Jue Sheng Ong
Dr | Research Officer
+61 7 3362 0214juesheng.ong@qimrberghofer.edu.au
CAREER HISTORY
Dr. Jue Sheng Ong is a NHMRC (EL1) Investigator, currently a senior research officer in the Statistical Genetics group (MacGregor lab) in the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute. Dr. Ong completed his PhD training (conferred in 2019) in the same lab under the supervision of Prof. Stuart MacGregor, where his thesis had a strong focus on genetic causal inference on multiple cancers.
Whilst Dr Ong’s primary expertise is in conducting and designing causal inference analyses for common cancers, Dr Ong also made significant contributions on various other consortia-led large gene-mapping efforts on various other human complex traits (ophthalmological traits, behavioural phenotypes and gut disorders). Currently, Dr Ong is exploring strategies to empower under-represented populations in Australia through promoting genetic research participation, as part of his NHMRC Investigator funded research activities on genetics of diverse ancestry. As part of these efforts, Dr Ong is actively involved in planning research capacity building activities in genomic science and assist with precision medicine programs in these populations. He was awarded the QIMR Berghofer Postdoctoral prize for 2023.
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS
- Senior Research Officer (2023-Present) – QIMR Berghofer Statistical Genetics laboratory
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS
- Research Officer (2019-2023) – QIMR Berghofer Statistical Genetics laboratory
- Research Assistant (2019) – QIMR Berghofer Statistical Genetics laboratory
ORCID NUMBER
RESEARCHER ID
CURRENT AREA OF RESEARCH
- Capacity building for enabling genetic research in under-represented population.This includes the establishment of the QIMR Genetics of Diverse Ancestry framework, designed to better characterise and understand the needs of different stakeholders in genetic research, facilitate common understanding and develop strategies to engage under-represented populations in Australia for genetic studies on age-related disorders. Abroad, Dr. Ong is currently working with researchers from the Malaysian Ministry of Health and Malaysian academics, to drive pilot projects for various precision medicine initiatives, assess practicality of genetic information for risk-stratification in the Malaysian healthcare landscape and co-develop training programs in genomic sciences.
- Exploration of novel statistical techniques to understand genetic substructures embedded in complex diseases. The current application of this techniques is on understanding why some reflux patients develop pathological forms of acid reflux, and hence progresses into Barrett’s Esophagus (and esophageal cancer), while others do not.
- Investigating the influence of genetic ancestry on polygenic prediction of complex diseases. Currently, Dr. Ong is involved in designing statistical models for polygenic risk prediction for glaucoma and related ophthalmological traits that is robust towards genetic admixture.
- Causal inference for cancers in diverse populations. As genomic research grows larger and achieves racial diversity to promote better health equity worldwide, it is important to understand which risk factors for cancers are potentially ancestry-specific, and why some of them aren’t. This work will involve the use of very large biobanks and collaboration with major cancer consortia in both Europeans as well as other ethnicities.
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
- 2023: Derived a framework for the reporting of polygenic findings for glaucoma risk, for individuals of admixed ancestries. The study reveals that trans-ethnic genetic prediction models, outperforms traditional (single ancestry) models in predicting genetic risk of glaucoma among individuals with African and European mixed heritage.
- 2023: Showed that the relationship between balding and skin cancers, are likely explained by consequence of chronic sun exposure, rather than changes in male sex-hormones levels (e.g. Testosterones) using very large scale genetic data. This is also supported by stratified analyses on different body sites, where we revealed that the observed genetically-inferred relationship seems to be specific to skin cancers at the scalp region using data from the Melanoma Institute of Australia.
- 2021: Mapped more genetic risk loci for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett’s Esophagus through multi-trait genetic association models, more than doubling the number of risk loci known to date for GERD and Barrett’s Esophagus. For the first time, showed that the genetic architecture of GERD is highly complex, nesting both pathological and non-pathological forms of GERD, which have different downstream implications on risk of Barrett’s Esophagus – confirming previous clinical observations.
- 2018: Applied Mendelian randomization framework in taste biology – showed that bitter taste perception is potentially causal towards consumption behaviour of tea, coffee and alcohol. The study received exceptional media attention; paper voted top 100 papers in Scientific Report for 2018.
- 2017: Initiated the series of Mendelian randomization studies utilizing a pan-cancer phenotype, to probe the association between overall cancer outcomes and a range of common modifiable risk factors (e.g. height, obesity, vitamin D, fatty acids). Study presented in a platform presentation in the prestigious American Society of Human Genetics meeting.
- 2016: Published the first Mendelian randomization studies for vitamin D and ovarian cancer risk. Showing that vitamin D is potentially protective towards high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- American Society of Human Genetics
- Australian Society of Medical Research
AWARDS RECOGNITION
- Recipient of NHMRC Investigator grant 2022 (Category EL1).
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
2019 – Doctor of Philosophy, Medicine (University of Queensland)
2014 – Master of Mathematical Sciences (ANU)
2013 – Graduate Certificate of Studies (ANU)
2012 – Bachelor of Actuarial Studies (ANU)