Tan Mei Jin Melisa has served in various administrative, finance, policy, and research roles in the Singapore Public Service, non-profit, and social sectors since 2006. She has worked in health-related agencies (Singapore General Hospital, Health Promotion Board, and Ministry of Health) and educational institutions (INSEAD Asia Campus and National University of Singapore) based in Singapore. She is currently Head, Government Scientific Advisors Office at the National Research Foundation, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore.
Melisa has conducted research on health policy and health systems in Asia with a focus on Singapore and the global context. Her specific areas of expertise include governance and policy in the context of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and COVID-19. She has published two book chapters on NCDs and tuberculosis control in edited books launched by the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies and European Respiratory Society respectively. She has also published several articles on health policy and systems, NCDs, and COVID-19 in journals such as The Lancet, British Medical Journal and Nature Medicine. She has conducted peer reviews of manuscripts for journals.
Melisa was an executive committee member of Engineering Good (2014-2016), secretary of International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) Singapore Chapter (2017-2018), member of Population Association of Singapore (2021-2024), and associate editor of Journal of Migration and Health (2022-2024). She is currently a member of ISPOR Singapore Chapter.
Melisa graduated with a Diploma in Electronics, Computer, and Communication Engineering from Singapore Polytechnic, an Advanced Diploma in Accounting and Business from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, and a Master of Science in International Political Economy from Nanyang Technological University. She obtained her PhD in Public Health with a concentration in Health Policy and Systems Research focusing on governance and policy from the National University of Singapore.
Melisa enjoys thinking, reading, writing, walking; exploring cultures, history, and nature; and learning new skills beyond her formal training.
RESEARCH AREAS
Governance, Health Policy, Health Systems, Policy Analysis, Public Health, and Public Policy
MEDIA COVERAGE
Quoted in NUS News: Is population change as serious a threat as climate change? 26 May 2023.
Quoted in Le Point: Les stratégies asiatiques pour creuser l’écart (Translated title: “Asian strategies to widen the gap”) 20 November 2020.
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Note: Unless otherwise stated, Tan Mei Jin Melisa’s writings and social media posts should not be seen as reflecting the views of her former and current employers as she writes in a personal capacity. Also, unless otherwise stated, it should not be interpreted as offering or denying support for any individual or group.