PhD student in Pharmaceutical Physical Chemistry

Department of Medicinal Chemistry at Uppsala University is a strong and international research environment. The department has about 85 employees and here, doctoral students, teachers, researchers and administrators work closely together in a creative and open environment. More information about the department can be found at www.ilk.uu.se.

We are now seeking a PhD student to the project ”Prediction of release and absorption of biomolecular drugs from subcutaneously administered coacervates and polyelectrolyte complexes”

We need a highly motivated person who wants to contribute to the development of a new in vitro method to model and predict what happens with subcutaneously administered biological drugs. The doctoral position will be located in the research group Pharmaceutical Physical Chemistry.

The research group Pharmaceutical Physical Chemistry aims to clarify the connections between the structure of drug molecules, their physico-chemical properties and the possibilities of controlling how they are stored in and released from different types of particulate drug carriers and formulations. The aim is to create new knowledge that makes it possible to develop new or improved systems for drug administration, and to develop in vitro methods for modelling what happens to drug products after administration, including macromolecular drugs such as peptides and proteins and small molecular drugs such as cancer drugs. The group's activities are both experimental and theoretical and lie in the border area between physical chemistry, drug formulation and materials science. In our investigations, we combine experimental and theoretical methods. Experimental methods include confocal microscopy (especially FRAP), microfluidics, micropipette-assisted microscopy, diffusion and mass transport studies, rheology, surface plasmon resonance (SPR), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), static and dynamic light scattering (SLS/DLS), and fluorescence spectroscopy/quenching. For more information about our research and the research team, see: https://www.ilk.uu.se/research-groups/pharmaceutical-physical-chemistry/

Within SweDeliver, the group conducts research in the field of parenteral administration, with a special focus on subcutaneous administration. The goal is to develop methods to predict the release from subcutaneously injected drug formulations, as well as the absorption and bioavailability of subcutaneously administered drugs, especially biomacromolecular active substances. The aim is to facilitate the development of drug products with high bioavailability and low patient variability by identifying molecular properties that determine how drugs diffuse in, and are transported through, the extracellular matrix, where the interaction between the drugs and important constituents of the tissue such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, fatty acids and albumin is expected to be of meaning. More information about the parenteral work package and SweDeliver can be found here: https://www.uu.se/forskning/swedeliver/research-and-activities

Duties 

In the project, you will investigate the release of drugs from formulations containing the active substance (peptide, protein and oligonucleotide) in complexes with oppositely charged polyelectrolytes in the form of dense complex phases, liquid “coacervates” or suspensions of particles. The goal is to reach an in-depth understanding of how drugs are released from liquid coacervates and particles after subcutaneous administration, and how they are transported through the extracellular matrix in the adipose tissue to be finally absorbed into the bloodstream. The goal is to clarify the mechanisms that control these processes and how they are related to the molecular properties of drugs, excipients and endogenous substances in the extracellular matrix. The aim is to provide tools to predict how chemical properties of peptides and macromolecular drugs determine the absorption rate and bioavailability upon subcutaneous administration in the form of polyelectrolyte-stabilized phases and particles. You will use experimental in vitro methods to study the transport of biological drugs in synthetic models of the extracellular matrix in subcutaneous adipose tissue in combination with in vivo experiments in animal models.

As a member of the research team, you are expected to plan your experiments, analyse the results and document all experimental work, as well as contribute to the writing of scientific articles. You are also expected to present your results at meetings and seminars within the research group and the department, as well as perform administrative tasks in connection with reporting research results.

Requirements
Eligible for education at postgraduate level is anyone who has

• completed a second-level degree within the pharmacy program, the pharmaceuticals specialization of the master's engineering program, or
• completed at least 240 university credit points in chemistry, of which at least 60 credits at advanced level including an independent work of at least 15 credits points, or
• acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way.

You are responsible, meticulous and have the ability to work independently as well as in a group. Good ability to express oneself in written and spoken English is a requirement. The degree of ability to assimilate postgraduate education is decisive for employment.

Additional qualifications 
Previous experience (theoretical and practical) in above all physical chemistry and adjacent areas such as surface and colloid chemistry and polymer chemistry is meritorious. Good ability to express yourself in Swedish in writing and speaking is an advantage.

Rules governing PhD students are set out in the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5, §§ 1-7 and in Uppsala University's rules and guidelines.

Application
The application must include a CV, copies of degrees and grades, copy of master's thesis (or a draft thereof), any scientific articles, contact information for references and a brief description of the applicant and the applicant's previous experience. One or more letters of recommendation can also be attached to the application.

The education at postgraduate level normally comprises four years of full-time study. In addition, 20% institutional service (teaching) and responsibility for operation and maintenance of chemical instrumentation is added, which gives a total training time of 5 years.

Salary placement takes place according to the established salary scale for doctoral employment. Information about the education at PhD level, eligibility requirements and admission regulations can be found at: http://www.medfarm.uu.se/utbildning/forskarniva/

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position according to the Higher Education Ordinance chapter 5 § 7. Scope of employment 100 %. Starting date as soon as possible or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala

For further information about the position, please contact: Professor Per Hansson (project leader), per.hansson@ilk.uu.se 

Please submit your application by 8 August 2025, UFV-PA 2025/2044.

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