Full PhD Scholarship from the National University of Singapore (NUS) for Developing Supramolecular Drug and Biocompatible Artificial Molecular Machine

[Chongzi]

Assistant Professor Dr TIAN Chong from NUS Pharmacy is looking for highly competent PhD candidates to create biocompatible molecular machines for drug discovery. The candidates should have bachelor/master degree(s) in chemistry (organic synthesis, supramolecular chemistry or medicinal chemistry) with a strong interest in research. More information about Assistant Professor TIAN Chong and the research group can be found via this link: www.tianlab.net

About the Research Opportunity: The successful applicant will receive a full scholarship that covers stipend and tuition fee, and have the opportunity to collaborate with companies to develop cutting-edge technologies in pharmaceutical science. The successful applicant will enrol in August 2023. 

For more information, please contact Dr TIAN Chong at chong21@nus.edu.sg with the subject title “PhD application + name + university”.

About the PhD Supervisor: Dr TIAN Chong completed her B. Eng. degree in pharmaceutical engineering at China Pharmaceutical University and achieved her Ph.D. degree at Tsinghua University working on natural product total synthesis. In 2018, she joined the group of Prof. David Leigh at the University of Manchester as a postdoctoral fellow. During this time, she worked on mechanically interlocked molecules and molecular machines. In 2021, she started her independent career as an assistant professor (tenure track) in the Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore. Currently, her main research interests focus on the development of biocompatible molecular machines and mechanically interlocked molecules and investigating their applications in drug discovery and delivery.

Publications:

1. M. Li; X. L. Chia; C. Tian*; Y. Zhu*. Mechanically planar chiral rotaxanes through catalytic desymmetrization. Chem 2022, 8, 1. Co-corresponding Author

2. L. Binks^†; C. Tian^†; S. D. P. Fielden; I. J. VItorica-Yrezabal; D. A. Leigh*. Transamidation-Driven Molecular Pumps. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2022, 144, 15838-15844. Co-first Author

3. J. Echavarren^†; M. A. Y. Gall; A. Haertsch^†; D. A. Leigh*; J. T. J. Spence^†; D. J. Tetlow; C. Tian^†. Sequence-Specific Decapeptide Synthesis by the Parallel Operation of Two Artificial Molecular Machines. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 5158-5165. Co-first Author

4. C. Tian^†; S. D. P. Fielden^†; B. Pérez-Saavedra; I. J. Vitorica-Yezabal; D. A. Leigh*. Single-step enantioselective synthesis of mechanically planar chiral [2]rotaxanes using a chiral leaving group strategy. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 9803-9808. Co-first Author

- Highlighted by: ‘Point to Mechanically Chiral Planes’, T. M. Swager, B. McDonald, Synfacts, 2020, 16, 0917.

5. C. Tian^†; S. D. P. Fielden^†; G. F. S. Whitehead, I. J. VItorica-Yrezabal; D. A. Leigh*. Weak functional group interactions revealed through metal-free active template rotaxane synthesis. Nat. Commun. 2020, 11, 744. Co-first Author

- Featured in Nat. Commun. Focus: Nanoscale & Supramolecular Chemistry. Highlighted by: ‘Party of Rotaxanes’, T. M. Swager, Q. He, Synfacts, 2020, 16, 0405.

6. R. Y. Bao; C. Tian; H. Y. Zhang; Z. G. Wang; Z. Dong; Y. H. Li; M. H. Gao; H. L. Zhang; G. Liu*; Y. F. Tang*. Total Syntheses of Asperchalasines A-E. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 14216–14220.

7. C. Tian; X. Q. Lei; Y. H. Wang; Z. Dong; G. Liu*; Y. F. Tang*. Total Syntheses of Periconiasins A-E. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2016, 55, 6992–6996.

- Highlighted by: ‘Syntheses of Periconiasins A-E’, E. M. Carreira, P. Sondermann, Synfacts, 2016, 12, 0660.