A renowned cancer geneticist from Duke-NUS’ Cancer Biology and Stem Cell Programme, Prof Tan was recognised for his research into deciphering the molecular mechanisms and genetics of gastric cancer, which paved the way for improved diagnostic and precision medicine strategies for the disease, which remains a leading cause of death worldwide.
By combining cutting-edge technology with a “team science” approach, Prof Tan has made several scientific breakthroughs during his career. Among these are one of the first exome sequencing studies of gastric cancer, which led to the identification of novel tumour suppressor genes. He was also instrumental in creating the largest and highest-resolution atlas of gastric cancer. This study, which has been cited more than 100 times in a single year, enables researchers to understand how cancerous cells evolve and adapt, as well as how clinical care pathways can be adapted to manage patients with gastric cancer.
Prof Tan and his team’s most recent breakthrough resulted in headway in uncovering the molecular patterns of intestinal metaplasia, a pre-malignant condition, which has yielded key insights that could improve screening and monitoring of patients at high-risk of developing stomach cancer.