NUS Centre for Cancer Research, NUS Medicine

02/07/2026

A New “Master Switch” Discovery Could Change the Future of Breast Cancer Treatment

Dr Alan Prem Kumar, Ph.D. and his team have discovered a key protein called DP103 that acts like a “master switch,” helping one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer grow, spread, return after treatment, and resist chemotherapy. By switching off this protein with an investigational drug, researchers were able to dramatically slow cancer growth, reduce the treatment-resistant cells responsible for relapse, prolong survival in animal preclinical studies, and largely spare healthy cells. This breakthrough brings us a step closer to more precise, personalised cancer treatments that target the root cause of disease rather than simply shrinking tumours, offering new hope for patients with difficult-to-treat breast cancers.

https://rdcu.be/frBsX

08/06/2026

Hijacking the Tumour-Microenvironment: Weaponise Macrophages against Breast Cancer using Magnetic Pulses

Researchers at N2CR have discovered that brief exposure to magnetic fields can reprogramme the immune landscape of solid tumours. This shifts tumour‑associated macrophages (TAMs), immune cells that normally help cancer grow, into an anti-tumour “M1” state that hunts and destroys cancer cells. Simultaneously, magnetic pulses make cancer cells more visible to the immune system, effectively “flagging” them for attack. Together, this dual action helps the body’s defences target tumours while sparing healthy tissue.

This breakthrough study, published in Smart Medicine, was led by Viresh Krishnan Sukumar (N2CR Graduate Scholar), together with co-corresponding authors Dr Alex Tai Yee Kit, A/Prof Lina Hsiu Kim Lim and A/Prof Alfredo Franco‑Obregón at NUS Medicine. Unlike current TAM‑targeting strategies that risk widespread immune activation, low‑frequency magnetic fields pass painlessly through deep tissues, offering a clinically viable, drug‑free, spatially targeted therapy. Having successfully cleared a Phase 1 human safety trial, this technology paves the way for a new era of biophysical oncology, a breakthrough allowing clinicians to target deep-seated malignancies and turn the body's own localised defences against cancer without systemic toxicity.

bit.ly/4etRoy1

Magnetic fields modulate macrophage-cancer crosstalk through the STING-TRPC1 axis. Exposure reprograms macrophages toward the anti-cancer phenotype. Exposing cancer cells modulates cancer secretome t...

28/05/2026

On World Blood Cancer Day 🩸, we honour the impactful work of our clinician-scientists at NUS Medicine, who are also members of N2CR.Their work in advancing blood cancer research reflects how innovation leads to better care and outcomes for patients.

29/04/2026

Improving Treatment Predictions in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. About 30% of patients do not respond well to the first treatment. Current risk stratification systems such as the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) are used to guide treatment decisions, but they do not always accurately predict how patients will respond.

In this study, led by N2CR researchers Dr Zhou Jianbiao and Prof Chng Wee Joo, the team highlights the limitations of existing methods that rely mainly on genetics. They suggest that including additional information—such as changes that affect how genes are switched on or off (methylome profiling)—could help better predict treatment response and guide more effective treatment strategies for AML patients.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is the second most lethal hematologic malignancy, with approximately 30% of patients being refractory to first-line induction

23/04/2026

🌟New Therapy Offers Hope for Clear Cell Gynaecological Cancers🌟

The LARA trial, led by Assoc Prof David Tan and Dr Natalie Ngoi (both members of N2CR), marks a major step forward in tackling clear cell gynaecological cancers which disproportionately affect Asian women and often resist standard chemotherapy.

This study tested a dual‑pathway treatment approach combining pembrolizumab and lenvatinib, which works by blocking tumour growth signals and enhancing the body’s immune response. Results published in The Lancet Oncology showed encouraging outcomes, with tumours shrinking or halting progression in many patients.

This collaboration, involving institutions in Singapore and South Korea, demonstrates the power of science and teamwork in advancing new treatment options for gynaecological cancer care.

Read the journal publication here: //bit.ly/4tr2HMq

Discover promising new cancer treatments developed by Singaporean researchers for challenging gynaecological and breast cancers affecting women. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

23/04/2026

N2CR, together with the NUS ncRNA Core Facility and the NUS Microscopy Cluster, co-hosted Singleron Biotechnologies for a Lunch and Learn seminar this afternoon.

This engaging session showcased the power of spatial and profiling at the single-cell level — unlocking new possibilities for advancing scientific and clinical research.

Thank you to Singleron Biotechnologies for sharing their cutting-edge technology and inspiring us with the potential it holds for the future of biomedical innovation.

13/04/2026

A gene switch that fuels myeloma growth

Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells, a kind of white blood cell found in the bone marrow. These cells normally help fight infections by producing antibodies.

In this study, co-led by N2CR member Prof Chng Wee Joo and team, which also includes N2CR member Dr Zhou Jianbiao, the researchers investigate how super enhancer (SE)-driven expression of SMC4 contributes to the progression of multiple myeloma (MM). SMC4 promotes cancer progression by activating the IFI16-STING signaling pathway, leading to increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This creates a tumour-supportive microenvironment that enhances myeloma cell survival and proliferation. Inhibiting this pathway suppresses SMC4-driven oncogenic effects, suggesting a potential therapeutic target.

https://bit.ly/4dJXXgc

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a complex hematological malignancy characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Emerging evidence suggests that the aberrant activation of specific gene regulatory elements known as SE plays a crucial role in driving oncogenic gene expr...

06/03/2026

Uncovering an Aggressive Form of Liver Cancer

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a fast-growing cancer that starts in the bile ducts inside the liver, and it is difficult to treat because patients’ tumours can behave very differently. In this study, A/Prof Gautam Sethi and his collaborators used advanced laboratory methods to classify ICC tumours into distinct groups based on their molecular features. They identified a particularly aggressive group marked by high levels of a protein called SPINK1.

The team found that these SPINK1-high tumour cells can influence nearby immune cells in a way that promotes cancer growth. The tumour releases a chemical signal that attracts certain macrophages (a type of immune cell). These macrophages then help create a glutamine-rich environment—glutamine is a nutrient that cancer cells can use as fuel—allowing the tumour to grow and spread more easily. The findings suggest SPINK1 could be useful for identifying higher-risk patients and may point to new treatment strategies, such as blocking glutamine support or interrupting key tumour-to-immune signalling.

https://bit.ly/4r5IhXn

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The lack …