Research Associate (620400)

Faculty of Science

Applications are welcome for motivated candidates interested in developing next-generation antibody-drug-conjugates. The Research Associate will form part of a 3-person team spanning the preparation of biocojugates, analysis of their physicochemical and biological properties and developing a data analytical platform for future AI applications.

Term: Fixed Term (4 years)

Applications are invited for a Research Associate to work in the groups of Professors Glenn Burley, Nick Tomkinson and Craig Jamieson at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow). The Glasgow-based Research Associate will form part of a multi-disciplinary network of biologists, chemists, and data analysts within a BBSRC Prosperity Partnership network grant. This is a collaborative endeavour with our industrial partner GSK and has the overall objective to develop next-generation antibody-drug-conjugates (ADCs) with enhanced developability properties. This will require exploiting a multi-disciplinary approach spanning the development of streamlined synthetic approaches to prepare ADCs, establishing a bioanalytical and biological evaluation platform, and curating datasets for the eventual utility in AI/ML methods towards the end of the programme.

The Research Associate will be tasked with developing innovative synthetic methodology to prepare ADCs with novel linker and payload pairings, alongside the development of new attachment chemistries to the antibody of interest. This Research Associate will work alongside two other Research Associates within the network and form part of a wider network of PhD students based at Strathclyde and GSK.

This work will involve extensive collaboration between groups based in the Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry (Professors Nick Tomkinson, Craig Jamieson and Alison Nordon) and in the Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical Sciences (Dr Zahra Rattray). This position will suit a highly motivated synthetic organic or biological chemist who is interested in applying their synthetic expertise in the Chemistry-Biology-Data Analytics interface.

We would expect candidates to possess a PhD in synthetic chemistry (organic, biological or medicinal). Expertise in the area of protein modification and bioconjugation, and experience in analysing biomolecules by HPLC, mass spectrometry, biophysical techniques (e.g., SPR), and/or NMR spectroscopy is particularly desirable. The position would require working closely with colleagues in GSK with opportunities to conduct research at their Stevenage site. This post is tenable for four years in total.

Whilst a Post-Doctoral Research Associate is ideally sought for this position; applications from candidates who are close to PhD completion or whose award is pending, are welcome. In such circumstances, the appointment will be made at Research Assistant level (RS06 salary scale £31,396 -£34,980) and duties will be adjusted to reflect the grade of the post. This will continue until the PhD award is confirmed, at which point the duties and grade will be revised accordingly.

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Glenn Burley, Professor of Chemical Biology (glenn.burley@strath.ac.uk; www.burleylabs.co.uk).

It is anticipated that formal interviews for this post will be held in the August 2024.

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