Postdoc Position in Medicinal Chemistry

Utrecht University; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 41,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

8% holiday pay

8.3% year-end bonus

Pension scheme

Job summary

Universiteit Utrecht is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to advance discovery and development of Piezo1 inhibitors for sickle cell disease. You will integrate virtual screening, AI methods and organic synthesis in a cross-disciplinary setting.

You will collaborate closely with researchers at UMC Utrecht, performing assays and engaging in translational activities while developing expertise across synthetic and computational medicinal chemistry.

Qualifications

• Completed PhD in Medicinal Chemistry.
• Experience in organic synthesis of drug-like compounds.
• Experience in molecular modelling/docking of bioactive compounds.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Discover and develop Piezo1 inhibitors for sickle cell disease.
• Conduct virtual screening, AI-assisted optimization and synthesis.
• Collaborate with UMC Utrecht for compound assays.
• Contribute to translational aspects and attend user committee meetings.

Skills

Organic synthesis

Molecular docking

English proficiency

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Medicinal Chemistry

Job description

Job description

Join a multidisciplinary project at the interface of medicinal chemistry, computational drug discovery and chemical biology.

Your job

As a postdoc, you will play a key role in the discovery and development of novel Piezo1 inhibitors for sickle cell disease, combining virtual screening, AI-techniques and organic synthesis. Initial inhibitors have already been identified, providing a starting point for further optimization and broader screening. You will work closely with researchers at UMC Utrecht where compounds will be assayed. The project combines fundamental research with translational potential and offers opportunities to interact with experts in the field through periodic user committee meetings.

You will work in the Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery division of the Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. The division houses around 60 researchers with expertise in preparative chemistry linked to disease research, carbohydrates and glycoscience, RNA in disease, immunology and drug discovery.

You will have access to modern synthetic labs, state of the art analytical equipment, biolabs and large scale computation facilities. Regular in person meetings with our partner group at the UMC will support the close collaboration on this project. Our goal is to advance successful compounds in subsequent translational activities.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will have the opportunity to develop your expertise across synthetic and computational medicinal chemistry and apply modern approaches to compound discovery and optimization.

Requirements

• a completed PhD in Medicinal Chemistry;
• experience in organic synthesis of drug-like compounds;
• experience in molecular modelling/docking experience in the creation and development of bioactive compounds;
• proficiency in written and spoken English.

Conditions of employment

• a position for one year, with the possibility of an extension for one year upon a positive evaluation;
• a gross monthly salary, depending on qualifications and experience, between €3.706 and €5.760 (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU)). The salary is based on a 38-hour working week;
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.
• In addition to the terms of employment set out in our collective labour agreement, we offer attractive additional benefits, including opportunities for personal and professional growth, flexible leave arrangements, and extra vacation days. Through the UU Terms of Employment Options Model, you can tailor your employment package to your needs. In this way, we encourage you to grow in what you do, both in your work and in your development.

Employer

Universiteit Utrecht

A better future for everyone. This ambition motivates our scientists in executing their leading research and inspiring teaching. At Utrecht University, the various disciplines collaborate intensively towards major strategic themes. Our focus is on Dynamics of Youth, Institutions for Open Societies, Life Sciences and Pathways to Sustainability. Sharing science, shaping tomorrow.

Working at the Faculty of Science means bringing together inspiring people across disciplines and with a variety of perspectives and backgrounds. The Faculty has six departments: Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Information & Computing Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Together, we work on excellent research and inspiring education. We do so, driven by curiosity and supported by outstanding infrastructure.

You will join the research group of prof dr. Roland Pieters. The work of designing biologically active compounds of disease-linked proteins is a core research area of the Pieters group. The group has focused on structure-based optimizations using X-ray structures and spacer optimization for multivalent ligand design. The current focus is on drug discovery methods by virtual screening and AI for small molecules inhibitors of medically important targets.

The Pieters group is part of the Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (CBDD) division. This division is part of the Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), where all research activities of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences take place. The CBDD division has excellent facilities for organic synthesis and product analysis which this proposal requires. The state-of-the-art labs available for synthesis include: 400 MHz NMR, 600 MHz NMR, LC/MS system, multiple mass spectrometers (MALDI-TOF, ESI, ion mobility) and several HPLC systems, including preparative instruments, UPLC and HILIC. For computational studies, the High-Performance Compute (HPC) facility, part of the Utrecht Bioinformatics Center (UBC), is utilized. A biolab is present for protein expression, and cellular experiments.