Dr Yong-Gang (Tyler) Chang is a biochemist and structural biologist, internationally recognised for his research in the fields of Circadian Biology (University of California, Merced; 2009-2017) and Cancer Signalling (Monash University; 2018-present).

He has an exceptional and consistent track record of highly impactful and groundbreaking research findings, as evidenced by numerous publications in prestigious general-science journals. These include four articles in PNAS (2011 and 2012 first author, 2010 and 2018 co-author), two in Science (2015 first author, 2017 co-author), one in Science Signaling (2021 co-author), one in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2022 first author and co-corresponding author) and one in Nature (2024 co-author).

Dr Chang’s pioneering work in the structural biology of biological clocks has earned him a global reputation. One of his major contributions to the field was demystifying the day-to-night transition mechanism of the model cyanobacterial clock at the atomic level.

He discovered that protein fold switch or gymnastics is the linchpin of the cyanobacterial clock. This “fold switch” mechanism not only elegantly underlies the day-to-night transition mechanism of the clock, but also beautifully couples the propagation of the clock rhythm via output pathways to effect ~24 h rhythmic gene expression. This knowledge provides a framework for understanding all biological clocks including those endogenous of humans that have been implicated in metabolism, immunity, aging and cancer. The impact of his findings is evidenced by his two PNAS papers (2011 and 2012) and two Science articles (2015 and 2017), and invitations to present his work at national and international conferences.

Since recruitment to Monash University in 2018, he has made transformative research breakthroughs in the field of cancer signalling—the initiation, growth and metastasis of breast cancer and melanoma. As an example, his work—published in Nature Structural & Molecular Biology (2022) as first author and co-corresponding author—revealed an unexpected two-layered autoinhibitory mechanism of the metastatic factor P-Rex1. This study provided a structural framework for understanding cancer-associated mutations, thereby enabling the distinction between driver and passenger mutations and supporting the development of therapeutics targeting P-Rex1.

In March 2025, Dr Chang joined the Laboratory of Translational Immunology at Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre (PFMCC). Here, he leads research in Structural and Molecular Engineering for Cancer Immunotherapy.

Dr Chang possesses a unique skill set of leveraging major biophysical techniques including Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry (HDX-MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), X-ray crystallography and Cryo-EM. His successful application of advanced techniques has uncovered the fundamental biological mechanisms underlying biological clocks and cancer; this attests to his proven capability to successfully deliver on research goals.

Mounting evidence underscores the connection between the circadian clock, immunology, and cancer. At PFMCC, Dr Chang is dedicated to advancing translational studies in cancer immunotherapy and chronotherapy through synergistic interaction and collaborative research efforts.