Dr Swee Tan ONZM MBBS FRACS PhD
Dr Tan is the Founder of the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute and Board Chair. As a highly skilled reconstructive plastic surgeon, Swee is inspired by a desire to improve patients’ quality of life by restoring function and correcting deformities resulting from birth anomalies, cancer and trauma. For nearly 30 years, he has focused on finding a better and less intrusive way to treat disfiguring and life-threatening conditions.
In 1996 he established the Centre for the Study and Treatment of Vascular Birthmarks, a supra-regional service based at Hutt Hospital, by building a multidisciplinary team, establishing a human tissue bank and an active clinical and basic science research programme. This work underscores the use of repurposed drugs in the treatment of strawberry birthmarks. In 1998 he founded the Reconstructive Plastic Surgery Research Foundation, now renamed as Gillies McIndoe Foundation, which led to the establishment of the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute in 2013.
Swee founded Gillies McIndoe, as he wanted to create a translational research organisation that aspires to achieve a step-change in relieving human suffering. Swee has extensive research experience in the role of stem cells and renin-angiotensin system in cancer, vascular birthmarks and fibrotic conditions. Our research is focused on targeting cancer stem cells using a combination of safe, low-cost, off-patent oral medications. It is hoped the work will lead to better equity of access to cancer treatment and other conditions.
Swee’s humble beginnings in Malaysia and his vision, commitment and perseverance have attracted widespread support and interest in his and colleagues’ work. His efforts have been acknowledged with numerous awards, honours and prizes in New Zealand and internationally. Swee is a member of several professional societies. He has authored 225 book chapters and publications in peer-reviewed journals and is on the editorial board of numerous international journals.
Professional Links
ResearchGate
Publications
Kilmister, E., Koh, S.P., Munro, M., Gray, C., Tan, S.T. Cancer metastasis and treatment resistance: Mechanistic insights and therapeutic targeting of cancer stem cells and the tumor microenvironment. Biomedicines 2022;10:2988. DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112988.
O’Rawe, M., Wickremesekera, A.C., Pandey, R., Young, D., Sim, D., FitzJohn, T., Burgess, C., Kaye, A.H., Tan, S.T. Treatment of glioblastoma with re-purposed renin-angiotensin system modulators: results of a phase I clinical trial. J Clin Neurosci 2021;95:48-54. Doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2021.11.023
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/356815106_Treatment_of_glioblastoma_with_re-purposed_renin-angiotensin_system_modulators_Results_of_a_phase_I_clinical_trial
Tan, D.H.C., Roth, I., Wickremesekera, A.C., Davis, P.F., Kaye, A.H., Mantamadiotis, T., Stylli, S.S., Tan, S.T. Therapeutic targeting of cancer stem cells in human glioblastoma by manipulating the renin-angiotensin system. Cells 2019;8:1364. DOI: 10.3390/cells8111364
Siljee, S., Buchanan, O., Bockett, N., van Shaijik, B., Patel, J., Brasch, H.D., Sim, D., Davis, P.F., Itinteang, T., Tan, S.T. Cancer stem cells in metastatic cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma express components of the renin-angiotensin system. Cells 2021;10:243. DOI: 10.3390/cells10020243
Yoganandarajah, V., Patel, J., van Shaijik, B., Bocket, N., Brasch, H.D., Paterson, E., Sim, D., Davis, P.F., Roth, I., Itinteang, T., Tan, S.T. Identification of the cancer stem cell subpopulations in head and neck metastatic malignant melanoma. Cells 2020;9(2);324. DOI: 10.3390/cells9020324