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PhD Studentship - An interdisciplinary pipeline for progressing cyclic peptides hits to small molec

Employer
Global Academy Jobs
Location
United Kingdom
Closing date
Aug 31, 2017

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Job Details

PhD Studentship – An interdisciplinary pipeline for progressing cyclic peptides hits to small molecule inhibitors.

Chemistry

Location: Highfield Campus

Closing Date:  Thursday 31 August 2017

Reference: 836517EB

PhD Supervisors: Prof. Ali Tavassoli and Prof. Jon Essex

Application Deadline: rolling, will appoint as soon as a good candidate is found

Interviews will be held on a rolling basis.

We are seeking a highly motivated student for an interdisciplinary PhD spanning chemical biology and computational chemistry. This AstraZeneca sponsored project aims to develop a pipeline for progressing cyclic peptide hits to drug-like molecules toward the clinic.

Cyclic peptides are increasingly used for hit discovery against challenging targets such as protein-protein interactions. There are several advantages to the cyclic peptide scaffold, such as resistance to proteolysis and limited conformational freedom conferred by ackbone cyclization, which yields molecules that engage their targets with high selectivity and affinity. However, despite these advantages, the development of small molecule drugs from cyclic peptides remains extremely challenging. There is therefore a need for new approaches that enable the progression of cyclic peptides to drug-like compounds and toward the clinic.

This project is a collaboration between the laboratories of Professor Ali Tavassoli and Professor Jonathan Essex. The Tavassoli lab have expertise in the discovery and development of several first in class cyclic peptide protein-protein interaction inhibitors. The Essex lab are experienced in the development and application of computer simulation methodology to biological systems, with a particular emphasis on protein-ligand binding. The chemical biology aspect of this project will involve the synthesis and derivatisation of cyclic peptide inhibitors and conducting a variety of biophysical assays on these molecules, moving towards synthesising and testing derived small molecule inhibitors. The molecular modelling component of this project will involve combining a number of techniques, both ligand-based and structure-based, to identify, optimise and derivatise cyclic peptides leads into small molecules. 

The multidisciplinary nature of the project will provide outstanding training for the successful applicant. They will benefit from the existing expertise of the Tavassoli and Essex laboratories, receiving training in a wide variety of techniques and disciplines, and becoming expert in a range of experimental and modelling techniques, a skillset that will undoubtedly leave the students very well placed in terms of finding future positions.

 The project is funded for 4 years and welcomes applicants from the UK and EU who have or expect to obtain at least an upper second class degree in Chemistry or allied subjects/relevant disciplines. Funding will cover fees and a stipend at current research council rates (201617) of £ 14,296 per annum. Prior experience in synthetic organic chemistry and/or chemical biology is desired, as is an interest in or experience with computational chemistry.

 For more information on the Tavassoli lab or the Essex lab see:

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/about/staff/ali1.page

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/chemistry/about/staff/jwe1.page

 Due to funding restrictions this position is only open to UK/EU applicants

 Applications for a PhD in Chemistry should be submitted online at https://studentrecords.soton.ac.uk/BNNRPROD/bzsksrch.P_Search

 Please ensure you select the academic session 2017-2018 when making your application in the academic year field and click on the Research radio button.  Enter Chemistry in the search text field)

Please place Prof Tavassoli’s namein the field for proposed supervisor/project

 General enquiries should be made to Professor Ali Tavassoli atali1@soton.ac.uk.  Any queries on the application process should be made to pgafnes@soton.ac.uk

 Applications will be considered in the order that they are received, and the position will be considered filled when a suitable candidate has been identified.

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