Natural and synthetic peptides as probes and/or therapeutics in health and disease

Neuropeptides are key mediators in many biological functions and understanding of their interaction with target proteins is fundamental to unravel the underlying mechanism of diseases. Over the years, an increasing number of bioactive peptides from animals, plants, and bacteria have been characterised, with the overwhelming realisation that these molecules often show better therapeutic performance than their human counterparts, particularly in terms of in vivo stability.
Our main research efforts situated in this area of Chemical Biology focus on the exploration and translation of these vast and untapped natural libraries towards the development of useful research tools and therapeutics. Solid phase peptide synthesis, the main tool to access these compounds, is a powerful technology for the assembly and chemical modification of these highly chiral and structurally complex peptides. We then use these ligands to develop advanced molecular probes and therapeutic leads to address important questions of unmet medical need.
We are currently looking for talented and ambitious PhD students interested in developing peptide ligands to study (i) the oxytocin and vasopressin signalling system in health and disease, (ii) wound healing in gastrointestinal disorders, (iii) memory formation. Particular focus will be set on venom peptide drug discovery, neuropeptides, trefoil factor peptides, multivalent peptide ligands. This project entails discovery, synthesis, structure-activity-relationship studies and medicinal chemistry approaches to develop novel probes and drug candidates.
If interested, please send your CV, grade transcripts and a short cover letter directly to [Email Address Removed].

Requirements:
Strong chemistry background and synthetic lab skills (organic chemistry, peptide/protein chemistry)
Strong ambition and good work ethics


Techniques likely to be learned:

Solid phase peptide synthesis
Organic chemistry
Medicinal chemistry
High-performance liquid chromatography
Mass spectrometry
Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Recombinant protein expression
Cell culture and pharmacological assays
Gastrointestinal stability assays
Gastrointestinal wound healing assays
Proliferation and transmigration assays