PhD Fellowship in Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry

Workplace: Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic

Supervisor: Dr. Jakub Svenda

Type of Cooperation: PhD fellowship (more information on PhD study programmes at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University here )

Application Deadline: September 30, 2022

Expected Start Date: flexible, by agreement

Description of the Fellowship

Students selected through a standard interview process will enter the PhD program at Masaryk University. The program provides specialized chemistry courses and ample opportunities to participate in basic or applied research. The students will join the international team of Dr. Jakub Svenda at the Department Chemistry of Masaryk University. Dr. Svenda is devoted to advancing methods and strategies that simplify synthesis of medicinally important natural products (website: orgsyn.sci.muni.cz). Two areas of research are being offered: (1) Synthetic antibiotics inspired by the bactobolin class of natural products using the recently developed technology (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2020, 142, 7306 and Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2022, accepted, doi: 10.1002/anie.202116520); (2) Synthetic probes of photochemistry and biology of bilirubin in the context of neonatal jaundice phototherapy. The students can expect complex education and training in synthetic organic chemistry that will allow them to become competitive in their future careers. For further inquiries regarding the position, please contact Dr. Svenda: [email protected] .

About the Workplace

The team of Dr. Jakub Svenda is part of the Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Medicinal Chemistry located at the Department of Chemistry of Masaryk University (website: orgsyn.sci.muni.cz ). The laboratories are situated within a new university campus and feature modern infrastructure required for organic synthesis and structural analysis. The laboratory is involved in numerous collaborations with top biologists and innovative pharma companies, creating potential for future career opportunities. Dr. Svenda is also researcher at the International Clinical Research Centre (ICRC), which is a joint research centre of St. Anne´s University Hospital in Brno (Czech Republic) and Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (USA) (see: www.fnusa-icrc.org/en/ ).

Masaryk University is modern, dynamic and the most attractive university in the Czech Republic with ten faculties, more than 6000 staff and 30 000 students, a wide range of research areas and a strong international position. We are the largest academic employer in the South Moravian Region.

Faculty of Science , a proud holder of the HR Excellence in Research Award by the European Commission, is a research-oriented faculty, offering university education (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs) closely linked to both primary and applied research and high school teaching of the following sciences: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Earth sciences. We are the most productive scientific unit of the Masaryk University generating around 40 % of MU research results.