Join Us
Be a part of creating the next-generation technologies needed in brain aging and disease.
We are looking for candidates at the levels of postdoc, graduate student, and RA to develop novel tools to solve major problems in brain aging and neurodegeneration.
HKUST is in Clear Water Bay, one of the most beautiful locations in Hong Kong, which boasts a world-class, fast-paced, and well-funded research environment. Work and student visas for international researchers at HKUST are straightforward to acquire and renew. The official language of the University is English and the official languages of Hong Kong are English and Chinese.
Send InquiryProspective Graduate Student Information
Most graduate admissions at HKUST use a direct-admit system whereby the applicant and the Principal Investigator commit to each other before application, streamlining admission. Shuken Lab applicants may choose either the Chemistry or Life Science graduate track and begin in either February 2027 or August 2027; depending on start date, applications are due in October 2026 or May 2027, respectively.
In lieu of a rotation system, RA positions are available to prospective students who wish to do research in the Shuken Lab before committing to a graduate program.
Students in the Shuken Lab pursuing a PhD will be enrolled in a 2-year MPhil program with a plan to subsequently enroll in a 3-year PhD program. Both programs will be fully funded and the student will receive a standard graduate student's stipend throughout.
HKUST incentivizes PIs to take MPhil/PhD students from abroad, including from North America, to further support the diverse, international nature of research at HKUST.
Positions
See below the positions we are looking to fill at the levels of postdoc, graduate student, and RA.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Chemistry
- Candidate must hold a PhD degree by 2027 and be available to start work in July 2027 or earlier; candidates able to start earlier in the year will be given preference.
- Expert organic synthesis skills are required, including moisture- and oxygen-sensitive reactions. PhD in synthetic organic chemistry or chemical biology is preferred.
- Candidate must be open to learning chemical biology, probe design, probe structure optimization, medicinal chemistry, mass spectrometry-based proteomics, cell culture, and/or mouse work.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: Neurobiology
- Candidate must hold a PhD degree by 2027 and be available to start work in July 2027 or earlier; candidates able to start earlier in the year will be given preference.
- PhD in mouse neurobiology is preferred.
- Preferred skills: mouse perfusion, dissection of brain substructures, stereotactic injection, fluid collection, immunohistochemistry, confocal imaging, image analysis, and cell culture.
- Candidate must be open to learning chemical biology and/or mass spectrometry-based proteomics.
MPhil/PhD Student
All candidates must either:
- be available to apply for graduate studies in October 2026 and start MPhil/PhD studies in February 2027, and hold a Bachelor's degree by December 2026;
- or
- be available to apply for graduate studies in May 2026 and start MPhil/PhD studies in August 2027, and hold a Bachelor's degree by June 2026.
See above, “Prospective Graduate Student Information,” for details about admission to MPhil/PhD programs via the Shuken Lab.
- Undergraduate education in chemistry, chemical biology, biology, neuroscience, or related field, with significant research experience, is required.
- Must be passionate about tackling problems in aging-related neurodegeneration.
- Must be open to learning synthetic organic chemistry, probe design, probe structure optimization, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, cell biology, mouse neurobiology, mouse dissection, mouse surgery, cell culture, and/or mass spectrometry-based proteomics.
Research Assistant
- Candidate must hold a Bachelor's degree by December 2026 and be available to start work in January 2027.
- Candidates interested in pursuing a career in research, and/or graduate studies in the Shuken Lab, will be preferred.
- Undergraduate education in chemistry, chemical biology, biology, neuroscience, or related field, with significant research experience, is required.
- Must be passionate about tackling problems in aging-related neurodegeneration.
- Must be open to learning synthetic organic chemistry, probe design, probe structure optimization, chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, cell biology, mouse neurobiology, mouse dissection, mouse surgery, cell culture, and/or mass spectrometry-based proteomics.