Rachel EE Pui Lai

Associate Professor Rachel EE Pui Lai is affiliated with the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the National University of Singapore (NUS), part of the Faculty of Science. Her research focuses on cancer therapeutics, antimicrobial peptides, drug delivery systems, and regenerative medicine. She holds a BSc (Pharm) from NUS and a PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Research Interests:

• Development of antimicrobial peptides and peptoids targeting drug-resistant bacteria and mycobacteria.
• Design of hydrogels for stem cell delivery, wound care, and bioprinting applications.
• Wnt signaling pathway modulation in cancer and neuroprotection.

Her work emphasizes translational research, including collaborations with institutions like the University of Tromsø and the Max Planck Institute. Recent studies highlight innovations in peptide-based therapies and biomaterials for combating antibiotic resistance.

Grants & Advising:

• Advises PhD and Master's students on projects involving antimicrobial nanonets, hydrogel engineering, and peptide design.
• Students have won awards such as the 'Best Poster' at the Amgen Scholars Asia Symposium and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship.

Lab Activities:

• The Ee Research Group focuses on pharmaceutical science innovations, including the development of anti-infective biomaterials and drug delivery systems.
• Hosts international conferences and collaborates globally through programs like the IPSF exchange.