Susanna LEONG
Susanna LEONGAdjunct Professor
Susanna.Leong@SingaporeTech.
edu.sg

Affiliations

Vice President (Applied Research), Singapore Institute of Technology
Professor, Singapore Institute of Technology
Adjunct Professor, NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI)

Biography

Professor Susanna Leong is the Vice President (Applied Research) at the Singapore Institute of Technology.

Her current research interests are in biomolecular engineering and bioprocess engineering for applications in food, healthcare and bioremediation. Her ongoing research projects are done in close partnerships with local enterprises, multinational companies and government agencies with the intent to drive translation.

Prof Leong sits on several national technical panels, including Startup SG Tech and food scientific review panels. She is also an editorial board member for a number of international peer-reviewed scientific journals, including ‘Chemical Engineering Science’ and ‘Food and Bioproducts Processing’.

Prof Leong graduated with a BEng (First Class Honours) and MPhil in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Cambridge University.

Education

PhD (Chemical Engineering) University of Cambridge
MPhil (Chemical Engineering) University of Manchester (UMIST)
BEng (Chemical Engineering) Class 1 (Hons) University of Manchester (UMIST)

Research Interest

Biochemical Engineering
Biomolecular Engineering
Synthetic Biology

Selected Publications

  1. Das S. Pal U., Saha-Dasgupta T., Leong S., 2025. “Combating Fuel Biocontamination: Tailored Antimicrobial Peptides and an Innovative Delivery Strategy” 8: 7672-7683, ACS Applied Bio Materials https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsabm.5c00474.
  2. Onaizi S.A., Leong S.S.J., 2024. “Interactions of human β‑defensin 28 with solid supports mimicking bacterial and mammalian cell membranes” Emergent Materials, Volume 7: 263–273.
  3. Tan J.X., Tan C.C., Dharmawan J., Leong S.S.J., 2023. “Effects of ethanol washing on off-flavours removal and protein functionalities of pea protein concentrate” Food and Bioproducts Processing 141:73-80.
  4. Low J.L., Kao P.S.N., Tambyah P.A., Koh G.L.E., Ling H., Kline K.A., Cheow W.S., Leong S.S.J., 2020, “Development of a polymer-based antimicrobial coating for efficacious urinary catheter protection” Biotechnology Notes https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotno.2020.12.001.
  5. Lim K. Y., Saravanan R., Chong K. L. K., Goh H. M. S, Chua R. R. Y., Tambyah P. A., Chang M.W., Kline K. A., Leong S.S.J., 2018, “Anhydrous polymer-based coating with sustainable controlled release functionality for facile, efficacious impregnation and delivery of antimicrobial peptides” Biotechnology and Bioengineering 115:2000-2012. Featured in B&B Video Highlights.
  6. Yu A., Zhao Y., Pang Y., Hu Z., Zhang C., Xiao D., Chang M.W., Leong S.S.J., 2018, “An oleaginous yeast platform for renewable 1-butanol synthesis based on a heterologous CoA-dependent pathway and an endogenous pathway” Microbial Cell Factories 17:166.
  7. Lim K.Y., Chua R.R.Y., Ho B., Tambyah P.A., Hadinoto K., Leong S.S.J., 2015, “Development of a catheter functionalized by a polydopamine-peptide coating with antimicrobial and anti-biofilm properties” Acta Biomaterialia 15:127-138.
  8. Foo J.L., Jensen H.M., Dahl R.B., George K., Keasling J.D., Lee T.S., Leong S., Mukhopadhyay A., 2014, “Improving Microbial Biogasoline Production in Escherichia coli Using Tolerance Engineering” mBio 5:6; e01932.

* Corresponding author; # Co-first author