Research Theme
Tissue Specific Carcinogenesis (TSC) focuses on unraveling molecular mechanisms of tissue specific carcinogenesis driving therapy resistance in cancer. The ultimate goal of this Theme is to build an infrastructure and research network that improves how cancer patients are diagnosed, treated and understanding the mechanisms behind therapy resistance in cancer, to identify potential biomarkers of drug resistance/ sensitivity and to identify new targets and treatment modalities to overcome therapy resistance.
Theme Leads
Prof Shazib PERVAIZ
A/Prof TAN Shao Peng, David
Research is focused on the development of biomarkers and novel therapeutic agents in gynaecological cancers; in understanding the mechanisms of treatment response and resistance in these cancers, with the aim of developing biomarkers to help stratify patients into optimal treatment strategies.
Theme Members - Primary
A/Prof CHEE Cheng Ean
Research interest is in precision oncology in colorectal, pancreas and liver cancers. I develop and conduct clinical trials with novel therapeutics and work with collaborators within and outside Singapore on translational and biomarker research in these areas. In addition, I am interested in healthcare delivery and personalizing care for our cancer survivors.
A/Prof CHEE Yen Lin
Dr CHEOK Chit Fang
Research focus is on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanism in cancer development and therapy resistance for the development of diagnostic markers and selective therapeutics against cancer resistance and metastasis.
Dr CHIA Le Bin, Gloryn
Research focuses on developing novel immunotherapies that harness the immune system to target tumors, with a particular emphasis on neoantigens. These neoantigens, which arise from tumor-specific mutations, represent a distinct class of antigens recognized by T cells, making them promising targets for precision cancer therapies. By identifying and characterizing these neoantigens, the aim is to develop personalized cancer vaccines and T cell-based therapies that improve the immune system’s capacity to recognize and eliminate tumors.
Dr CHONG Jun Fei, Stephen
Research interests are to unravel drug resistance mechanisms involving the BCL-2 family proteins, kinase and phosphatase, and redox and mitochondrial metabolism as well as to identify actionable targets using functional precision medicine techniques in hematologic and lung malignancies.
A/Prof DENG Lih Wen
Research focus is on understanding the cellular and molecular mechanism in cancer development and therapy resistance for the development of diagnostic markers and selective therapeutics against cancer resistance and metastasis.
Prof GOH Boon Cher
Prof KOH Liang Piu
Research focuses mainly on clinical Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in particular Nonmyeloablative Stem Cell Transplant, haploidentical donor transplant, Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Haematological Malignancies. He also the leading primary investigators on clinical trials on Infectious Complications in Haematological / Haematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Recipients, studies on Graft vs. Host Disease prevention and treatment.
A/Prof LEE Kwan Min, Victor
Research passion is in the field of bone and soft tissue tumours for both paediatric and adult patients. My general interest involves investigating the clinical, pathological characteristics and biology of these tumours. From there, I hope to identify and characterize the oncogenic mechanisms, test or develop biomarkers for diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic applications.
A/Prof Norbert LEHMING
Research focuses on using yeast as a tool to identify novel protein partners for human and yeast proteins that are relevant for important biological processes like the expression of genes and the repair of damaged DNA.
Dr LEONG Sai Mun
Adapting the use of evolutionary game theory, sociobiology and mathematical modelling on top of conventional molecular and cellular oncology, my team and I aim to unveil the nature of social relationships amongst cancer cells and study how perturbation in these relationships may affect outcome of cancer treatment.
A/Prof LIM Gkeok Stzuan, Diana
Dr Diana Lim is a senior consultant pathologist and director of the Diagnostic Molecular Oncology Centre (DMOC) in National University Hospital. Her subspecialty and research interest lies in gynaecologic and molecular pathology.
A/Prof NG Siok Bian
Research focus is to identify and validate novel markers of prognostic and therapeutic importance in EBV-associated T- and NK-cell lymphomas and lymphoproliferative diseases, a group of aggressive tumours which are prevalent in Asia.
Dr ONG Sek Tong, Derrick
Research focus is on identifying new glioblastoma dependency in the area of cancer epigenetics as we try to develop innovative and durable GBM treatment modalities. We are also interested to understand the mechanisms that regulate non-cancerous brain stem cell function, in order to discover new ways to retard/reverse brain aging.
A/Prof TAN Soo Yong
Immune cells in the intestines play a dual role of inducing inflammation to combat micro-organisms and maintaining immune tolerance to dietary antigens and commensal microbes. They give rise to diverse lymphoid neoplasms, ranging from indolent T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders of the GI tract, NK cell gastropathy/NK cell enteropathy and aggressive extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma (MEITL) and intestinal T-cell lymphoma, NOD. My work is focused on understanding the cellular origins and pathogenetic mechanisms that underlie primary intestinal T-cell lymphomas.
Dr TAN Yong Zi
Research focus is on using and developing methods in single particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to solve structures of membrane proteins implicated in various cancers.
Dr TEE Wee Wei
Research interest is to study how cancer cells undergo epigenetic reprogramming to induce phenotypic plasticity, contributing to cancer cell metastasis that escape from therapeutic pressures and the emergence of drug-tolerant persistent state.
Dr WONG Lea Choung
Dr WONG Soon Boon, Justin
Dr WONG Li Ann, Andrea
Certain cancer cells develop resistance to therapy by altering their metabolic dependencies. Our research centres on the development of oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors as a novel class of agents to overcome therapeutic resistance.
A/Prof YAP Suen Mei, Celestial
The expertise and commitment of my research extend expansively across human diseases and human biology including cancer. In addition, we have special interests in the roles of the cytoskeleton in cancer. My research group has developed both in vitro techniques incorporating molecular and bioinformatics technology, as well as in vivo approaches to investigating human diseases such as cancers.
A/Prof YIP Wai Cheong, George
Research interest is in understanding the biological roles of molecules called glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans and to determine if these biomolecules can be used to predict patient outcomes and the development of new treatment.
Dr WONG Li Ann, Andrea
Certain cancer cells develop resistance to therapy by altering their metabolic dependencies. Our research centres on the development of oxidative phosphorylation inhibitors as a novel class of agents to overcome therapeutic resistance.
A/Prof YAP Suen Mei, Celestial
The expertise and commitment of my research extend expansively across human diseases and human biology including cancer. In addition, we have special interests in the roles of the cytoskeleton in cancer. My research group has developed both in vitro techniques incorporating molecular and bioinformatics technology, as well as in vivo approaches to investigating human diseases such as cancers.