Tan Lu Wen Shawn
Senior Scientist (Oncology)
Summary
Cancer biologist with a PhD from the University of Cambridge, specializing in the connections between cellular metabolism and cancer pathogenesis. Currently a postdoctoral researcher at A*STAR, Singapore, investigating how obesity contributes to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma in the liver. Extensive experience in diet-induced obesity mouse models, in vitro cellular models, bioinformatics skills, integrative multi-omic data analysis.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Senior Scientist
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR
4 2022 - Current
Research Fellow
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR
11.2018 - 03.2022
- Project lead in molecular mechanisms underpinning the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using mouse models of diet-induced obesity. Extensive experience in obesity mouse models, liver cancer biology, bioinformatics analysis.
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Medical Research Council Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge
10.2016 - 09.2018
- Developing new therapeutic strategies that exploit tumour aldehyde metabolism to selectively kill BRCA2-deficient cancer cells. The work entails the use of metabolomics and genetic techniques such as CRISPR knockout screens.
PhD in Oncology
Medical Research Council Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge
10.2012 - 09.2016
- Identified the susceptibility of the BRCA2 tumour suppressor to aldehyde-induced proteolysis. Culminated in a publication in Cell in 2017. Knowledge in the field of the DNA damage response in cancer.
Research Assistant
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR
08.2011 - 08.2012
- Studied the role of Cdk2 and Cyclin A2 in carcinogenesis using genetic knockout mouse models.
Education
Ph.D. - Oncology
University of Cambridge
United Kingdom 10.2012 - 07.2017
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry (First Class Honours)
Imperial College London
United Kingdom 10.2008 - 07.2011
Skills
Project Lead
Scientific Writing
Critical Thinking
Training and mentoring
Mouse models and genetics
Bioinformatics analysis
RNA-sequencing
Single-cell transcriptomics
Metabolomics Data Analysis
Cell Culture Assays & Techniques
Cell line generation (CRISPR/Cas9, lentivirus)
Molecular biology (WB, IF, IHC, ELISA, qRT-PCR)
Microscopy
Molecular cloning
Cancer xenograft models
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 06/17/87
- Nationality: Singaporean
Awards
- 2008, National Science Scholarship (BS), Agency of Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- 2010, 2010 Wiley Prize for Outstanding Performance by a Student in the 2nd year of the Biochemistry or Biotechnology degree course
- 2011, Beloff-Chain Award for Outstanding Performance in the Biochemistry or Biotechnology degree course
- 2012, National Science Scholarship (PhD), Agency of Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- 2021, Open-Fund Young Individual Research Grant, S$300,000, 3 years, Lead PI, Investigating the role of lipid peroxidation as an instigator of genomic instability in the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to hepatocellular carcinoma.
- 2024, IMCB Discovery Catalyst Grant, S$190,000, 1 year, Co-I, Neural Regulation of Liver Cancer
Publications
- Kong LR, Gupta K, ... Tan SLW, ... Venkitaraman AR, A glycolytic metabolite bypasses 'two-hit' tumor suppression by BRCA2, Cell, 04/25/24, 187, 9, 2269-2287.e16
- Tan SLW, Tan HM, Israeli E, et al., Up-regulation of SLC7A11/xCT creates a vulnerability to selenocystine-induced cytotoxicity, Biochem J, 2023, 480, 24, 2045-2058
- Tan SLW, Israeli E., Ericksen R.E., Chow P.K.H., Han W., The altered lipidome of hepatocellular carcinoma, Seminars in Cancer Biology, 2022, 86, 445-456
- Tan SLW, Chadha S., Liu Y., Gabasova E., Perera D., Ahmed K., Constantinou S., Renaudin X., Lee M., Aebersold R., Venkitaraman AR., A Class of Environmental and Endogenous Toxins Induces BRCA2 Haploinsufficiency and Genome Instability, Cell, 2017, 169, 1105-1118
- Gopinathan L., Tan SLW., Padmakumar V.C., Coppola V., Tessarollo L., Kaldis P., Loss of Cdk2 and cyclin A2 impairs cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, Cancer Research, 2014, 74, 14, 3870-3879
Timeline
Research Fellow
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR
11.2018 - 03.2022
Post-doctoral Research Associate
Medical Research Council Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge
10.2016 - 09.2018
Ph.D. - Oncology
University of Cambridge
10.2012 - 07.2017
PhD in Oncology
Medical Research Council Cancer Unit, University of Cambridge
10.2012 - 09.2016
Research Assistant
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR
08.2011 - 08.2012
Bachelor of Science - Biochemistry (First Class Honours)
Imperial College London
10.2008 - 07.2011
Senior Scientist
Institute of Molecular & Cell Biology, A*STAR
4 2022 - Current
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