3-year Investigating New Chemical Methods for Empowering Antibody Conjugates

Supervisors: Prof. Jamie Baker (UCL) and Prof. Vijay Chudasama (UCL)

Application deadline: 5/8/24

Interview date: TBC

Start date: 23rd September 2024

UCL Chemistry Department is offering a fully funded studentship to a highly motivated candidate to start in September 2024.  The student will carry out their doctoral research at UCL.

This UCL-GSK Impact PhD studentship is available to explore innovative new chemistries which aim to infer favourable properties on antibody conjugates, with application to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) which represent a leading class of the new generation of targeted anti-cancer therapeutics. The student will gain valuable research expertise during this project, making them well qualified for future employment in either an academic or industrial setting. This project will provide a thorough training in synthetic Organic Chemistry, Chemical Biology and Antibody Bioconjugation as well as in a series of transferable skills.

The applicants should have, or be expecting to achieve, a first or upper second-class Honours UK Master’s degree in Chemistry, or an MSci or MChem, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. We are looking to recruit a highly motivated and ambitious organic chemist/chemical biologist. Experience in chemical biology, and in bioconjugation, is desirable.

Interested candidates should initially contact the supervisor, Prof. Jamie Baker, with a degree transcript and a motivation letter expressing interest in this project. Informal inquiries are encouraged. Please note that a suitable applicant will be required to complete MS Form entitled Application for Research: degree Chemistry programme. In addition, it is essential that suitable applicants complete an electronic application form at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/graduate/apply (please select Research degree: Chemistry programme) prior to the application deadline and advise their referees to submit their references as soon as they possibly can. All shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview no more than 4 weeks after the application deadline. Any admissions queries should be directed to Dr Jadranka Butorac at doctoral.chem@ucl.ac.uk.