Senior/Research Fellow, Oligonucleotide Chemistry [LKCMedicine] Full-time

Lipid-Oligonucleotide Chemist

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 Skin Research Institute of Singapore is a world-class research institute that focuses on translating the latest innovations in skin biology into practical applications for dermatology and personal care. We work closely with industry to realize our vision. SRIS is deeply integrated into Singapore's research ecosystem, ensuring its continued scientific excellence and providing its staff with the best opportunities for professional growth and development. Within SRIS, the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine's Skin Program focuses on inflammation and immunology, with a strong translational pipeline integrating world-leading upstream research with expertise in drug delivery and clinical dermatology.

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Lipid-Oligonucleotide Chemist to join our drug delivery team focused on advancing oligonucleotide therapeutics. This individual will play a key role in the design, synthesis, purification, and analytical characterization of lipid conjugates and chemically modified oligonucleotides to enable targeted delivery of nucleic acid-based drugs to skin tissues. The ideal candidate brings deep technical knowledge, cross-functional collaboration skills, and a passion for innovation in delivery science.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, synthesize, purify, and analyze novel lipid molecules and lipid-oligonucleotide conjugates to support RNA and oligonucleotide delivery programs.
• Develop and optimize synthetic strategies for lipid building blocks and lipid-drug conjugates.
• Apply analytical techniques (e.g., NMR, LC-MS, HPLC) to assess structure, purity, and physicochemical properties of novel compounds.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on lipid chemistry and delivery systems within cross-functional project teams.
• Interpret complex data and provide actionable insights to project stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of formulation strategies including lipid-oligonucleotide systems.
• Prepare technical reports, patent filings, and scientific presentations; present results at internal and external meetings.
• Collaborate with external CROs, CMOs, and academic partners to support scale-up, synthesis, and technology transfer as needed.

Competencies and Qualification Requirements:

• PhD in Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Lipid Chemistry, or related field with 5–10 years of relevant post-graduate industry experience.
• Proven expertise in synthetic lipid chemistry, oligonucleotide conjugation, and nucleoside analog synthesis.
• Strong background in purification and analytical characterization (e.g., NMR, LC/MS, particle sizing, UV-vis spectroscopy).
• Hands-on experience with chemically modified oligonucleotides, lipids and bioconjugation.
• Demonstrated scientific impact through peer-reviewed publications, patents, or conference presentations.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills.
• Experience with outsourced research, formulation development, or drug development is a plus.