Office Location – Wilmar International Limited, 28 Biopolis, 138568
Affiliations
Adjunct Assistant Professor, NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI)
Biography
Giang is a Wilmar Fellow and Executive Member leading the WIL@NUS Corporate Laboratory. He has filed 20 patents, with 4 licensed to commercial partners, and has published over 30 scientific papers in leading international journals. Giang oversees more than 10 collaborative projects with top academic institutions and global industry partners, driving innovation in nutritional lipid production, synthetic biology, medicinal plant research, and advanced enzyme engineering.
Professional Appointments
Wilmar Fellow and Lead Scientist, Wilmar International Limited, Singapore
Executive Member, WIL@NUS Corporate Laboratory
Education
PhD in Biochemistry, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore
Research Interest
Enzymatic catalysis and biocatalyst development
Protein engineering and directed evolution
Fermentation technology and synthetic biology
Novel nutritional and bioactive lipids
Medicinal plant biochemistry and metabolic engineering
Current Research Projects
Development of next-generation nutritional lipids (DHA, C15, structured lipids)
Enzyme engineering for industrial bioprocesses (lipases, DAG oil, structured fats)
Microalgae fermentation for sustainable omega-3 production
Genome mining and high-throughput screening for novel enzymes
Bioactive lipid discovery for skincare and human health applications
Synthetic biology platforms for high-value biochemicals
Selected Publications
- Butelase 1 is an Asx-specific ligase enabling peptide macrocyclization and synthesis
GKT Nguyen, S Wang, Y Qiu, X Hemu, Y Lian, JP Tam
Nature chemical biology 10 (9), 732-738 - Orally active peptidic bradykinin B1 receptor antagonists engineered from a cyclotide scaffold for inflammatory pain treatment
CTT Wong, DK Rowlands, CH Wong, TWC Lo, GKT Nguyen, HY Li, …
Angewandte Chemie-International Edition 51 (23), 5620 - Enzyme Engineering for High‐Yielding Amide Formation: Lipase‐Catalyzed Synthesis of N‐Acyl Glycines in Aqueous Media Engineering a catalytically efficient recombinant protein ligase
Glen KB Kua, GKT Nguyen, Zhi Li
Angewandte Chemie 135 (14), e202217878 - Enzymatic engineering of live bacterial cell surfaces using butelase 1
X Bi, J Yin, GKT Nguyen, C Rao, NBA Halim, X Hemu, JP Tam, CF Liu
Angewandte Chemie 56 (27) 7822-7825 - Butelase 1: a versatile ligase for peptide and protein macrocyclization
GKT Nguyen, A Kam, S Loo, AE Jansson, LX Pan, JP Tam
Journal of the American Chemical Society 137 (49), 15398-15401 - Butelase-mediated cyclization and ligation of peptides and proteins
GKT Nguyen, Y Qiu, Y Cao, X Hemu, CF Liu, JP Tam
Nature protocols 11 (10), 1977-1988 - Site‐specific N‐terminal labeling of peptides and proteins using butelase 1 and thiodepsipeptide
GKT Nguyen, Y Cao, W Wang, CF Liu, JP Tam
Angewandte Chemie 127 (52), 15920-15924 - Engineering a catalytically efficient recombinant protein ligase
R Yang, Yee H Wong, GKT Nguyen, JP Tam, J Lescar, Bin Wu
Journal of the American Chemical Society 139 (15) 5351-5358 - Total synthesis of circular bacteriocins by butelase 1
X Hemu, Y Qiu, GKT Nguyen, JP Tam
Journal of the American Chemical Society 138 (22), 6968-6971 - Butelase-mediated synthesis of protein thioesters and its application for tandem chemoenzymatic ligation
Y Cao, GKT Nguyen, JP Tam, CF Liu
Chemical Communications 51 (97), 17289-17292
Selected Patents
GKT Nguyen and Tam, J. P. Asx-specific protein ligase (2021) US11124788B2 Granted US Patent · Sep 21, 2021
GKT Nguyen and Tam, J. P., Asx-Specific Protein Ligase (2020) US10590407B2 Granted US Patent
Tam, J. P., GKT Nguyen, Cao, Y., and Liu, CF. (2018) Butelase-mediated peptide ligation. US11091786B2 Granted US Patent
Wu B, Ren L., Lescar J., Yee H., Liu CF., Tam JP, GKT Nguyen, Long Ziqi (2016) Method for enzymatic ligation. US Patent App. 16/336,023
Chow JY, Xue Bo, Lim YP, Yew WS, GKT Nguyen (2021) Scalable Workflow for the Identification of Bacterial Lipases for Biodiesel Production. Provisional patent 10202107587W
Chua NH; HU Peng; GKT Nguyen; Yang RL; YANG Rui; Loh Benjamin; Chew Kia Yong (2021) Fat composition, processing and its applications. Provisional Patent
Yang RL, Zhang HF, Ye WJ, Andre Ng, GKT Nguyen (2018) Polypeptides with Lipase Activity and Uses Thereof. Singapore Provisional Patent 10201811826Y
Yang RL, GKT Nguyen (2019) A Process for Hydrolyzing Oil with High Melting Point by Lipase. PCT/SG2019/050497
Glen Kua, Li Zhi, GKT Nguyen. Synthesis of N-acyl amino acids using lipase in aqueous medium – WN2020LPS05015S
Chow Jeng Yeong, GKT Nguyen (2022) Thermostable Mutant Variant of ROL Lipase for the Production of Structured Lipids Singapore 10202201603Y
Partha Mitra, Lim Lynlie, Chaurasia Alok, Yang Renliang, Yang Rui, GKT Nguyen (2023) Fatty Acid Esters of Hydroxy Fatty Acid. WN2022EFA01028S
Lay Hiang, Albert Xu, Chow JY, Yew WS, GKT Nguyen, NH Chua, Yang RL (2023) Biotechnological Application of Candida antarctica Lipase A & Orthologues – Provisional Patent
Chow Jeng Yeong, David Boy, GKT Nguyen (2024) Solvent Stable Lipase for Enzymatic Biodiesel Production
Glen Kua, Shik Nie, GKT Nguyen (2024) Use of Microalgae for Production of Nutritional Lipids
Sophie Bellanger, Christina Tan, NH Chua, GKT Nguyen, Renliang Yang, Kevin Lim, Xianning Lai (2025) FAHFAs Enhance Filaggrin Expression and Reduce UV-Mediated Inflammation via PPAR Activation. Tech Disclosure
Sophie Bellanger, Christina Tan, NH Chua, GKT Nguyen, Renliang Yang, Kevin Lim, Xianning Lai (2025) FAHFAs Prevent Senescence and Loss of Epidermal Homeostasis in 3D Organotypic Skin Models via PPAR Activation. Tech Disclosure
Glen Kua, Shik Nie, GKT Nguyen (2025) Efficient Co-Production of DHA and Pentadecanoic Acid by Schizochytrium WN2025EFA07045PC
* Corresponding author; # Co-first author
