Postdoctor in Translation Pharmacokinetics/Pharmacodynamics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences has 140 employees and a number of visiting researchers and fellow students. The department has twelve research groups with a common administration and we are doing research and teaching in pharmaceutical cell biology / biochemistry, pharmacology, pharmaceutical and drug addiction, pharmacotherapy, pharmacokinetics, pharmacometry, clinical pharmacy, bioinformatics, imaging mass spectrometry, molecular neuropharmacology, immunology, biological drugs / biotechnology as well as toxicology and drug safety. More information about the department and its activities can be found at www.farmbio.uu.se

Project: Pharmacokinetic assessment of the role of central and peripheral nervous system barriers in development of drug neurotoxicity

The postdoctoral fellow will be working in the research group of Translational Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (tPKPD;  http://www.farmbio.uu.se/research/researchgroups/tPKPD/). The group takes a multidisciplinary approach to improve the understanding of fundamental and functional aspects of PKPD in health and disease, with special focus on drug delivery to the brain. Within this area, the group among other projects addresses translation of PK data from the preclinical to the clinical setting. This is important for optimizing the drug discovery processes and promoting efficient treatment of CNS diseases. We are interested in brain drug delivery in relation to transport processes of both small and large molecules across the CNS barriers including the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

 The postdoctoral fellow will focus on evaluating pharmacokinetic aspects of the development of drug neurotoxicity, as a part of the EU IMI2-RIA funded project NeuroDeRisk (Neurotoxicity De-Risking in Preclinical Drug Discovery). Neurotoxicity, i.e., any adverse effect on the central nervous system or peripheral nervous system, is a major issue encountered in clinical phases of drug R&D that at the present stage of science and technology is still poorly predicted in the pre-clinical drug candidate assessment. The NeuroDeRisk consortium will provide novel validated and integrated tools for improving the preclinical prediction of adverse effects of pharmaceuticals on the nervous system, and thus help to de-risk drug candidates earlier in the R&D phases. The postdoctoral fellow will be part of the international consortium consisting of 19 academic and industrial partners.

Work duties

The postdoctoral fellow will primarily devote his/her time to experimental research, in particular design and performance of in vivo preclinical studies, bioanalysis of samples using LC-MS/MS followed by PK data analysis. The duties also include collaborating with the partners, writing papers and participating in international meetings. Within the duties of the position is furthermore supervision of master students max 20%.

Requirements

The successful candidate should have a PhD in pharmacokinetics or closely related areas. Special weight is put on in vivo skills in preclinical research including a FELASA C certificate. To be eligible to apply you must have a PhD completed within three years of the application deadline. If you received your PhD earlier but special circumstances exists, you are also eligible to apply. Special circumstances include disease, parental leave, assignments of trust etc. You must be able to work independently and take own initiatives, but also be part of the team and collaborate with our partners in the NeuroDeRisk consortium. Emphasis is put on personal suitability. The applicant must also have good communication skills in English, both written and oral, due to the highly international work environment.

Additional qualifications

Knowledge on structure and function of CNS barriers including blood-brain barrier, blood-CSF barrier is advantageous. Previous experience with in vivo microdialysis, mathematical PK/PD modelling is beneficial.

How to apply

The application should contain the following:

A personal letter in which the applicant describes her- or himself, motivates why he/she has applied for the position, states relevant qualifications and indicates research interests and plans for the future, A CV including a list of publications, Contact details of at least two references, Authorized copies of relevant certificates, degrees and grades.

University values the qualities that even gender distribution and diversity add to the business. We therefore look forward to searching for all sexes and with different birth background, functionality and life experience.

Pay: Individual salaries.

Starting: 2019-03-01 or later as otherwise agreed

Typ of employment: Temporary position 2 years

Workning hours: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact  professor Margareta Hammarlund-Udenaes e-mail mail to: Margareta.Hammarlund-Udenaes@farmbio.uu.se, +4618-471 4300 or administrative coordinator Marina Rönngren, e-mail mail to: Marina.Ronngren@farmbio.uu.se,  +4618-471 4301.

You are welcome to submit your application no later than February 18 2019, UFV-PA 2018/4269.