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PostDoc Position LJC Group 1732019284

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17 views2 pages

PostDoc Position LJC Group 1732019284

Uploaded by

mozzy
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Postdoctoral researcher in highly selective drug systems

against cancer stem cells


The role
We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work on our project SeleCStem funded by an ERC
Starting Grant. You will join an ambitious and impactful project at the intersection of chemistry
and biology to fight against cancer stem cells!
Cancer stem cells are a small population of cells within a tumour which typically remain in a
quiescent state that is unaffected by standard chemotherapy. However, after treatment, these
cells can differentiate into proliferative cancer cells and regenerate a tumour; hence, they are very
often responsible for patient relapse. Despite their important role, there is still a lack of selective
drugs for these cells. A notable challenge is that these cells have close similarities to our healthy
stem cells, which makes it difficult to develop drugs that do not cause side effects in other tissues.
Our group has recently secured funding from the European Research Council for the project
SeleCStem, through which we will utilise the activity of the enzyme ALDH to design
unprecedented drugs that act selectively inside cancer stem cells. The project includes, but
is not limited to, developing light-responsive molecules. This project will be carried out by a
team of junior and senior researchers working on complementary
approaches. As a postdoctoral researcher, you will be a pivotal figure
within our team, contributing to advance several of our proposed
approaches throughout this 5-year project. Some of your
responsibilities will include:
• Designing molecules using computational approaches.
• Synthesising the designed molecules.
• Determining the photochemical properties of the molecules.
• Evaluating biological activity in previously optimised assays
with purified enzymes.
• Studying the activity in cancer cell lines of the molecules.
This project offers a unique opportunity to participate in a highly interdisciplinary project
encompassing computational modelling, organic synthesis, photopharmacology, enzyme assays,
and cell culture. You will also present your work at our regular group meetings and at national
and international conferences.
As a postdoctoral researcher in a young group, you will be given opportunities for growth. While
we expect you to have a strong background in synthetic chemistry and ideally some experience
in biological assays, we will also teach you new techniques and skills. You will also have

Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC)


c/ Jordi Girona, 18-26. 08034, Barcelona (Spain)
www.iqac.csic.es
opportunities to supervise Master and PhD students, aid in the preparation of grants, and lead
projects. We are also looking forward for you to complement our expertise by bringing new ideas!

What do we look for?


● Qualifications
o PhD in Chemistry, Pharmacy, or a related field.
● Competences
o Strong background in synthetic chemistry.
o Experience in biological assays and cell culture will be considered a plus.
o Experience in docking will be considered a plus.
o High level of written and oral English.
o Desirable skills: project leadership, some level of independence, some
experience with student supervision, good communication, critical thinking,
organisation, time management, perseverance, teamwork, commitment.

Working conditions
• Contract duration: 5 years
• Estimated annual gross salary: 41,098.95 €
• Target start date: beginning of 2025

The group
You will join the Drug Discovery & Medicinal Chemistry group led by Dr Laia Josa-Culleré. We
are a young, dynamic, and passionate research group dedicated to developing innovative
chemical strategies against cancer. Our group is interdisciplinary, bringing together expertise in
chemistry and biology. As a young PI, I will provide hands-on training on the disciplines involved
in the project, regular feedback, and project tracking. We also hold weekly group meetings to
openly discuss the projects of the different team members. Our group cultivates a diligent,
ambitious, supportive, and respectful environment committed to producing impactful scientific
outcomes and fostering the professional and personal growth of our team members.

The institute
The Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC) is one of the research centres of
the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). The Institute is located in Barcelona, and it was
created in 2007 with the mission to perform research of excellence in chemical sciences with the
broad goal of improving the quality of life. The general strategy to achieve this mission involves
the application of chemical approaches to address and solve societal challenges, mainly those
related to human health, the sustainability of chemical processes and products, and the needs
for novel materials for different applications. Since its establishment, IQAC has been in a
permanent attitude to transfer its knowledge and technology results to the industrial sector.
The research developed at IQAC is organised around two main nodes: Biological Chemistry
and Nanobiotechnology, and many of the research groups work at the intersection between
different disciplines. Our Institute holds a set of scientific and technical facilities run by highly
qualified scientists and technical personnel with a solid background and long-lasting expertise.

How to apply?
Applications will be addressed to Laia Josa-Culleré at laia.josacullere@iqac.csic.es, adding
“PostDoc StG Applicant” to the email subject and including:
o CV
o Motivation letter
o Contact details of at least two references
Deadline: 10/12/2024

Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC)


c/ Jordi Girona, 18-26. 08034, Barcelona (Spain)
www.iqac.csic.es

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