Research Assistant /Associate, Structural Biology [LKCMedicine] Full-time

Research Assistant/Associate

The Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine) trains doctors who put patients at the centre of their exemplary care. The School, which offers both undergraduate and graduate programmes, is named after local philanthropist Tan Sri Dato Lee Kong Chian. Established in 2010 by Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in partnership with Imperial College London, LKCMedicine aims to be a model for innovative medical education and a centre for transformative research. The School's primary clinical partner is the National Healthcare Group, a leader in public healthcare recognised for the quality of its medical expertise, facilities and teaching. The School is transitioning to an NTU medical school ahead of the 2028 successful conclusion of the NTU-Imperial partnership to set up a Joint Medical School. In August 2024, we welcomed our first intake of the NTU MBBS programme, that has been recently enhanced to include themes like precision medicine and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, with an expanded scope in the medical humanities. Graduates from the five-year undergraduate medical degree programme will have a strong understanding of the scientific basis of medicine, with an emphasis on technology, data science and the humanities.

Dr. Chuchu Wang's lab is an interdisciplinary research lab integrating cryo-EM/ET, lipidomics, and NMR to study protein–lipid interactions in the brain. The key objective is to support efforts to identify how these interactions contribute to neurological disorders and to discover potential therapeutic targets.

We are looking for a Research Assistant/Associate to explore the molecular and structural mechanisms underlying protein phase separation. The role will focus on investigating the structural basis of condensate formation and the assembly of synaptic protein complexes at near-atomic resolution by cutting-edge technologies cryo-electron microscopy and tomography (cryoEM/ET), and other biochemical and biophysical approaches. This role will have the opportunity to work at the interface of neuroscience, structural biology, advancing our understanding of how synaptic proteins and lipids form liquid-like condensates that regulate neurotransmitter release and synaptic organization, providing possible new strategies or therapies to neurodegenerative diseases.

Key Responsibilities:

• Isolation and purification of synaptic vesicles and proteins from mouse models and E.coli.
• Sample preparation for Cryo-EM and other biophysical assays
• Data collection and image processing of Cryo-EM datasets
• Biochemical characterization of phase separation
• Collaboration with team members to interpret structural and functional data

Required educational qualification, experience, skills and competencies:

• Bachelor's (for Research Assistant) or Master's (for Research Associate) degree in the field of Biological Sciences, preferred Biochemistry, Structural Biology, Biophysics, Neuroscience, or a related field
• Hands-on experience in protein expression, purification and cryoEM sample preparation
• Familiar with microscopy techniques or structural data analysis
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Strong motivation to learn new techniques
• Good analytical and communication skills, with the ability to work well in a team and independently

Hiring Institution: LKC