Research Associates in Oligonucleotide and Heterobifunctional Chemistry (741377)

Applications are invited for 5 Research Associates to form the core of a multi-disciplinary team of synthetic chemists, chemical biologists, and data scientists supported by a £3.9M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Award centred around the development of next generation medicines beyond Lipinski space.

FTE: 1 FTE (5 posts)
Term: Fixed to 30 September 2029

Applications are invited for 5 Research Associates to work in the groups of Professors William Kerr, Glenn Burley, Nick Tomkinson and Craig Jamieson, and Drs David Lindsay and Rebecca Beveridge at the University of Strathclyde (Glasgow). The Glasgow-based Research Associates will form the core of a multi-disciplinary team of synthetic chemists, chemical biologists, and data scientists supported by a £3.9M EPSRC Prosperity Partnership Award centred around the development of next generation medicines beyond Lipinski space. This is a multi-year, collaborative endeavour with our industrial partner GSK, and has the overall objective of retooling the underpinning synthesis of oligonucleotides (ONs) and their derivatives, the development of platforms for cell targeting, and new approaches to heterobifunctional molecules. The roles will demand significant interdisciplinary working spanning the enablement of streamlined synthetic approaches to prepare ONs and heterobifunctionals, establishing a biophysical and biological evaluation platform, and generating datasets for the application in AI/ML methods to direct both synthesis and biology.

The Research Associates will be tasked with developing innovative synthetic methodology to prepare ONs alongside the development of new attachment conjugation chemistries to facilitate cell targeting, and explore new heterobifunctional modalities. The candidates appointed will be part of a team of 6 cross-discipline Research Associates supported by the award, and will form part of a wider network of PhD students based at Strathclyde and GSK who are aligned with the programme.

The work will involve extensive collaboration between groups based in the Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry at Strathclyde led by the academics noted above. The positions will suit highly motivated synthetic chemists who have an immersion in biology or chemical biologists who are eager to apply their synthetic expertise in the Chemistry-Biology-Data Analytics continuum towards the development of medicines of the future.

We would expect candidates to possess a PhD with significant exposure to 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 engage in secondments at their Stevenage site. This post is tenable for four years in total.

Informal enquiries about the post can be directed to Professor Craig Jamieson, (craig.jamieson@strath.ac.uk).

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