Joshua Kai Xun TAY
Joshua Kai Xun TAYAssistant Professor
[email protected]

Office Location – Otolaryngology – Head & Neck surgery NUHS Tower Block, Level 7

Affiliations

Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
Principal Investigator, NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI)

Biography

Dr Joshua Tay completed his undergraduate medical training at the National University of Singapore, achieving a distinction in the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme and winning the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Prize.

He underwent speciality training in Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery in Singapore and was awarded the College of Surgeons Gold Medal as the best performing resident at the Otolaryngology Exit Examinations. Dr Tay was subsequently awarded the Ministry of Health Healthcare Research Scholarship, during which he completed a PhD in Cancer Biology at the Stanford University School of Medicine focusing on genomic subtypes and inflammatory microenvironment patterns in cancer, under the guidance of Professors John B. Sunwoo and Robert B. West.

Dr Tay’s research involves classifying tumors and inflammatory conditions based on their gene expression patterns and matching them with targeted therapies and biologics for personalized treatment. He leads an RNA Precision Medicine laboratory at NUS, with dedicated expertise in profiling tiny and degraded tissue samples. He is a receipient of the National Medical Research Council Transition Award and Clinician Scientist Award.

He works closely with biomedical engineers and researchers to improve the outcomes of diagnostic tests and cancer screening. These include multi-center clinical diagnostic studies to validate 3D-printed and injection-molded nasopharyngeal swab prototypes, as well as studies to validate the clinical performance of genomic, cell-free and serology assays for cancer.

Dr Tay is currently an Assistant Professor and a Senior Consultant Surgeon at the Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery. In his clinical practice, Dr Tay sees patients with sinus and nasal conditions, as well as patients with nasopharyngeal cancer.

Professional Appointments

Assistant Professor, Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, National University of Singapore
Director of Research, Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, National University of Singapore
Senior Consultant, Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore
Associate Director (Surgical Oncology Research), National University Cancer Institute, Singapore,
Theme Lead, COMPASS (Precision Oncology), NUS Centre for Cancer Research, National University of Singapore

Education

Ph.D. (Cancer Biology), Stanford University School of Medicine
FAMS (Otolaryngology), Academy of Medicine, Singapore
M.Med (Otolaryngology), National University of Singapore
MRCS, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow
MBBS, National University of Singapore

Research Interest

Clinical-grade biomarker development for inflammation and oncology

Current Research Projects

Gene expression profiles of inflammatory conditions for the selection of biologics
An RNA precision medicine approach for cancer treatment response
Community screening for nasopharyngeal cancer

Selected Publications

    1. Tay JK*, Siow CH, Goh HL, Lim CM, Hsu PP, Chan SH, Loh KS. A comparison of EBV serology and serum cell-free DNA as screening tools for nasopharyngeal cancer: results of the Singapore NPC screening cohort. Int J Cancer. 2020;146:2923-2931.
    2. Tay JK*, Khoo ML, Loh WS. Surgical Considerations for Tracheostomy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned From the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Outbreak. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2020 Jun 1;146(6):517-518.
    3. Tay JK*, Cross GB, Toh ST, Lee CK, Loh J, Lim ZY, Ngiam N, Chee J, Gan SW, Saraf A, Chow WT, Goh HL, Siow CH, Lian DWQ, Loh WS, Loh KS, Lim CM, Chua YY, Tan TT, Tan HK, Yan B, Ko K, Chan KS, Oon L, Chow VTK, Wang DY, Fuh JYH, Yen CC, Wong JEL, Allen DM. Design and multi-center clinical validation of a 3D-printed nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19 testing. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2021 May 1;147(5):418-425. (IF 6.223).
    4. Moreno-Nieves UY*, Tay JK*, Saumyaa S*, Horowitz NB, Shin JH, Mohammad IA, Luca B, Mundy DC, Gulati GS, Bedi N, Chang S, Chen C, Kaplan MJ, Rosenthal EL, Holsinger FC, Divi V, Baik FM, Sirjani DB, Gentles AJ, Newman AM, Freud AG, Sunwoo JB. Landscape of innate lymphoid cells in human head and neck cancer reveals divergent NK cell states in the tumor microenvironment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Jul 13;118(28):e2101169118.
    5. Tay JK*, Zhu C, Shin JH, Zhu SX, Varma S, Foley JW, Vennam S, Yip YL, Goh CK, Wang Y, Loh KS, Tsao SW, Le QT, Sunwoo JB, West RB. The microdissected gene expression landscape of nasopharyngeal cancer reveals vulnerabilities in FGF and noncanonical NF-κB signaling. Sci Adv. 2022 Apr 8;8(14):eabh2445.
    6. Hong DZ, Ong TCC, Timbadia DP, Tan HTA, Kwa ED, Chong WQ, Goh BC, Loh WS, Loh KS, Tan EC, Tay JK*. Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Influence of Genetic Variation on Ototoxicity in Platinum-Based Chemotherapy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Jun;168(6):1324-1337.
    7. Chan YH, Teo CB, Tay JK*, Cheong CS*. The association between obstructive sleep apnea and osteoporosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev. 2024 Dec;78:102006.
    8. Poh XY, Loh FK, Bai C, Chong HT, Teo WK, Hong JM, Miow QH, Thong PM, Vilaysane B, Hu TH, Chhabra S, Wang Y, Tiong SC, Fong SM, Kamihigashi M, Rajarethinam R, Looi WD, Cheow ESH, Bonney GK, Pakkiri LS, Drum CL, Peng YF, Lee M, CL Tan, Ding CSL, Lim TCC, Yeo TW, Tay JK*, Vallejo AF*, Ong CWM*. MMPs and NETs are detrimental in CNS-tuberculosis with MMP inhibition in mice improving survival. J. Neuroinflammation. 2025 Oct 11;22(1):230.

* Corresponding author; # Co-first author