Post-doctoral Fellowship in Parasitology

The opportunity is for the project belonging to the Institutional Research Development Plan (PDIP), whose objective will be the development of scientific and technological solutions that will provide rapid and timely responses to strengthen laboratory actions in health surveillance. Project title: "Pre-clinical study of new candidate drugs against leishmaniasis", coordinated by Dr. Andre Gustavo Tempone.

The present proposal aims to identify an approved drug by means of the drug repositioning or synthetic active compound based in a natural prototype, which presents promising anti-Leishmania infantum activity. The investigator will initially perform in vitro phenotypic assays using the intracellular amastigote model of Leishmania infantum to determine the activity of the compounds to be tested. Studies will be carried out in different cell lines to evaluate the mammalian cytotoxicity. Cellular studies, based on flow cytometry techniques, spectrofluorimetry and transmission electron microscopy will be used to investigate the possible mechanisms of action of the most promising compounds. Finally, in vitro pharmacokinetic studies (ADME) such as solubility, membrane permeability and metabolization will be performed as initial parameters for the design of animal model efficacy studies.

Pre-requisites for the position: Doctoral degree in area related to the project based on Drug Discovery in visceral leishmaniasis or Chagas disease; project experience involving techniques of phenotypic assays (intracellular amastigotes and cytotoxicity), experience in studies of cellular action mechanism; experience in pharmacokinetic profile studies and in vivo efficacy studies. 

Candidates need to send an e-mail to the researcher Dr. Andre G. Tempone (atempone@usp.br), containing curriculum vitae, letters of presentation justifying the interest in the vacancy and letters of recommendation with contacts (name, institution, telephone and e-mail) of two researchers who can give information about the candidate.

The project will be funded by São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP (www.fapesp.br/en). The vacancy is open to Brazilians and foreigners. The selected will receive FAPESP Post-Doctoral Fellowship (www.fapesp.br/en/postdoc) in the amount of BRL7,373.10 per month and Technical Reserve. The Technical Reserve of PD Grant is equivalent to 15% of the annual value of the scholarship and is intended to meet unforeseen expenses directly related to the research activity.

More information about the fellowship is at: fapesp.br/oportunidades/2415.