Kota Samarahan – Dr. Tan Sang Nee, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), has earned international recognition for her research in cancer immunology.
Her study, conducted during postdoctoral training at Tsinghua University, was published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine (JEM) earlier this year. It has since been selected for two thematic collections: the JEM Cancer Collection and the JEM Clinical Immunology Collection 2025.
JEM, founded in 1896 and published by Rockefeller University Press, is among the most established journals in medicine and biomedical sciences. The Clinical Immunology Collection was launched alongside the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS) 2025 annual meeting in Boston, where Dr. Tan’s work was highlighted. The study was also featured by OncoDaily, a global oncology news platform.
What the study found
Dr. Tan’s research uncovers how certain immune cells inside tumours can be reprogrammed to weaken the body’s natural defences. The study showed that regulatory T cells (Tregs), which normally prevent excessive immune reactions, can be converted from infection-fighting T helper cells once they enter the tumour environment. These converted Tregs then suppress cancer-fighting CD8+ T cells, allowing tumours to grow.
When these suppressor cells were blocked or removed in experimental models, the immune system regained its ability to attack cancer cells. The findings highlight a previously unknown pathway in which “good” immune cells are turned into “suppressor” cells, opening new possibilities for cancer immunotherapy.
The paper has also attracted attention beyond academia. John Gordon, Co-Founder and Director of Scientific Affairs at Celentyx, described it as a “breaking study” that reveals how Tregs suppress anti-tumour immunity via CD39, pointing to its potential for future cancer therapies.
“Breaking study… reveals how Tregs develop in the TME (tumour microenvironment) to suppress anti-tumour immunity via CD39.”
– John Gordon, Celentyx
Recognition from Sigma Xi
Dr. Tan was also recently accepted as an Associate Member of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honour Society. Established in 1886 at Cornell University, Sigma Xi counts more than 200 Nobel laureates among its members.
Her nomination acknowledged her contributions from postgraduate studies at UNIMAS under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Sim Sai Peng, through to her postdoctoral work at Tsinghua University. Her earlier first-author publications include papers in Cell & Bioscience, Human Genomics, and BMC Cancer.
Building on UNIMAS foundations
Dr. Tan holds an MSc in Cancer Molecular Genetics and a PhD in Medical Science (Cancer Biology) from UNIMAS, followed by postdoctoral training in Cancer Immunology at Tsinghua University. Her achievements, now registered under UNIMAS, further enhance the international profile of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. HH
Certificate confirming Dr. Tan Sang Nee’s election as an Associate Member of Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, 2025
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