Research Fellow – Spinal Cord Injury & Neural Tissue Engineering

About the role

The laboratory of Prof. Sing Yian Chew (NTU) and Prof. Shawn Je (Duke‑NUS) seeks a highly motivated Research Fellow to lead in‑vivo spinal cord injury experiments focused on neural tissue engineering. The role involves cell and scaffold implantation in rat models to advance neural regeneration strategies.

Key responsibilities

• Design, plan and independently execute spinal cord injury microsurgery and implantation studies in rats.
• Perform behavioural assessments to evaluate functional recovery.
• Characterise tissue‑scaffold interactions using immunofluorescent and histochemical staining.
• Acquire and analyse confocal microscopy images of tissue responses.
• Conduct complementary assays such as western blotting and quantitative RT‑PCR.
• Interpret results, prepare manuscripts for high‑impact journals, and present findings at conferences.
• Supervise and train junior lab members to ensure smooth operation of the research program.

Required profile

• Ph.D. in neuroscience, bioengineering, regenerative medicine or a related discipline.
• Proven experience with rodent spinal cord injury microsurgery and in‑vivo studies.
• Strong track record of scientific communication and manuscript preparation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.

Required skills

• Spinal cord injury microsurgery in rodents.
• Rodent behavioural testing.
• Immunofluorescent and histochemical tissue staining.
• Confocal fluorescence microscopy.
• Western blot analysis.
• Quantitative RT‑PCR (preferred).

What we offer

• Opportunity to lead cutting‑edge research in neural tissue engineering.
• Collaboration with leading institutions worldwide (MIT, Osaka, Nagoya, NUS).
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities and mentorship from senior investigators.
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.