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PhD position on PHOTOACTIVABLE CYCLODEXTRIN-BASED DRUG NANOCARRIERS
in the Group of Prof. Salvatore Sortino at the University of Catania, Italy
Starting date: January 2010
Duration: 36 months
Application deadline: September 30th 2009
Requirements: MSc (Master of Science) degree in Chemistry (or an equivalent level) obtained before September 2009.
Topic:
The prospective candidate will focus on the design, preparation and characterization of cyclodextrins (CDs)-based nanoparticles with photoactivable functionalities. The final goal is to developing CD-based nanomaterials for multimodal anticancer therapy able to overcome certain forms of multidrug resistance and to delivery the therapeutic species under the exclusive control of light input. The PhD student will carry out European-funded research (FP7, Marie Curie ITN Network) and will operate in a network of highly specialized groups in CDs chemistry, photochemistry, in vivo drug evaluation and in vivo applications from academia and industry. As a part of the ITN project, the PhD student will spend a period of time (6 months) in Göteborg, Sweden, in the Laboratory of Dr. Marica B. Ericson (Department of Physics Göteborg University) focusing on the use of microscopy techniques for studies of CD-based nanodrugs in vitro and in vivo.
Profile:
Applicants should be preferably European Citizens (from EU Member States or Associated Countries) but also Others Third Countries candidates from overseas are eligible (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, China, etc.). Italian citizens who have spent at least three years outside the EU since March 2005 are also eligible.
HOW TO APPLY:
A detailed CV, illustrating the candidate’s educational background, the list of publications, contributions to conferences, seminars and any other information that is believed appropriate to demonstrate the required skills, together to contact information of at least one referee, should be sent by e-mail to: Prof. Salvatore Sortino, E-mail:ssortino@unict.it
http://www.lachimica.net/Docenti/Sortino/Index.html
PhD position on cyclodextrin-based drug nanocarriers
One PhD position (ESR, Early Stage Researcher) for 36 months will be available in the group of Dr. Sandra Monti at ISOF-CNR, Bologna, Italy. Starting date January 2010.
TOPIC
The prospective candidate will carry out European-funded research (FP7, Marie Curie ITN Network,) in the area of cyclodextrin-based drug nanocarriers. Cyclodextrins (CD) may constitute potential means to overcome certain forms of multidrug resistance or effectively deliver photosensitizing anticancer drugs. Diverse families of new CD derivatives will be available, forming nanosystems with a variety of architectures. The PhD student will operate within a network of highly specialized groups in CD chemistry, photochemistry, in vitro drug evaluation and in vivo applications from academia and industry. The PhD student at CNR-ISOF will focus on the study of the interaction of drugs with the CD-based nanosystems with the use of steady state and time resolved spectroscopic techniques of UV-vis-near IR absorption, UV-vis circular dichroism, and UV-vis-NIR fluorescence. Spectroscopic information will be combined with molecular modelling to gain info on the structure of drug-host assemblies. Time and space resolved studies (at both single and ensemble molecular level) will be also possible with a confocal fluorescence microscope equipped with a FLIM accessory in a state-of-art system. Specialized partner groups in the network will be visited during the PhD. In particular the ISOF PhD student will spend time in Toledo c/o Prof. A. Douhal (University of Castilla- La Mancha (UCLM) Faculty of Environmental Sciences) focusing on femtosecond time resolved studies of the excited state dynamics of cyclodextrin-confined drugs.
PROFILE
Applicants should be preferably European citizens (from EU Member States or Associated Countries) but also Other Third Countries candidates from overseas are eligible (e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, China, etc.). They must have a MSc (Master of Science) degree in Chemistry (or an equivalent level) and, in addition, at least one year of laboratory experience together with some background in photochemistry and photophysics (e.g. UV-Vis absorption, luminescence and time-resolved spectroscopy). Italian citizens and non-Italian citizens who have resided in Italy for more than 12 months since May 2006 are not eligible; however, Italian citizens who have spent at least three years outside the EU since May 2005, are eligible
HOW TO APPLY
Applications should be addressed by regular mail or courier to:
CNR – Istituto per la Sintesi Organica e Fotoreattività, Dr. Sandra Monti
via Gobetti 101 – 40129 Bologna – Italy
and must reach the recipient’s office within August 15th, 2009
On the envelope it must be written:
“Contains documents for the ESR position in cyclodextrin-based drug nanocarriers”
The application must contain the following documents:
(i) a standard application letter originally signed by the applicant indicating name, date and place of birth, citizenship, postal address, e-mail. The applicant must declare to fulfil all the requirements (e.g. nationality) according to art. III.3.2 Annex 3 of the model grant agreement (FP 7 Marie Curie - ITN), which can be downloaded at ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/[...]tramono_en.pdf
Contact information of two referees has to be also provided;
(ii) a detailed CV illustrating the candidate’s educational background, the list of publications, seminars, poster presentations etc. and any other information that is believed appropriate to demonstrate the required skills;
(iii) reprints of all the published papers (if any)
(iv) a hardcopy or electronic copy (CD/DVD) of the MSc thesis
(v) a copy of the MSc degree diploma or a letter from the supervisor stating the conclusion of the MSc programme.
