Kevin SW Tan

Associate Professor Kevin SW Tan is the Head of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and serves as Vice-Dean (Graduate Studies) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. He holds a PhD in Microbiology and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB). His research focuses on malaria and Blastocystis pathogenesis, with a particular emphasis on drug discovery and cell death pathways. Key projects include investigating Plasmodium falciparum's digestive vacuole as a drug target and understanding Blastocystis's interactions with host immunity and gut microbiota.

Education: BSc (Hons), PhD, Chartered Biologist (CBiol), Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB).

Research highlights include collaborations with GSK for high-content drug screening, development of fluorescent-tagged chloroquine hybrids, and creation of a mouse model for Blastocystis infection. Recent findings reveal Blastocystis-induced microbiome dysbiosis and host pathology modulation. His lab employs advanced imaging techniques and in vitro/in vivo systems to study parasite biology and host responses.

Grants and projects include funding for malaria drug discovery platforms and microbiome-pathogen interplay studies. Lab members include postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, and technical staff, contributing to both basic and translational research.