PhD fellowship in Advanced Drug Delivery Systems at Department of Pharmacy

Updated: about 1 year ago
Deadline: 06 Feb 2023

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

University of Copenhagen

We are offering a three-year PhD fellowship in Advanced Drug Delivery Systems commencing 1 May 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Project description

There is a growing interest in the formation of cubosomes and hexosomes with controllable sizes and size distributions, and their online characterization (SAXS/WAXS-on-chip) through coupling X-ray compatible microfluidic platforms with synchrotron SAXS/WAXS. The latter online studies allow gaining insight into the involved dynamic structural transitions and nanoparticle formation kinetics at different mixing times, ranging from fractions of seconds to few seconds. However, these investigations require the use of microfluidic chips (typically 2D chips) with relatively big channel widths (typically 300 µm) that compromise the microfluidic efficacy in controlling the nanoparticle size characteristics. The PhD project will focus on designing efficient X-ray compatible chips, performing 3D hydrodynamic flow focusing. It is our interest to introduce chips that provide unique opportunities not only for the continuous synthesis of cubosomes, hexosomes and other lipid nanoparticles with controllable sizes (monodisperse nanoparticles), but also for the in situ characterization of these nano-self-assemblies through manipulation of the flow conditions and coupling to SAXS/WAXS. The project will also focus on evaluating the potential use of the generated safe nanomedicines in therapy of colorectal cancer.

Principal supervisor
Associate Professor Anan Yaghmur, Department of Pharmacy

e-mail: [email protected] , direct phone: +45 3533 6541.

Start
1 May 2023

Duration
3 years as a PhD student

Our group and research

The Pharmaceutical Physical and Analytical Chemistry (PPAC) research group at the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with the Nano Bio Integrated Systems group at DTU Bioengineering (NaBIS). The research activities in PPAC group include development and characterization of soft self-assembled nanomedicines (including cubosomes, hexosomes, and related non-lamellar liquid crystalline nanoparticles). The NaBIS group focuses on development of novel sensors for biological and environmental applications, and microfluidics is part of the toolbox.

Job description
Your key tasks as a PhD student at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences are:

  • Carrying through an independent research project under supervision
  • Completing PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approximately 30 ECTS points
  • Participating in active research environments including a stay at another research team, preferably abroad
  • Obtaining experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
  • Teaching of undergraduate students in pharmaceutical sciences
  • Writing a PhD thesis on the grounds of your project

Key criteria for the assessment of applicants

Applicants must have qualifications corresponding to a master’s degree related to the subject area of the project, e.g. engineering, chemistry, pharmacy, nanomedicine or a closely related subject. Please note that your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (two years).

Other important criteria are:

  • Professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
  • Relevant work experience
  • Previous publications
  • The grade point average achieved
  • Other professional activities
  • A curious mind-set with a strong interest in microfluidics and nanomedicine design and characterization
  • Language skills

Preferred qualifications
A highly motivated candidate with background in pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, engineering discipline, nanotechnology, or similar. Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills in a friendly and interdisciplinary environment, and a passion for solving difficult problems. Experience with microfluidics (preferably at both theoretical and practical levels) will be preferred. Moreover, experience in nanoparticle characterization using scattering methods (SAXS or SANS) is advantageous. The successful candidate must be able to work independently. An understanding of the field of microfluidics and previous experience in one or more of the following are advantageous: CAD drawing skills, 3D printing, fast prototyping techniques and cleanroom microfabrication techniques, cancer research, and cell biology.

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in dynamic and international research environment. The mission of Department of Pharmacy is to advance the pharmaceutical sciences by performing drug-related research and research-based teaching in topics including pharmaceutical technology and formulation, drug delivery, advanced drug analysis, and clinical and social pharmacy.

Information about the Department can be found at https://pharmacy.ku.dk/

Terms of employment

The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is a fixed-term position limited to a period of 3 years.

The employment is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project to the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences.

The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2013) and the Faculty’s rules on achieving the degree.

The PhD student is expected to be affiliated to the graduate programme in pharmaceutical sciences, Drug Research Academy .

Salary, pension, and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary starts at approximately 28,400 DKK/roughly 3,780 EUR (October 2022 level) plus pension.

Application procedure

Your application, in English, must be submitted electronically by clicking “Apply now” below and must include the following documents in PDF format:

1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)

2. CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position

3. Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for a PhD fellowship employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database . Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science. Applicants with a Master´s degree from abroad should also enclose a short description of the grading scale used

4. Publication list (if possible)

5. Other information to consider: References and recommendations (if possible)

The deadline for applications is 6 February 2023, 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process

After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorised recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor.

The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.

Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held from 6 March 2023.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

Questions

For further information, applicants may contact the principal supervisor Anan Yaghmur, e-mail:  [email protected] , phone: +45 3533 6541 or PhD coordinator Marianne W. Jørgensen, e-mail: [email protected] , phone: +45 3533 6449.

General information about PhD studies at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences is available at the Graduate School’s website: https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/

For more information on working and living in Denmark visit http://ism.ku.dk (International staff mobility) and https://www.workindenmark.dk

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.


Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.



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