Required Language: English
Application deadline: August 15th, 2009
Job Starting date: January 1, 2009
CONTACT
Dr. Sandra Monti
www.isof.cnr.it/photoscience/Sandra.Monti/
PhD Position - Photopolymerization Processes Applied to Sol-Gel Coatingsfor Aeronautic
The Department of Photochemistry (DPG) of the University of Haute Alsace (FRANCE) has a long and internationally recognized experience in the field of photochemistry applied to photopolymers. The DPG is a CNRS laboratory that integrates 40 employees involved in various fundamental or industrial research projects related to photopolymers: UV-curing, waterborne UV coatings, nanocomposite photopolymers, etc.
Tasks
The DPG offers a PhD position in a multidisciplinary research project entitled “MHYRCEA” (RevêteMents Sol-Gel Hybrides Photopolymérisables pour Pièces Aéronautiques), and funded by the “Agence Nationale de la Recherche” in France. MHYRCEA aims at developing new coatings for protecting aircraft metallic substrates against corrosion and suitable for out-of-bath application. The current necessity of being compliant with new environmental regulations represents an important driving force to replace existing protective coating containing chromates. Among the new protection systems developed recently, hybrid inorganic/organic sol-gel layers represent a promising alternative. To date, only thermal methods have been implemented to produce this family of nanocomposite materials although numerous advantages are associated with a photoinduced process: rapid curing, high energy efficiency, low volatile organic compound emission, etc. The candidate localized in the DPG will work on the elaboration and characterization of new hybrid sol-gel photopolymer coatings. 3 academic partners and 4 industrial partners are contributing to the MHYRCEA project. The fellowship gives an opportunity to carry out research in collaboration with all the partners, and there will be thus many occasions for travels and scientific exchanges.
Profile
The ideal candidate should possess sound scientific knowledge in polymer science, photochemistry and sol-gel science. Good oral/written communication skills in English are necessary. Interested candidates are encouraged to submit their CV, the intended starting date and two reference contacts. A gross salary of 1700 euros/month is offered. Accommodation in student residence may be also available.
Site: DPG, Mulhouse (FRANCE)
Start date: as soon as possible
Duration: 3 years
Date of publication: April 14 2009
Contact: Dr Abraham CHEMTOB or Pr Céline CROUTXE-BARGHORN
Tel: +33 (0)3 89 33 50 30 or 33 (0)3 89 33 50 17
Email: abraham.chemtob@uha.fr ORceline.croutxe-barghorn@uha.fr
PhD proposal
Research field
Physical chemistry, ultrafast spectroscopy, biochemistry
Title
Femtosecond fluorescence study of drug-protein interactions
Abstract
The study of the conformational dynamics of protein-drug complexes is crucial for the understanding of the functions and biological effects of drugs in the body. Since many years, time-resolved fluorescence techniques have been used in order to study protein-drug interactions via the fluorescence quenching or depolarisation occurring in the complex. These phenomena give information about fundamental processes such as energy- and charge-transfer as well as reorientational dynamics. One of the most frequently studied proteins is albumin, due to its physiological importance and its potential use as drug vector. In order to study its conformational dynamics, either intrinsic (tryptophan W214) or extrinsic (dye molecules) fluorophores have been used as optical probes by measuring the changes in fluorescence lifetime and polarisation. Different molecules of pharmaceutical interest, such as furbriprofen or naproxen, have also been used, but only on the nanosecond timescale. Currently, we aim at adapting a particular femtosecond fluorescence spectroscopic technique to the study of protein-drug complexes. This technique, developed in our laboratory, has in the past few years been applied with great success to the study of DNA and its constituents [1,2]. The specificity of this new project is the selective excitation of either the drug or the protein. This approach should bring new information on the interaction dynamics of the drug-protein complex.
(1) T. Gustavsson et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 128 (2006) 607. ("Hot paper" du JACS 2007)
(2) D. Markovitsi et al., Nature, 441 (2006) E7.
Location T
CEA/Saclay : 20Km south of Paris
Contact
Thomas Gustavsson
Francis Perrin Laboratory
CEA/Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette
TEL: 33 (0)1 69 08 46 44
E-mail: thomas.gustavsson@cea.fr
Grant
The thesis contract will cover 3 years of the full salary, from € 1766 to € 2028 per month, depending on academic degrees.
Starting date
October 1st, 2009
