Sherry AW

• 2020: Asian Scientist 100
• 2019: L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Fellowship International Rising Talent
• 2017: L'Oréal-UNESCO Singapore For Women in Science National Fellowship in Life Sciences gramme

• 2026: National Research Foundation Competitive Research Grant (Lead PI)
• 2025: A*STAR Cell and Gene Therapy Flagship Seed Grant C253623010 (Lead PI)
• 2025: A*STAR Cell and Gene Therapy Flagship Seed Grant C253623008 (Lead PI)
• 2023: A*STAR Innovation & Enterprise (I&E) GAP Award (Lead PI)
• 2021: National Medical Research Council, Open Fund – Individual Research Grant (NMRC-OF-IRG) (Lead PI)
• 2021: A*STAR Central Research Fund (CRF), Use-Inspired Basic Research (UIBR) Award (Lead PI)
• 2021: Industry Alignment Fund – Pre-Positioning (IAF-PP) Award (Team PI)

RESEARCH

We are molecular engineers who utilise RNA as building blocks to develop translational technologies for disease diagnosis, biotechnology and therapeutics.

To do this, we take a cross-disciplinary approach, combining RNA biology, genetics, biochemistry and computational analysis, collaborating closely with other molecular biologists, computer scientists, chemists, and neuroscientists.

• A programmable ribozyme for RNA signal transduction
  Mandy Yu-Theng Lim#, Chermaine Tan#, Charannya Sozheesvari Subhramanyam#, Shi Jie Teo, Louis de Falco Jr, Samuel Kevin Pasaribu, Chong Hui Koh, Dheeraj Rayamajhi, Jieying Chi, Shengnan Li, Dave Wee, Sudipto Roy, Roland Huber and Sherry Shiying Aw (2026)
  Nature Communications (in press)
  #Equal contributioon
  
  
• From binary to synergy in precision mRNA therapeutics: Dual-microRNA-sensing mRNAs for modular logic control of protein expression
  Chermaine Tan and Sherry Aw (2025)
  Molecular Therapy Nucleic Acids 36(3):102651 doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2025.102651
  
  
• Modulation of a critical period for motor development in Drosophila by BK potassium channels.
  Simon A. Lowe, Abigail D. Wilson, Gabriel N. Aughey, Animesh Banerjee, Talya Goble, Nell Simon-Batsford, Angelina Sanderson, Patrick Kratschmer, Maryam Balogun, Hao Gao, Sherry S. Aw, James E.C. Jepson (2024)
  Current Biology 34(15): 3488-3505.e3
  
  
• Fully automated leg tracking of Drosophila neurodegeneration models reveals distinct conserved movement signatures.
  Shuang Wu, Kah Junn Tan, Lakshmi Narasimhan Govindarajan, James Charles Stewart, Lin Gu, Joses Wei Hao Ho, Malvika Katarya, Boon Hui Wong, Eng King Tan, Daiqin Li, Adam Claridge-Chang, Camilo Libedinsky, Li Cheng* and Sherry Shiying Aw*# (2019)
  PLOS Biology 17(6): e3000346
  *Corresponding authors. #Lead contact
  
  
• A glio-protective role of mir-263a by tuning sensitivity to glutamate.
  Aw, S. *#, Lim, KH, Tang, XM, Cohen, SM*. (2017)
  Cell Reports 19(9): 1783–93 
  *Corresponding authors. #Lead contact
  
  
• A conformation-induced fluorescence method for microRNA detection.
  Aw, S.*#, Tang, XM., Teo, YN*, Cohen, SM. (2016)
  Nucleic Acids Research. 44(10): e92 
  *Corresponding authors. #Lead contact
  
  

• A ribozyme comprising a target-binding domain (SG11202111264TB)
  The present application discloses a ribozyme comprising a target-binding domain which is for binding of a target RNA molecule. The ribozyme further comprises one or more catalytic domains and one or more releasable RNA segments flanked by two ribozyme cleavage sites, wherein activation of the catalytic domains by a target RNA molecule causes the cleavage at the ribozyme cleavage sites, causing the releasable RNA segment to be released from the ribozyme. The present application further discloses the use of such ribozymes for detecting the presence of a target RNA molecule or the amplification of a target RNA molecule.
  
  
• A simple one-step real-time molecular sensor for microRNA detection (US11174505B2)
  The present application discloses an isolated nucleic acid sequence for detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence, a ribozyme for detecting the presence of a target nucleic acid sequence and uses thereof.