Bio
Dr Tang graduated from The Scripps Research Institute, USA in 1998 as a Glaxo Wellcome-Economic Development Board of Singapore-funded PhD scholar. I subsequently undertook postdoctoral training at the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore (cell cycle) and the Howard Florey Institute, Melbourne in developmental neurobiology. Together with my Co-Principal Investigator and neurosurgeon colleague, A/Prof Beng Ti Ang, we established the Neuro-Oncology Research Laboratory at the National Neuroscience Institute, SingHealth in 2006.
In 2024, I made the decision to join SG Enable, a focal agency of the Ministry of Social and Family Development, to contribute to the disability sector. I am currently the Deputy Director of Innovation Division. I remain a Visiting Academic (Research) at the National Neuroscience Institute, SingHealth, as well as a Subject Expert with the SingHealth Biosafety Committee.
A brief background of our Neuro-Oncology research
Our lab’s research focuses on primary brain tumors, specifically glioblastoma (GBM). Histologically identical GBM tumor tissue sections from different patients have been shown to be molecularly heterogeneous; possibly accounting for the frequently observed inter-patient variability to treatment response. Over the years, our team has utilized large public clinical databases to establish hypotheses for biological validation. Pivotal to the neuro-oncology effort is the setup of Glioportal, an international-first tissue resource complete with molecular annotation of de-identified patient-derived cell lines and orthotopic xenograft mouse tumors, fully integrated with the patient’s clinical information. Glioportal provides biological validation critical in preclinical studies, and potentially offers re-identified patients the option for targeted therapy via an independent Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval process. This forms a core capability of precision medicine.
Our multidisciplinary team comprising investigators from NUS, Duke-NUS and A*STAR was awarded the Translational and Clinical Research (TCR) Flagship Program Grant in 2016; and most recently the Large Collaborative Grant (LCG) in 2021. These awards represent the nation’s highest level program funding accorded to a team recognized for their leadership position in the research and clinical management of the disease. The research program seeks to establish a seamless transition of basic science discoveries to clinical implementation by prioritizing specific technologies capable of discerning GBM molecular subtypes. These include the creation of minimally invasive diagnostic platforms, imaging modalities and novel therapeutic strategies associated with stratified patient cohorts. Our lab also takes great pride in mentoring young scientists and clinician researchers who are critical to the continuity of any meaningful translational research program.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy
The Scripps Research Institute, United States
Bachelor of Science with Hons
National University of Singapore, Singapore