Rajkumar SV, Lacy M, Dispenzieri A, Kyle R, Greipp P, Bergsagel PL and Fonseca R. Molecular dissection of hyperdiploid myeloma using gene expression profiling. Cancer Res. 2007 Apr 1;67(7):2982-9.

9. Keats JJ, Fonseca R, Chesi M, Schop R, Baker A, Chng WJ, Van Wier S, Tiedemann R, Shi CX, Sebag M, Braggio E, Henry T, Zhu YX, Fogle H, Price-Troska T, Ahmann G, Mancini C, Brents LA, Kumar S, Greipp P, Dispenzieri A, Bryant B, Mulligan G, Bruhn L, Barrett M, Valdez R, Trent J, Stewart AK, Carpten J and Bergsagel PL. Promiscious mutations activate the non-canonical NF-KB pathway in multiple myeloma. Cancer Cell. 2007 Aug;12(2):131-44.

10. Chng WJ, Braggio E, Valdez R, Mulligan G, Bryant B, Remstein E, Dogan A and Fonseca R. The centrosome index is a powerful prognostic marker in multiple myeloma and identifies a cohort of patients that may benefit from aurora kinase inhibition. Blood. 2008 Feb 1;111(3):1603-09.

11. Chesi M, Robbiani DF, Sebag M, Chng WJ, Affer M, Tiedemann R, Valdez R, Palmer SE, Haas SS, Stewart AK, Fonseca R, Kremer R, Cattoretti G, Bergsagel PL. AID-dependent activation of a MYC transgene induces multiple myeloma in a conditional mouse model of post-germinal center maliganancies. Cancer Cell. 2008 Feb;13(2):167-80.