Personalizing cancer drug treatment through engineering patient-specific tumor models
In the Translational Tumor Engineering (TTE) laboratory, we focus on reconstructing or maintaining patient tumors in vitro with fidelity by using bioengineering tools to recreate the tumor microenvironment.
Bottom-up: By incorporating appropriate biochemical and mechanical cues using biomaterials engineering, together with key tumor stromal cells, we RECONSTRUCT patient tumors.
Top-down: By engineering ex vivo conditions to PROLONG the viability of tumor explants, we maintain patient tumors for drug testing and mechanistic studies.
What We Do
Our work on developing bioengineered peritoneal tumor explants has been featured in The Straits Times!
Our work using hydrogels to preserve patient-derived tumor explants has been published in Advanced Materials!
Our work on maintaining tumor explants using bioengineered hydrogels is featured on The Straits Times and NUS News!
Dr. Fong has been awarded the
College of Design and Engineering Outstanding Early Career Award!
We redefine cancer treatment
by building lab-grown tumors
to help find the right drug for
every patient.
What We Believe
We believe it is possible to predict drug efficacy in patients and enable personalized cancer treatment using engineered technologies to preserve patient tumors outside the body.
We believe this can be achieved through close and dynamic collaborations between bioengineers and clinical partners.
As a group, we believe in team member diversity and strongly advocate for a supportive and inclusive research environment.