Research Staff
Zhao Zixuan
During my Ph.D., I focused on the development of in vitro
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease models for drug screening and pathogenesis studies. I joined the TTE lab as a Research Fellow to work on the development of head and neck cancer niches to understand macrophage heterogeneity.
Kenny Wu
I completed my Bachelor of Engineering from South China University of Technology (SCUT) in 2016 and Master of Engineering from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in 2018.
I am currently a Research Fellow with a primary research focus on developing tumor microenvironment - mimetic hydrogels/microfluidics for ex vivo tumor slice culture and high-throughput drug testing.
Chen Changchong
I obtained my Ph.D. from the Department of Chemistry at ENS-PSL in France. Then, I focused on the development of ovarian cancer-on-a-chip models for the study of cancer cell migration and invasion.
I joined the TTE lab as a Research Fellow to work at the interface between microfluidic systems and tumor explant cultures for the evaluation of immunotherapies.
Fathima Farzana Kuthubudeen
I completed my Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences with First Class Honors from Northumbria University in 2019. In my undergraduate studies, I investigated the expression of different markers in the progression of colorectal cancer. I subsequently worked as a Research Assistant in Duke-NUS for three years where I investigated how IL11 affects fibrosis. I joined the TTE lab at the start of May 2023 as a Research Assistant. Currently, I work on areas related to developing personalized tumor models for head and neck cancer patients.
Zeng Bingyi
I graduated from Southwest Jiaotong University and earned my master’s degree at the National University of Singapore. I am currently a Research Assistant in the TTE Lab. I work at the intersection of biomedical engineering and tumor microenvironment modeling, focusing on patient-derived tumor explants (PDTEs)/tumor slices and tunable hydrogel scaffolds to build physiologically relevant in vitro models for studying cell behavior and drug response.
I obtained my BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Engineering from the National University of Singapore in 2023. In my free time, I engage in rock climbing and jogging.
Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in the TTE lab, working on developing immune-competent head and neck tumor models.
Seah Dong Hua
I obtained my BSc (Hons) with Honours in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Greenwich in 2020. Prior to joining the TTE lab, I was a medical laboratory technologist primarily in the area of microbiology.
I am currently a Ph.D. student in the TTE lab, working on developing biomaterials-based platforms for preserving patient-derived tumor explants ex vivo.
Madhumathi Kalaichelvan
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree with Honors in Biomedical Engineering (Minor in Life Sciences) from the National University of Singapore in 2024.
I am currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the
TTE lab, with my research focused on developing enhanced readouts for evaluating drug testing using tumor explant cultures.
Ding Haiyao
You Ruochii
I trained in Biomedical Engineering at the National University of Singapore, specializing in biomaterials. My thesis focused on engineering hydrogels to preserve patient-derived tumor explants ex vivo. I am currently a PhD student developing tumor models for cancer drug testing and AI-driven histopathology.
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Nicholas Ho, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Aleksandr Mitriashkin, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Kanishka Fernando, Ph.D. conferred 2024
Alumni
Zhang Tianyi
I obtained my Bachelor of Engineering from Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU) in 2025. I am currently a Masters student, focusing on developing an ex vivo platform for the culture of tumor explant using engineered biomaterials.
Graduate Students
I joined the TTE lab at the end of 2022 as an ISEP student, after graduating from Imperial College London with a BSc in
Medical Biosciences.
My project focuses on generating heterogeneous tumor-associated macrophages in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Josephine Yap
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Nicholas Ho, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Aleksandr Mitriashkin, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Kanishka Fernando, Ph.D. conferred 2024
Alumni
Josephine Yap
I joined the TTE lab at the end of 2022 as an ISEP student, after graduating from Imperial College London with a BSc in Medical Biosciences.
My project focuses on generating heterogeneous tumor-associated macrophages in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Josephine Yap
I joined the TTE lab at the end of 2022 as an ISEP student, after graduating from Imperial College London with a BSc in Medical Biosciences.
My project focuses on generating heterogeneous tumor-associated macrophages in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
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Nicholas Ho, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Aleksandr Mitriashkin, Ph.D. conferred 2024
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Kanishka Fernando, Ph.D. conferred 2024
Alumni
Nonimi Aloka
I graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Engineering, specializing in Materials Science and Engineering with a focus on Electronic Materials, from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (2025). I am now a PhD student in the TTE Lab, where my research centers on engineering in vitro tumor models that incorporate CAF heterogeneity and spatial cellular neighborhoods.
Lab Outings
