Dr. Tan Lik Tong obtained his BSc (Hon) from the Department of Zoology at the National University of Singapore. In 1993, he was awarded the Japanese Government (Monbusho) Scholarship to pursue MSc (Marine Sciences) research, under the supervision of Professor Tatsuo Higa, at the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan. His MSc research topic was on the isolation and characterization of bioactive secondary metabolites from marine sponges. His continued interests in marine natural products brought him to Oregon State University at the College of Pharmacy, where he obtained his PhD in Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry. His PhD dissertation was on the biomedical potential of marine cyanobacteria, conducted at the laboratory of Professor William Gerwick. Subsequently, he undertook Post-Doctoral research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California, San Diego. His research at SIO involved drug discovery from novel marine microbes as well as chemical ecology of marine algae. This was at the laboratory of Professor William Fenical. Before joining NIE, he was Senior Research Chemist at Merlion Pharmaceuticals in Singapore. Dr. Tan is also a reviewer for many top tier journals, including the Journal of Natural Products, co-published by the American Chemical Society and the American Society of Pharmacognosy.
Academic Background
- PhD Oregon State University, USA
- MSc University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan
- BSc (Hons) National University of Singapore
Professional Organisations
- The Singapore Institute of Biology
Courses
- AAY104 Introductory Organic Chemistry
- AAY203 Further Organic Chemisty
- AAY303 Experimental Techniques in Chemistry
- AAY433 Medicinal Chemistry
- AAB301 Biochemistry
- ASK201 Topics in Physical Science for Primary Science Teaching
- MLS810 Plant Secondary Metabolites
- MLS811 Separation and Analytical Techniques
- MLS822 Bioactive Natural Products and their Derivatives
- MLS862 Chemical Zoology
Research Interests
- Drug discovery from marine cyanobacteria
- Chemical ecology of marine cyanobacteria
- Isolation and purification of natural products
- Structural elucidation of natural products
Research Grants
- Marine cyanobacteria: potential source of new therapeutic agents
Amount awarded: $61,300
Period: Feb 2011 – Jan 2014
NIE AcRF, Principal Investigator
- New therapeutic agents from marine algae and invertebrates
Amount awarded: $100,896
Period: Dec 2005 – Aug 2009
NIE AcRF, Principal Investigator
- Biomedical potential of marine fouling sponges collected from Singapore waters
Amount awarded: $4,996.66
Period: Jan 2005 – Dec 2007
SIBiol Research Trust Fund, Principal Investigator
Graduate Supervision
PhD (Research)
- Ashootosh Tripathi, Sole Supervisor.
Master of Science (Life Sciences) Thesis - 6 AU
Names |
Supervision |
Year graduated |
Christopher Talbot |
Sole |
Oct 2006 |
Yoges Selvaraja |
Sole |
Oct 2006 |
Chang Yingyan |
Main |
Feb 2008 |
Tay Choon Yen |
Sole |
Dec 2008 |
Joyce Ng Poh Chuan |
Sole |
Apr 2009 |
Nur Aishah Binte Abdul Rahim |
Sole |
Apr 2009 |
Patrick Tan Hong Meng |
Main |
Sep 2010 |
Annie Lim Huichang |
Main |
Apr 2011 |
Tham Lai Yee |
Main |
May 2011 |
Master of Science (Life Sciences): MLS800 (3 AU)
Names |
Supervision |
Year graduated |
Sharizah Binte Mohamed |
Sole |
Jun 2009 |
Jayashree Sitaraman |
Sole |
Jun 2009 |
Lim Mui Gek |
Co-Supervisor |
Jun 2009 |
Sudalai Rajan |
Sole |
Jun 2010 |
Ivan Soh Ban-Hwee |
Sole |
Jun 2010 |
Martin K.P. |
Sole |
Jun 2010 |
Koh Seow Wei |
Main |
Jun 2010 |
Rubina Pasha |
Co-Supervisor |
Jun 2010 |
Gregory Peck Chin Hee |
Co Supervisor |
Jun 2010 |