Assoc Prof Ong Chin-Ann Johnny

A/Prof Johnny Ong is the Head and Senior Consultant in the Department of Sarcoma, Peritoneal and Rare Tumours (SPRinT), Division of Surgery and Surgical Oncology, National Cancer Centre Singapore and Singapore General Hospital. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics, NCCS.

Dr Ong specialises in the management of sarcomas, melanoma, gastrointestinal cancers and peritoneal disease. He was awarded the Health Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) Fellowship in 2018 to train at one of the largest soft tissue sarcoma units in Europe at the Royal Marsden Hospital, UK, and is currently one of the only formally trained surgeons for sarcoma in Singapore. Dr Ong was also trained in the advanced management of melanomas at the Royal Marsden Hospital, UK, and the management of Peritoneal Surface Oncology with the European School of Peritoneal Surface Oncology (ESPSO).

Scientifically, Dr Ong leads the Laboratory of Applied Human Genetics to push the frontiers of finding new cures for patients with complex oncological problems. He has obtained numerous national grants, including the NMRC Clinician Scientist Award and Clinician Scientist-Individual Research Grants, and is a co-theme PI and co-I for the NMRC Open Fund-Large Collaborative Grant for gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, respectively.

Dr Ong is also passionate about medical education and mentoring medical students, junior doctors, and young aspiring clinician-scientists. Since 2013, Dr Ong has assisted with the training of regional doctors to improve health care in South-East Asia on endoscopy, clinical algorithm and surgery. He teaches medical students from the three local medical schools and have received numerous Teaching and Special Recognition Awards through the years. Dr Ong continues to strive to inspire the next generation of clinicians and clinician-scientists.

• Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), FRCS, 2016
• National University of Singapore (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine), Master of Medicine, 2016
• University of Cambridge (Oncology), PhD, 2013
• Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), MRCS, 2008
• National University of Singapore (Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine), MBBS, 2004

• Physician Faculty Member and Clinical Competency Committee Member, SingHealth Surgery Residency Programme (2025 – Present) 
• Council Member, Clinician-Scientists, Innovators & Investigators (CSI) Network, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academy of Clinician-Scientists, Innovators & Investigators (SDCSA Academy) (2025 – Present) 
• Lead Mentor for CS Development Program, Centre for Clinician-Scientist+ Development (CCS+D), Duke-NUS Medical School (2024 – Present) 
• Director, Resident & Student Research Mentorship Office, SurgeryACP, SingHealth Duke-NUS Academic Medical Centre (2023 – Present) 
• Joint Research Clinician, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), A*STAR Research Entites (2020 – Present)

• Outstanding Faculty Award, SingHealth Residency, 2020-2022, 2024-2025 
• GCEO Outstanding Researcher Award, SingHealth Excellence Award, 2024 
• Special Recognition Award, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, 2017-2021, 2023 
• Clinician Scientist Award, NMRC, 2023 
• Star Award, Singapore Health Quality Service Awards, 2022 
• Silver Award, Singapore Health Quality Service Awards, 2020 
• Health Manpower Development Plan (HMDP) Fellowship, Ministry of Health, 2019 
• Khoo Pilot Award (Collaborative), Duke-NUS Medical School, 2018 
• Transition Award, NMRC, 2017 
• Dean's Excellence Award, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS, 2017 
• Distinguished Young Researcher Award, SingHealth Excellence Awards, 2016 
• Best Registrar Award, SingHealth, 2015 
• NRF-MOH Overseas Scholarship, Ministry of Health, 2008 
• SingHealth Service with a Heart Award, SingHealth, 2008 
• Dean's List, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, 2003

• Cancer metastasis
• Tumour microenvironment
• Biomarkers
• Novel therapeutic strategies

• PIPAC for Peritoneal Metastases (NCT04956068) (Ongoing, Study role: Co-I)

• Wu KZ, Ding RH, Zhao Z…Ong C-AJ*, Fong ELS* (2025) Hydrogel-mediated preservation of live tumour explants for drug development in peritoneal metastases. Adv Mater 37(33): e2418647 (* Co-corresponding authors, JIF: 26.8) 
• Ong C-AJ*^, Zhao JJ*, Liu Y* et al. (2025) Spatial heterogeneity, stromal phenotypes, and therapeutic vulnerabilities in colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis. Clin Cancer Res 31(12): 2515-2529 (* Equal contribution, ^ Co-corresponding authors, JIF: 10.2) 
• Sundar R, Chia DKA, Zhao JJ…Ong C-AJ et al. (2024) Phase 1 PIANO trial-PIPAC-oxaliplatin and systemic nivolumab combination for gastric cancer peritoneal metastases: clinical and translational outcomes. ESMO Open 9(9): 103681(JIF: 8.3) 
• Zhao JJ*, Ong C-AJ*, Srivatsava S et al. (2024) Spatially resolved niche and tumor microenvironmental alterations in gastric cancer peritoneal metastases. Gastroenterology 167(7): 1384-1398.e4 (* Equal contribution, JIF: 25.1) 
• Chia CS, Li Y, Ceelen W, Ong C-AJ* (2023) Editorial: Translational research in the diagnosis and development of therapeutics for peritoneal surface malignancies. Front Oncol 13: 1232993(* Corresponding author, JIF: 3.3) 
• Gwee YX, Chia DKA, So J…Ong C-AJ*, Sundar R* (2022) Integration of genomic biology into therapeutic strategies of gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis. J Clin Oncol 40(24): 2830 (* Co-corresponding authors, JIF: 41.9) 
• Hendrikson J, Liu Y, Ng WH…Ong C-AJ*, Singapore Peritoneal Oncology Study (SPOS) Group and Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium (SGCC) (2022) Ligand-mediated PAI-1 inhibition in a mouse model of peritoneal carcinomatosis. Cell Rep Med 3(2): 100526 (* Corresponding author, JIF: 10.6)