PhD Studentship in “Synthesis of Morphinan-Containing Compounds from Morphine as a Starting...

Reference: SCI2034

Closing Date: Thursday, 9th December 2021

Department: Chemistry

Department: GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratories for Sustainable Chemistry (School of Chemistry)

Supervisor: Professor Hon Wai Lam

Subject area: Organic chemistry/synthesis and biological chemistry

Start date: January 2022, or as soon as possible thereafter

Research Description

Opiates are important medicines used to treat pain and other disorders because of their action on the opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Opiates are produced from raw materials obtained from the poppy plant (papaver somniferum), and this 3-year PhD studentship is concerned with the development of new synthetic strategies and reactions to prepare important opiates, using morphine as a starting material, to increase overall synthetic efficiency.

This studentship is available immediately, and is fully funded by Rusan Pharma through a stipend covering PhD tuition fees and a tax-free living allowance (£15,609 per annum, increasing annually). The student will gain expertise in organic synthesis and catalysis, especially in complex multistep synthesis, and will acquire skills in problem solving, spectroscopic analysis and scientific communication. For informal enquiries, please contact: [email protected]

For more information on the Lam research group, please visit: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~pczhl/

How to Apply

Applications are invited from outstanding students holding a good undergraduate degree in Chemistry. Applicants currently working in industry are also welcomed. You will have strong experience in conducting original research in organic synthesis/biological chemistry. In the first instance, please send a cover letter and CV to: [email protected]