Research Fellow (Peptide Chemistry and Biophysics)

The School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) provides a vibrant and nurturing environment for staff and students to carry out inter-disciplinary research in key areas such as Computational Materials Science, Characterisation Materials Science, Defence Composite Materials, Functional Composite Materials, Energy, Nanomaterials, Low Dimensional Materials, Biomaterials Materials, Biological Materials, Bioinspired Materials and Sustainable Materials.

We are looking for a Research Fellow to work on the development of drug carriers for nucleic acid therapeutics, such as mRNA. The successful candidate will have expertise in peptide chemistry and engineering, biophysical characterization using spectroscopic techniques such as CD, FTIR, QCM-D and AFM. The primary objective of this position is to develop and optimize nano-size carriers for nucleic acid delivery, focusing on mRNA therapeutics. The successful candidate will work closely within an interdisciplinary team that will develop a platform to deliver nucleic acids inside mammalian cells, and will include experts in mRNA production, molecular dynamic simulations, and in vivo studies.

Key Responsibilities:

1. To develop and optimize our proprietary peptide-based nanocarriers capable of delivering nucleic acids inside mammalian cells.
2. To carry out biophysical characterization of the carriers using CD, FTIR, AFM, QCM-D.
3. To closely work with other researchers designing in vivo studies of the same therapeutics.
4. To mentor post-graduate students, write scientific papers, and interact with our expert collaborators in mRNA therapeutics and in vivo studies.
5. To produce high quality bimonthly reports and documents that consolidate research findings.

Job Requirements:

1. PhD degree in materials science, chemistry, bioengineering or related field.
2. At least 5 years of relevant experience in peptide chemistry, biophysical techniques such as Atomic Force Microscopy, Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D). Technical hands-on experience in mammalian cell culture.
3. Good written and oral communication skills.
4. Competent in information visualization.
5. Ability to work independently, meticulous and eye for details, excellent organizational/time management skills, and strong interpersonal skills to work with our collaborators.

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.