Research Fellow [LKCMedicine] Full-time

Research Fellow Position

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.

The Molecular and Cellular Dysfunction in Diabetes Laboratory, led by Associate Professor Yusuf Ali, combines in vitro systems biology, advanced imaging, in vivo models and multi-omics technologies to elucidate pathways critical to type 2 diabetes mellitus pathogenesis, with focus on pancreatic and immune function. The team is moving into molecular nutrition, harnessing the power of novel ingredients and prebiotics to mitigate the rise of persons living with diabetes. A laboratory under the Nutrition, Metabolism and Health programme, our work seeks for causality so that we can translate mechanistic insights into therapeutic strategies for mitigating type 2 diabetes and related metabolic conditions.

We are seeking a passionate and motivated Research Fellow to contribute to a high-impact project exploring how intracellular lipid regulation is altered under different diets and how the endocrine pancreas can be better protected under obesity and metabolically dysregulated conditions. As type 2 diabetes is also a condition of low grade chronic inflammation, expertise on studying how circulating immune cells interact with tissue-specific immune cells will be a plus. The project investigates molecular mechanisms underpinning cell stress and resilience, integrating in vitro and in vivo studies using genetically modified mouse models, human islets, and multi-omics approaches. This position is ideal for researchers with a strong interest in lipid metabolism, autophagy/lipophagy, and diabetes pathophysiology.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct various in vitro assays/experiments, including histology, western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, etc.
• Perform in vivo experiments, animal studies
• Computational biology to integrate results and generate list of perturbed pathways
• Contribute to research grant proposal applications, including literature review and preliminary data
• Contribute to research deliverables, such as manuscript writing, attending local and/or international conferences
• Mentor and supervision of undergraduate/PhD students and junior research staff
• Collaborate effectively with the research teams to achieve overall research goals and objectives

Required educational qualification, experience, skills and competencies:

• PhD in Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, or related field
• At least 2-3 years of relevant experience in molecular biology, cell culture, imaging, or metabolic disease models
• Strong technical proficiency in laboratory techniques such as immunoblotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, qPCR, and animal handling
• Familiarity with regulatory standards, good laboratory practices and experience with IACUC protocols
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to draft scientific manuscripts and presentations
• Strong organizational, motivational and self-driven skills, with a team-plater attitude
• (Entry-level candidates with strong experimental skills and interest in metabolic disease research are welcome to apply)