The Design, Synthesis and Evaluation of New Drug Molecules for Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease, especially in the later stages, is a serious problem in the clinic and major complication of other diseases (eg. diabetes). Current treatment strategies are limited and there is a clear need for novel therapies. Recent studies have delineated the underlying biology and our group has discovered several small molecule inhibitors that show promise for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
These small molecules are an untapped resource for novel therapies for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the PhD will focus on:
1. Discovering and developing advanced, scalable synthetic routes to drug molecules
2. Applying structure-activity relationships to uncover and design new drug-like molecules
3. Develop and design synthetic routes to new classes of inhibitors for cardiovascular disease
4. Applying Lipinski’s rules (and others) to optimize the promising drug candidates.
The successful candidate will learn and apply advanced synthetic organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry techniques. Such knowledge will be valuable for those wishing to pursue a career in academia or with pharmaceutical/biotechnology companies. The results generated by the PhD candidate will be disseminated through publication in medicinal chemistry research journals, patent filings and conferences.

Person Specification
Applicants should have a strong background in synthetic organic chemistry and/or medicinal chemistry. They should realistically expect to obtain at least an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a relevant subject (preferably in Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry). For international graduate students this equates to average marks in all subjects >60%.

Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Alan Jones ([Email Address Removed])

To be considered for the studentship, please send the following documents to [Email Address Removed]:
• A detailed CV, including your nationality and country of birth;
• Names and addresses of two referees;
• A covering letter highlighting your research experience/capabilities;
• Copies of your degree certificates with transcripts;
• Source of funding;
• Evidence of your proficiency in the English language, if applicable.