Ker Kan TAN
Ker Kan TANAssociate Professor
[email protected]

Affiliations

– Principal Investigator, NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI)
– Head of Division & Senior Consultant, Division of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, National University Hospital
– Senior Consultant, Division of Surgical Oncology, National University Cancer Institute, Singapore
– Associate Professor, Department of Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
– Associate Professor, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore (Joint)

Biography

As both surgeon and health services researcher, Dr Tan’s primary research interests span the entire spectrum of the colorectal cancer journey – from screening and prevention, to diagnosis and treatment, and the experiences of specific subpopulations such as those with stoma or metastatic disease. His ongoing projects involve a broad range of key topics. These include understanding barriers and facilitators to colorectal screening, longitudinal quality-of-life of patients and spouses as they experience the treatment process. Apart from colorectal cancer, Ker Kan’s interests also extend to the use of telemedicine and other new models of care in health promotion and health services delivery.

Education

– Doctor of Philosophy, Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, NUS
– Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (General Surgery)
– Masters of Medicine (Surgery), National University of Singapore
– MBBS, National University of Singapore

Research Interest

Colorectal cancer, Cancer & Chronic Disease Screening, Health Services Research, Behavioural Health

Current Research Projects

– 23hr laparoscopic colectomy: From dream to reality? A step wise approach (NMRC HPHSR Clinician Scientist Award – Senior Investigator)
– Tackling issues facing the Singapore colorectal cancer screening programme (NMRC PHRG-TC)

Selected Publications

  1. Thng DKH, Hooi L, Siew BE, Lee KY, Tan IJ, Lieske B, Lin NS, Kow AWC, Wang S, Rashid MBMA, Ang C, Koh JJM, Toh TB, Tan KK, Chow EK. A functional personalised oncology approach against metastatic colorectal cancer in matched patient derived organoids. NPJ Precis Oncol. 2024 Feb 27;8(1):52.
  2. Ho SX, Law JH, Png CW, Alberts R, Zhang Y, Chu JJH, Tan KK. Alterations in colorectal cancer virome and its persistence after surgery. Sci Rep. 2024 Feb 3;14(1):2819.
  3. Png CW, Weerasooriya M, Li H, Hou X, Teo FY, Huang S, Ser Z, Weng FYK, Rethnam M, Chia G, Sobota RM, Chong CS, Tan KK, Zhang Y. DUSP6 regulates Notch1 signalling in colorectal cancer. Nat Commun. 2024 Nov 21;15(1):10087.
  4. Desi N, Tong QY, Teh V, Chan JJ, Zhang B, Tabatabaeian H, Tan HQ, Kapeli K, Jin W, Lim CY, Kwok ZH, Tan HT, Wang S, Siew BE, Lee KC, Chong CS, Tan KK, Yang H, Kappei D, Yeo GW, Chung MCM, Tay Y. Global analysis of RNA-binding proteins identifies a positive feedback loop between LARP1 and MYC that promotes tumorigenesis. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2022 Feb 23;79(3):147.
  5. Shen H, An O, Ren X, Song Y, Tang SJ, Ke XY, Han J, Tay DJT, Ng VHE, Molias FB, Pitcheshwar P, Leong KW, Tan KK, Yang H, Chen L. ADARs act as potent regulators of circular transcriptome in cancer. Nat Commun. 2022 Mar 21;13(1):1508.
  6. Chan JJ, Zhang B, Chew XH, Salhi A, Kwok ZH, Lim CY, Desi N, Subramaniam N, Siemens A, Kinanti T, Ong S, Sanchez-Mejias A, Ly PT, An O, Sundar R, Fan X, Wang S, Siew BE, Lee KC, Chong CS, Lieske B, Cheong WK, Goh Y, Fam WN, Ooi MG, Koh BTH, Iyer SG, Ling WH, Chen J, Yoong BK, Chanwat R, Bonney GK, Goh BKP, Zhai W, Fullwood MJ, Wang W, Tan KK, Chng WJ, Dan YY, Pitt JJ, Roca X, Guccione E, Vardy LA, Chen L, Gao X, Chow PKH, Yang H, Tay Y. Pan-cancer, pervasive upregulation of 3’UTR splicing drives tumorigenesis. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 May 26.
  7. Ho TLF, Lee MY, Goh HC, Ng GYN, Lee JJH, Kannan S, Lim YT, Zhao T, Lim EKH, Phua CZJ, Lee YF, Lim RYX, Ng PJH, Yuan J, Chan DKH, Lieske B, Chong CS, Lee KC, Lum J, Cheong WK, Yeoh KG, Tan KK, Sobota RM, Verma CS, Lane DP, Tam WL, Venkitaraman AR. Domain-specific p53 mutants activate EGFR by distinct mechanisms exposing tissue-independent therapeutic vulnerabilities. Nat Commun. 2023 Mar 28;14(1):1726.
  8. Tan, J. K. H., Choe, L., Lau, J., & Tan, K. K. (2022). Discharge within 24 hours following colonic surgery-a distant dream or near reality? A scoping review. Surgery, 172(3), 869–877.
  9. Choe L, Lau K, Fong SY, et al.., Tan KK. Colorectal cancer patients advocating screening to their siblings: a randomized behavioral intervention. Gastrointest Endosc. 2021 Dec 9:S0016-5107(21)01873-3..042
  10. Global Burden of Disease 2019 Cancer Collaboration. Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 to 2019: A Systematic Analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. JAMA Oncol. 2021 December 30.
  11. Lim TZ, Lau J, Wong GJ, Tan LYT, Chang YJ, Natarajan K, Yi H, Wong ML, Tan KK. Factors Predicting Improved Compliance towards Colonoscopy in Individuals with Positive Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT). Cancer Medicine. 2021 Sep 14.
  12. GBD 2019 Colorectal Cancer Collaborators. Global, Regional, and National Burden of Colorectal Cancer and its risk factors, 1990-2019: A systematic analysis for Global Burden of Disease 2019. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Apr 7:S2468-1253(22)00044-9.