Post Doctoral Fellow - Pharmacological & Pharmaceutic Department

University of Houston; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Vedagopuram Research Group at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join a growing research program in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry. This role involves the development of bifunctional molecules, delivery platforms, and genome-editing technologies to probe biomolecular function and disease mechanisms.

Ideal candidates will have a PhD in chemistry or related fields, strong synthetic chemistry/drug design experience, and a

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry or related field required.
• Strong foundational skills in synthetic chemistry and protein biochemistry.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

Responsibilities

• Develops and applies knowledge across specialized area; leads experiments.
• Reviews progress and evaluates results under supervision.
• Plans and assigns personnel to projects as needed.
• Operates with latitude for unreviewed action and communicates with supervisor.

Skills

Synthetic chemistry

Molecular biology

Teamwork

Communication

Education

PhD in chemistry or related field

Tools

CRISPR-Cas9

Protein purification

Job description

Department: Pharmacological & Pharmaceutic Salary: Commensurate with Experience/Education

Description

Possesses, understands, and applies a comprehensive knowledge in area of specialization. Develops understanding and skills to allow for completion of assignments that cross fields of specialization. Develops leadership and management skills.

• Receives/Reviews progress and evaluates results of experiments or projects under control or supervisory responsibility.
• Recommends changes in research, testing or experimental procedures.
• May be responsible for a single highly technical and complex piece of research equipment.
• May review and evaluate the effectiveness of personnel.
• May plan for and assign personnel to projects under control.
• Operates with latitude for unreviewed action.
• May receive general supervision conferring with higher levels only in unusual situations.
• Performs other job-related duties as required.

The Vedagopuram Research Group at the University of Houston College of Pharmacy seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to join a newly established, growing research program.

Dr. Sreekanth Vedagopuram is an Assistant Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the College of Pharmacy, University of Houston.

Current Research Areas

Our lab develops bifunctional molecules that induce or modulate post-translational modifications to probe and control biomolecular function. We combine chemical biology, CRISPR technology, and drug delivery to uncover molecular mechanisms and new therapeutic strategies.

Our Work Spans Three Areas

• Bifunctional small molecules, including degraders and (de)phosphorylating molecules that control protein function
• Chemical control of genome-editing proteins
• Delivery platforms that shuttle therapeutic macromolecules into target cells.

Areas of Interest

We are seeking passionate and dedicated candidates with strong interest in:

• Chemical biology and targeted protein degradation
• Induced-proximity technologies
• Medicinal and synthetic chemistry
• CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and transcription control
• Protein engineering
• Drug and macromolecule delivery

Qualifications

Applicants should possess:

• A Ph.D. in chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, cell biology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related field
• Strong foundational skills in synthetic chemistry, [or] molecular and cell biology, and/or protein biochemistry
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
• A strong work ethic and enthusiasm for scientific research

Experience (desirable)

• Synthetic/ medicinal chemistry: Experience with organic synthesis, small-molecule design, and structure-activity relationship studies. Candidates with a chemistry background who are interested in learning cell and molecular biology are preferred.
• Protein engineering: Experience with protein expression, purification, and engineering, including fusion constructs or bioconjugation
• Molecular biology and CRISPR/ genome editing: Experience with CRISPR-Cas9 systems, genome-editing assays in mammalian cells, and various cloning techniques.
• Biochemistry and assay development: Experience developing assays to probe post-translational modifications, protein-protein interactions, or induced-proximity systems. Experience with standard biochemical techniques (e.g., Western blotting, co-immunoprecipitation, enzymatic assays)
• Cell culture: Experience with mammalian cell culture, transfection, dose-response assays, ternary complex assays.
• Drug/ macromolecule delivery: Experience with delivery platforms for nucleic acids, proteins, or other macromolecular cargo.

Successful candidates should be highly motivated, intellectually curious, and committed to pursuing innovative and impactful research.

MQ: Requires singular knowledge of a specialized advanced professional discipline or the highest level of general business knowledge, normally acquired through attainment of a directly job-related terminal degree or equivalent formal training in a recognized field of specialization that is directly related to the type of work being performed.

No Experience Is Required.

All positions at the University of Houston-System are security sensitive and will require a criminal history check.

The University of Houston System and its universities are Equal Opportunity Institutions. Everyone is encouraged to apply.