Frederick Reinhart Tanoto

PhD Researcher at National University of Singapore

Singapore

About

I have 5+ years of experience in investigating the cellular interface between bacteria and host cells, using both in vitro and in vivo models of bacterial infection, as well as using basic transcriptomics and genomics approaches to understand these interactions. In my postdoctoral years, I am interested in exploring the themes of evolution of bacterial virulence, bacterial host adaptations and their implications on infectious diseases. I also enjoy creating scientific diagrams and illustrations when explaining my work.

Experience

  • Graduate Research Assistant at National University of Singapore
    May 2026 - Present · 2 mos

    Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine Supervisor: Asst Prof Yassine Cherrak

  • SCELSE (4 yrs 9 mos)
    • Research Assistant
      Aug 2025 - Apr 2026 · 9 mos

      Supervisor: Prof Cynthia Whitchurch, Dr Binu Kundukad Assisted in setting up an in vitro gut model of infection, acquiring confocal microscopy images, as well as supervising undergraduate projects and orientation of new hires.

    • Doctoral Student
      Aug 2021 - Aug 2025 · 4 yrs 1 mo

      Supervisor: Prof Kimberly Kline, Prof Kevin Pethe, Asst Prof Alexander Ludwig Thesis title: Insights into host-pathogen interactions during Enterococcus faecalis intramacrophage replication Publications: Tanoto FR, Liew JH, Stocks CJ, Rawat D, Chong KKL, Pethe K, Antypas H, Kline KA. 2026. Gelatinase regulates the egress of intracellular replicating populations during Enterococcus faecalis infection. PLOS Pathogens, 22(3):e1013738. Jeyabalan N, Tanoto FR, Antypas H, Neo CJY, Tan RJW, Pethe K, Becker DL, Stocks CJ, Kline KA. 2026. Enterococcus faecium colonization and persistence in a model of diabetic wound infection. Infection and Immunity. 0:e00652-25. Antypas H, Schmidtchen V, Staiger WI, Li Y, Tan RJW, Ng KKF, Neo CJY, Radhesh SM, Tanoto FR, da Silva RAG et al. 2025. Loss of Fsr quorum sensing promotes biofilm formation and worsens outcomes in enterococcal infective endocarditis. Nature Communications. 17:1668. Celik C, Lee SYT, Tanoto FR, Veleba M, Kline KA, Thibault G. 2023. Decoding the complexity of delayed wound healing following Enterococcus faecalis infection. eLife. 13:RP95113. da Silva RAG, Tay WH, Ho FK, Tanoto FR, Chong KKL, Choo PY, Ludwig A, Kline KA. 2022. Enterococcus faecalis alters endo-lysosomal trafficking to replicate and persist within mammalian cells. PLOS Pathogens. 18(4):e1010434.

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher at Nanyang Technological University
    Jul 2020 - Jun 2021 · 1 yr

    Final Year Project in the Singapore Centre for Environmental and Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE) Supervisor: Assoc Prof Kimberly Kline Project title: Mechanisms of intracellular persistence of Enterococcus faecalis

  • Undergraduate Student Researcher at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine
    Sep 2018 - Jul 2020 · 1 yr 11 mos

    Undergraduate Research on Campus (URECA) programme Supervisor: Assoc Prof Luo Dahai Project title: Antibiotics resistance in Tuberculosis: unraveling the mechanistic insights of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in modulating an adaptive mistranslation phenomenon for drug development Publication: Chew BLA*, Tanoto FR*, Luo D. 2020. LC-MS assay targeting the mycobacterial indirect aminoacylation pathway uncovers glutaminase activities of the nondiscriminating aspartyl-synthetase. FEBS Letters. 594(13):2159-2167 (*co-first authors)

  • ICN Cultural Production (2 yrs 7 mos)
    • Publicity, Publications and IT Subcommittee
      Mar 2019 - Feb 2020 · 1 yr

      Designed the show programme booklet using Adobe InDesign, highlighting the Bataknese cultural elements of the musical, which was eventually circulated to over 500 audience members

    • Publicity and Publications Director
      Mar 2018 - Mar 2019 · 1 yr 1 mo

      - Lead a 6-membered team and collaborated with the Marketing team to promote ICN Cultural Production through self-designed Instagram posts, flyers and posters, attracting more than 800 audience members. - Designed the main poster and booklet for the musical production using Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Indesign respectively, receiving positive feedback from media partners and show audiences.

    • Publicity, Publications and IT Subcommittee
      Aug 2017 - Mar 2018 · 8 mos

      - Designed various marketing posts using Adobe Photoshop to facilitate promotion of the musical by the Marketing and Ticketing team. - Assisted the Marketing and Ticketing team in captioning promotional materials and brainstorming overall marketing strategy.