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Project description
Despite significant improvements in the field of cancer treatment, the life expectancy of certain patients remains grim, due to the resistance of cancer cells to conventional chemotherapies. One strategy to improve the treatment of those patients is to exploit specific metabolic dependencies of cancerous cells. In this context, Advanced BioDesign (ABD) is focusing on the development of aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors as drug candidates for the treatment of several types of cancer. However, the use of those inhibitors in vivo is hampered by their low solubility in aqueous media, as well as their short half-life in biological environments. ABD is seeking to engineer and characterized multifunctional nanoparticles to improve the bioavailability of its compounds, and to enhance their selectivity towards tumour cells.
The project aims to develop and characterize new nanoformulations of ABD’s lead candidates, in order to improve the bioavailability and the efficacy of the molecules in the context of cancer treatment. Special attention will be set on the fine-tuning of the formulation to serve the specific mechanism of action of aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors, likely through targeted functionalization, as well as the possibility to develop combinational treatments with other chemotherapies. The work will also be driven by the scalability and translatability of the formulation process toward industrialization.
The work will be carried at Advanced BioDesign, located in Lyon, France.
Main responsibilities
The position will involve:
– the development and characterization of drug-loaded nano-formulations, including state-of-the-art and advanced formulation strategies as well as characterization methods,
– the development of functionalization and targeting strategies fitting the mechanism of action of aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors,
– the development of dedicated formulations allowing combinational treatment using aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors and other chemotherapeutic drugs,
– the evaluation of scalability and translatability of the developed formulations toward the industrial scale,
– the management of national and international collaborations with research groups to test the efficacy of the developed formulations,
– the presentation of results in reports, publications and presentations at national and international congress,
– the participation in mentoring a PhD student.
Qualification requirements
This postdoctoral position is appointed primarily for the purpose of clinical translational research.
Applicants should meet the following requirements:
– a doctoral degree (PhD) in the field of nanomedicine, or any relevant associated discipline (pharmacy, biomedical engineering, nanomaterials, chemistry, chemical engineering, materials science or equivalent),
– experience in nanoencapsulation techniques and encapsulation strategies for small molecules,
– experience in characterization techniques of nanomaterials,
– strong communication skills with good knowledge in English, both written and spoken,
– experience in functionalization of nanomaterials and targeting strategy would be appreciated,
– experience in the development of nano-formulations for combination treatment would be appreciated,
– experience in the field of cancer research would be appreciated
The following documents should be attached to the application:
– A cover letter indicating the motivation to apply for this position,
– A complete curriculum vitae including full name, date and place of birth, nationality, current residence, education and degrees awarded, linguistic skills, current and previous positions, research leadership, other academic merits, list of peer-reviewed articles and contact details of at least two senior, approachable academic referees,
– A concise description of previous research accomplishments (1 page max).
Assessment criteria
The degree should have been completed before the deadline for applications. Exceptionally, candidates with doctoral thesis submitted will be considered. In the appointment process, special attention will be given to expertise and research skills in the relevant fields. The selection is based primarily on scientific excellence and experience in nanotechnologies to treat cancer.
What do we offer?
Advanced BioDesign (ABD) is a French biotech company created in 2010. Our research activity is focused on the development of ALDH1-based strategies for cancer treatment and is based on a rich collaborative intellectual environment with academic institutions across Europe.
This position is available immediately. Salary and social benefits will be in accordance with the French regulations and the national collective agreement for the French pharmaceutical industry. The researcher will benefit of a ticket restaurant card, 50% reduction of the budget for public transportation and solutions for children care.
The contract will be limited initially to 2 years with the possibility of extension. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. There is no deadline.
Please send your application as a single PDF file and mentioning the reference NANOFORM03 to mileidys.perez@a-biodesign.com
Advanced BioDesign strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds.
