Potomac, MD – Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Cha-Mei Tang is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Professional Member Inner Circle of Excellence for her contributions to Pioneering Cancer Diagnostics and Cancer Screening by a blood test based on a type of revolutionary tumor associated cell. This laboratory procedure is performed primarily by the Creatv Bio Division of Creatv MicroTech.
Dr. Cha-Mei Tang, a well-known innovator in cancer diagnostics and cancer screening, has dedicated the past 15 years toward advancing technologies that transform the landscape of cancer care. Dr. Tang has spearheaded groundbreaking research, including the development of a revolutionary LifeTracDx® blood test for cancer diagnostics. As a microfabrication company in 2010, the company developed a microfilter with the goal to capture circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood of cancer patients. From the first patient sample, the microfilter captured a lot of giant cells that were previously ignored by cancer researchers, Dr. Tang and her colleague, Daniel L. Adams, now the Chief Scientific Officer, lead the systematical analysis of those cells and found that they are macrophages that engulf tumor cells. Dr. Tang’s team called them cancer associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs).
Creatv showed that CAMLs are the most useful biomarkers available for cancer screening and cancer diagnostics. CAMLs are found in all types of cancer and in all stages, but not in healthy individuals. The number and biological features of the CAMLs can provide valuable information (https://creatvbio.com).
Dr. Tang’s current focus is on cancer diagnostics. LifeTracDx® blood test is applicable to all types of cancer. LifeTracDx® can (1) predict treatment response in ~30 days after first dose of treatment, (2) provide companion diagnostics – not requiring tissue, (2) provide real time prognosis at any time, (3) monitor biomarker expression or change of biomarker – example: change of PD-L1 expression on the tumor. PD-L1 expression predicts treatment response of immunotherapy, (4) detect cancer recurrence and minimal residual disease (MRD), and (5) deliver high quality tumor DNA for sequencing. LifeTracDx® blood tests provide physicians and patients with critical insights into cancer diagnostics, saving and improving lives.
Dr. Tang’s academic achievements stem from her earning multiple degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), including a Doctor of Science, Master of Science, and Bachelor of Science, all in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. After graduation, she performed research on relativistic electron beams and free electron lasers as Head of the Radiation and Accelerator Physics Section at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). She also took a sabbatical at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) before founding Creatv MicroTech. Her interdisciplinary expertise bridges physics, engineering, microfabrication and biological science, driving the cutting-edge innovations that define her career.
Recognized for her many contributions, Dr. Tang has received numerous prestigious awards. These include being named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1990, receiving the WISE Award for Science for the Most Outstanding Woman Scientist in the Federal Government in 1992, and being honored as a Senior Member of the IEEE in 1995. Her innovative work also earned the R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine in 2006, and her company, Creatv MicroTech, was named Bioscience Company of the Year in Montgomery County Maryland in 2013. Dr. Tang was inducted into Marquis Who’s Who in 2024.
Dr. Tang is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), American Physical Society (APS), and IEEE. She and her colleagues at Creatv regularly present their research at conferences and publish findings that advance the field of cancer diagnostics and cancer screening.
Creatv recently obtained CLIA approval, enabling the performance of some of the LifeTracDx® blood tests at its CLIA-certified laboratory at Monmouth Junction, NJ initially focusing on improving outcomes for cancer patients. Creatv is continuing to apply for more CLIA approved tests. Creatv is also starting to apply for FDA approvals for various cancer diagnostics applications. Her dedication to innovation and saving lives underscores her vision of a future where cancer is detected earlier, when it matters most, and can be treated faster and more effectively.
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