Tam's research focuses on non-visual (cognitive) effects of environmental light and the impact of light pollution on brain health. He has published papers as a lead author in academic journals including PNAS, Journal of Behavioral Addictions, Translational Psychiatry, Journal of Neuroscience, and Proceedings of the Royal Society B. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include Biological Basis of Behavior, Research Methods in Neuroscience, and Computational Neuroscience.

He received his B.Sc. Psychology (1st class honors), M.Sc. Psychological Research Methods (Distinction), and Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience from the University of Nottingham, England. Before joining Duke Kunshan, he was a postdoctoral neuroscientist at the University of Oxford from 2011 to 2023. His current research is funded by Kunshan Shuangchuang Innovative Leading Talent Program and Duke Provost Fund for Duke–Duke Kunshan University Collaboration.