Dr Matthew Kang

Matt completed his BSc and MSc in Cancer Pharmacology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He received the University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship for his PhD in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

His doctoral research examined alternative mechanisms underlying fetal microchimerism — the presence of fetal cells throughout the mother’s body during and beyond pregnancy. Matt demonstrated that the placenta releases substantial quantities of extracellular vesicles containing fetal DNA, potentially facilitating this cellular presence in maternal tissues.

Following his PhD, he worked in hospital settings managing and analysing clinical research trials in the Department of Anaesthesia. In February 2025, Matt joined the Frost Lab as a Postdoctoral Associate, investigating transposons as gene regulatory elements in normal placental development and pregnancy complications.