Caleigh Tan

Research Interests

I am currently working as a Research Assistant in the Song laboratory which focuses on chemical epitranscriptomics. RNA modifications play essential roles in gene regulation, stability, and translation among other biological processes. Our research primarily investigates pseudouridine, one of the most prevalent RNA modifications. However, despite its abundance, the physiological functions and regulatory mechanisms of pseudouridylation remain largely unexplored. Growing evidence now suggests a strong link between epitranscriptomic modifications and tumourigenesis. In particular, I am interested in studying the enzymes responsible for this modification, pseudouridine synthases (PUS), and how their dysregulation plays a role in cancer biology. Beyond contributing to the mechanistic understanding of RNA biology, this research may also reveal novel molecular targets and translational opportunities in oncology.  

Background

I completed my bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at De La Salle University in the Philippines, after which I pursued the MSc in Genomic Medicine at the University of Oxford, recently graduating with a distinction. My dissertation was conducted at the Ludwig Institute under Prof. Richard White, where I explored mechanisms within the regenerative microenvironment as potential tumour suppressors in melanoma utilising zebrafish models.