Prof Christina Chai obtained her BSc (Hons) from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand and her PhD in synthetic organic chemistry from the Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra under the mentorship of the late Professor Athel Beckwith, FRS. Following her PhD, she was awarded a Samuel and Violette Glasstone Research fellowship at the University of Oxford, UK where she studied bioorganic reaction mechanisms. This was followed by a Faculty position in the Department of Chemistry, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ (1991-1993) and the Department and Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University (1994-2004) where she was Associate Professor.

She joined the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences as a Principal Scientist and Programme Manager of the New Synthesis Techniques and Applications (NSTA) Programme from 2004 till 2011. From 2008-2011, she also held a co-appointment as Director of Graduate Affairs, Science and Engineering Research Council, A*STAR. From August 2011-Dec 2015, Prof Chai held a joint appointment as Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore and the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR. She was Deputy Head of Department from Jan 2013-April 2014 and Assistant Dean in the Faculty of Science, NUS, from June 2013 till Dec 2015. Prof Chai is currently Head of Department since Jan 2016.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
http://pharmacy.nus.edu.sg/profile_christinachai/