New high-throughput applications and services for advanced reaction technologies

Project Title: New high-throughput applications and services for advanced reaction technologies Development of new R&D services based on ICIQ’s high-throughput experimentation platform (HTE) focusing on advanced reaction technologies with high-added value for the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors

About us:

The Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ) is a non-profit research organization, whose creation was promoted by the Catalan Government with support from the European Union and industrial partners (e.g. Repsol, BASF, Covestro). ICIQ’s mission is to perform excellent research at the frontier of knowledge in two main areas: catalysis and renewable energy while strengthening the competitiveness of the chemical industry in Southern Europe through innovation and technical improvement and training the future generation of scientists by offering high-quality educational programs to master, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers. ICIQ hosts around 300 people; 80% of them are researchers (42% international origin) integrated in 16 research groups. Collaboration with industry and technology transfer is a key part of ICIQ’s activities, including 3 Technology Development Units exclusively dedicated to technology transfer and a Joint Unit with the German biotech Company Aicuris. ICIQ’s experience with MSCA during Horizon 2020 initiatives includes 26 MSCA-IF grants, 7 ITN projects (2 coordinated: NOAH (ETN), VIRO-FLOW (European Industrial Doctorate), as well as participation in BIST COFUND projects.

If the TecnioSpring Industry project is granted, we will offer 1 project researcher position for 2 years at ICIQ's high-throughput experimentation (HTE) laboratory working in the development of new application of the HTE platform alongside ICIQ researchers and industrial collaborations, including a secondment in a multinational pharmaceutical company hosting its own HTE laboratory.

Researcher Profile:

We are looking for a highly motivated researcher with a PhD in Chemistry + at least 2 additional years of research experience. The candidate will have experience in Catalysis; Asymmetric Catalysis; CO, CO₂ and H₂ chemistry and Photochemistry.

Experience in Parallel Chemistry, High Throughput Experimentation, High Throughput Analysis, Flow Chemistry and Automation will be also positively evaluated. Experience in Photochemistry using reactive gases is particularly desirable.

Experience in research collaborations with industry (pharmaceutical, agrochemical, fine chemicals) and/or experience working in those sectors, or in CROs providing R&D services to those sectors, is also highly desirable.

A good level of English is mandatory. Candidates must comply with MSCA mobility rule by not having spent more than 12 months in Spain during the last 3 years (prior to 15/6/2021). Candidates must be available to join the project, if granted, during the last quarter of 2021.

Project Abstract:

High Throughput Experimentation (HTE) techniques have emerged as a powerful tool to accelerate the discovery of new synthetic methodologies by making possible the exploration of multiple variables that affect the selected process in a time- and material-efficient manner. However, the lack of proper and robust HTE platforms for advanced reaction technologies such as photo assisted liquid, gas-liquid and gas-solid reactions hamper the access to potentially profitable regions of chemical space, slowing down the development of new bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. Moreover, while several multinational companies have their own HTE facilities, other companies do not have access to such equipment opening a business opportunity for the limited number of research centers and service providers with such HTE platforms.

In this sense, ICIQ have been developing applications of its HTE platform and HT protocols based on the use of parallel techniques, miniaturization and automation, for a variety of advanced experimental setups, thus accelerating and reducing costs for the time- and resource-consuming process of chemical experimentation. This HTE platform has been involved in industrial collaborations since 2018.

The main objective of the project will be to improve and deploy HT experimental protocols and applications of ICIQ’s HTE platform around advanced reaction technologies of high industrial interest. An additional objective will be to benchmark ICIQ’s HTE platform against industrial HTE platforms through collaboration with at least one multinational company having such facilities (including a secondment at the company), develop small proof-of-concept examples together with leading companies to generate interest and trust among potential industrial users of ICIQ’s services, and incorporate feedback from industrial contacts regarding key aspects and pain points when outsourcing projects incorporating HTE use.

The selected candidate will have to:

- Develop new applications of ICIQ’s HTE platform, including protocols of interest that can be easily implemented in automated laboratories of chemical synthesis.

- Work in close contact with industry to improve and test our current and new applications of the HTE platform in processes of industrial interest.

Contact Person: Dr Xisco Caldentey, Manager at CELLEX-HTE Lab Unit

Please submit applications using the link provided at ICIQ website:

https://www.iciq.org/jobs-grants/spontaneous-application/

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