MSCA-IF 2020. Medicinal Chemistry and Synthesis (IQAC-CSIC)

THE RESEARCH CENTER

The Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) belongs to the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the largest public research institution in Spain and the third among Europe’s largest research organisations.

The IQAC is located in Barcelona and it was created with the mission to perform multidisciplinary research of excellence in both basic and applied chemical sciences with the main purpose of improving the quality of life.

The research carried out at IQAC is based on the application of chemical approaches to address and solve societal challenges, mainly those related to human health, the sustainability of chemical processes and products, and the needs for novel materials for different applications. In this regard, the research programs carried out in our institute are aimed at:

• the development of methods and strategies for the synthesis of molecules of high added value (Methods & Strategies)
• the discovery of chemical and molecular entities of therapeutic, biological and biomedical interest (Tools & Hits)
• the study of molecules with surfactant properties, including synthesis, biophysical studies and applications (Surfactants)
• the generation and use of nanobiotechnology knowledge for the prevention, diagnostic and treatment of diseases (Nanomedicine).

Administratively, the research groups at IQAC are organized in two departments: Biological Chemistry, and Surfactants and Nanobiotechnology. Moreover, research is complemented with a range of diverse scientific and technical platforms (including cell culture and animal facility), which offer their capabilities to both internal and external users.

THE RESEARCH GROUP

Medicinal Chemistry and Synthesis (MCS)

Supervisor: Amadeu Llebaria

Contact: amadeu.llebaria@iqac.csic.es

Web pages:

• Medicinal Chemistry and Synthesis

Keywords: photopharmacology, medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry

Research lines:

The MCS group is focused on basic and applied research aimed to obtain biologically active compounds and their application in therapy through the development of drugs, working in all areas of Medicinal Chemistry. Current main research include Photopharmacology, Immunotherapy and Protein labelling

The project will be oriented to find molecules therapeutically useful for the precise control of protein activity in vivo using photoactive molecules that bind to drug receptors. The candidate will work in the design, synthesis and characterisation of new molecules and will conduct compound testing to measure its activity in biological and cell assays and its photophysical characterisation. This program will cover most of the aspects of the preclinical drug discovery development of a candidate molecule and light biophysical control of proteins providing a valuable formation to the candidate.

The candidate will gain invaluable experience in photopharmacology, an exciting and rapidly-developing area of medicinal and biological chemistry, receiving extensive training in the synthesis and characterisation of organic molecules and in the use of key characterisation and purification techniques (including NMR spectroscopy, HPLC, HPLC-MS, chromatography, etc.) and in pharmacology. Patent filing is normally performed in the group to protect the results and the candidate will participate in this task as well. Transferable skills will also be developed by presenting results at group meetings and at national/international research conferences.

This project has strong potential for neurodegeneration, neuropathic pain and other brain diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, etc., using radically new concepts in drug therapy.

Candidates are chemists, pharmacists or biochemists with knowledge of organic chemistry, synthesis, drug design, molecular pharmacology, computational drug/receptor modelling and/or biochemistry.

OUR HOSTING OFFER

IQAC is delighted to host experienced researchers from any country in the world interested in applying for the MSCA-IF 2020 call .

The candidate must hold a doctoral degree or have at least four years of full-time research experience by the call deadline (September 9 2020). Please, check the eligibility criteria for MSCA-IF in the Funding & Tenders Portal:

MSCA-IF-2020

If you are interested, please send a CV, a motivation letter explaining your research interest and contact details of two referees by 30^th June 2020 to the corresponding supervisor.

Successful applicants will receive help and support from our International and European Programme Unit during proposal preparation.