Bin Tean TEH, MD, PhD
National Cancer Center
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School
Cancer Science Institute
Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology
Our work focuses on the genomic profiling of Asian cancers using high-throughput technologies, such as whole-exome/genome sequencing – the data is then correlated with clinicopathological information, including how patients respond to certain drugs. The goals are to 1) understand the molecular mechanism underlying these cancers; 2) to identify novel biomarkers that can help determine the nature and behavior of the disease as well as predicting patients’ response to certain drugs; and 3) to identify novel therapeutic targets that can be further developed into cancer drugs. In this talk, I will first present our data on biliary tract cancer. We currently are leading the ICGC (International Cancer Genome Consortium) biliary tract cancer program and to date we have studied cases of different geographical regions and etiology including those associated with liver fluke. Second, I will highlight our recent discovery of the molecular fingerprint of a known carcinogen called Aristolochic Acid, which is associated with upper urinary tract urothelial cancer and is found in certain herbal plants. This discovery not only enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanism of this carcinogen, but the fingerprint also allows detection of the involvement of this carcinogen in other cancer types such as liver cancer. The concept, using mutagenic signatures to screen for involvement of the carcinogen, was demonstrated for the first time. Finally, I will highlight our recent identification of recurrent mutations in exon 2 of the MED12 gene, which encodes a chromatin modifier protein, in breast fibroadenoma, a common benign breast tumor in women. We have since mapped out the genes responsible for the progression of breast fibroadenoma to Phylloides tumors, which are more commonly found in Asian women. Our findings have significant clinical implications and can be translated into clinical applications for diagnostic and prognostic purpose.
EDUCATIONS/TRAINING
POSITIONS AND HONORS
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
- Tan J, Ong CK, Lim WK, Ng CCY, Thike AA, Rajasegaran V, Myint SS, Nagarajan S, Thangaraju S, Dey S, Ng, LM, Nasir ND, Wijaya GC, Huang D, Wong BH, Chan JYS, McPherson JR, Cutcutache I, Poore G, Tay ST, Tan WJ, Putti TC, Buhari SA, Iau P, Chan CW, Tang APT, Yong WS, Madhukumar P, Ho GH, Tan VKM, Wong, CY, Hartman M, Ong KW, Tan BKT, Rozen SG, Tan P, Tan PH, Genomic progression of breast fibroepithelial tumors. Nature Genet, 2015. *under review
- Lim WK, Ong CK, Tan J, Thike AA, Ng CC, Rajasegaran V, Myint SS, Nagarajan S, Nasir ND, McPherson JR, Cutcutache I, Poore G, Tay ST, Ooi WS, Tan VK, Hartman M, Ong KW, Tan BK, Rozen SG, Tan PH, Tan P, Exome sequencing identifies highly recurrent MED12 somatic mutations in breast fibroadenoma. Nature Genet 46(8): 877–880, 2014.
- Chan-on W, Nairismägi M-L, Ong CK, Dima S, Pairojkul C, Lim KH, McPherson JR, Lim WK, Cucutache I, Heng HL, Ooi L, Chung A, Chow P, Cheow PC, Lee SY, Huat ITB, Duda D, Nastase A, Myint SS, Wong BH, Gan A, Rajasegaran V, Ng CCY, Jusakul A, Zhang S, Vohra P, Yu W, Huang D, Yongvanit P, Wongkham S, Khuntikeo N, Bhudhisawasdi V, Popescu I, Rozen SG, Tan P, Distinct mutational patters of infection and non-infection-related bile duct cancers revealed by exome sequencing. Nat Genet 45(12): 1474-1478, 2013.
- Poon SL, Pang ST, McPherson JR, Yu W, Huang KK, Guan P, Weng WH, Siew EY, Liu Y, Heng HL, Chong SC, Gan A, Tay ST, Lim WK, Cutcutache I, Huang D, Ler LD, Nairismägi ML, Lee MH, Chang YH, Yu KJ, Chan-on W, Li BK, Yuan YF, Qiang CN, Ng KF, Wu CF, Hsu CL, Bunte RM, Stratton MR, Futureal PA, Sung WK, Chuang CK, Ong CK, Rozen SG, Tan P, Genome-wide mutational signatures of aristolochic acid and its application as a screening tool. Sci Transl Med 5(197): 197ra101, 2013.
