Research Assistant, Microbiology/Molecular Biology [LKCMedicine]

at  NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine is recruiting a Research Assistant for the Respiratory and Infectious Diseases Programme, Laboratory of Antimicrobial Resistance and Drug Discovery under Professor Pablo Bifani.
Antimicrobial resistance is set to be one of this century’s major public health challenges. As microorganisms become ever more resistant to existing antimicrobials, only a handful of new drugs have entered the clinic over this century. As such alternative strategies are required to overcome existing challenges. Over the past years, the lab has focused in developing recombinant bacteriophages (phages) with therapeutic potentials for the treatment of otherwise untreatable recalcitrant or multidrug resistant infections. We are looking for a Research Assistant to join a dynamic team working on phage therapy.

Key Responsibilities:

• Carry-out forward and reverse genetics on mycobacterial species, as well as drug susceptibility assays, genomic and transcriptomic analysis and related skills.
• Responsible for the M. tuberculosis project in the lab.
• Bacterial assay development, assay optimization and compound screening.
• Target deconvolution (understanding mechanisms of action and resistance of selected compounds).
• Design and conduct experiments including data collection and analysis.
• Summarize and present the data in lab meetings.
• Develop new research techniques and approaches.
• Manage the grant and basic logistical requirements associated with the project.
• Perform maintenance of inventory and procurement of laboratory consumables.
• Ensure safe technical practices and procedures.

Key Competencies and Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences or related fields.
• Background in microbiology and ideally bacteriophages and familiar with basic molecular biology techniques, including recombinant work, genomic and transcriptomic work as well as drug susceptibility assays, kill kinetics, etc.
• Knowledge or expertise working with bacteriophages.
• Willing to learn and feel comfortable working with various bacterial species.
• Highly adaptable at working with different organisms and techniques.
• Collaborative spirit with internal and external collaborators.

Hiring Institution: LKC

• Carry-out forward and reverse genetics on mycobacterial species, as well as drug susceptibility assays, genomic and transcriptomic analysis and related skills.
• Responsible for the M. tuberculosis project in the lab.
• Bacterial assay development, assay optimization and compound screening.
• Target deconvolution (understanding mechanisms of action and resistance of selected compounds).
• Design and conduct experiments including data collection and analysis.
• Summarize and present the data in lab meetings.
• Develop new research techniques and approaches.
• Manage the grant and basic logistical requirements associated with the project.
• Perform maintenance of inventory and procurement of laboratory consumables.
• Ensure safe technical practices and procedures