EPSRC Studentship in Chemistry: Copper(II)-Catalyzed Atom and Step Economical Late Stage Functionalisation of Bioactive Compounds. (2023)

What you get

Funding includes full UK tuition fees, a research training grant and a stipend at UKRI rates for 3.5 years.

Type of award

Postgraduate Research

PhD project

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Atom and Step Economical Late Stage Functionalisation of Bioactive Compounds.

Synthetic chemists have always been fascinated with creating molecular complexity from readily
available starting materials.The typical cost of developing a drug is over 2 billion USD,and the time
required to reach the market is approximately 14 years. With a very high attrition rate, faster, more
economical processes for creating these entities are welcome. Selective processes that lead to the
correct shape of the drug ensure that it fits correctly in its 3D-biological chiral protein target. Moreover,
drugs need to be made on a large scale.We have recently described a series of metal catalysed
multicomponent reactions that are “atom economical”, using all atoms to create complicated
architectures with 3D shapes, to complement the complexity of protein targets.Moreover, the catalytic
nature ensures that energy use, waste production, solvent use are minimal, so have the potential for
largescale production. Also, the catalysts are very easy to make and are stable in air, making them
readily available and scalable, and the fact that we can monitor and optimise new reactions without
requiring expensive inert gases. We aim to demonstrate that these catalytic reactions have real-world
applications as in the design of PROTAC (proteolysis targeting chimeras) molecules for targeted protein
degradation, an area of intense current academic and commercial interest. PROTACs induce the
ubiquitination machinery to tag a protein for recycling by the proteasome. Structurally guided drug design
and biological assays can form a feedback loop to our synthetic chemistry where we can optimise the
PROTACs to improve their selectivity and properties, such as solubility, permeability,and stability.These
findings will profoundly influence the design and optimisation of PROTACs andlinker chemistry in
general, and the combination of academic groups with leading UK industrial partners will enable us to
attain our goals. 

Eligibility

Candidates must have or expect to obtain a minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree. An MSc degree will be advantageous. Your qualification should be in chemistry or a related subject area. You may also be considered for the position if you have other professional qualifications or experience of equivalent standing.

Candidates for whom English is not their first language will require an IELTS (or equivalent) score of 6.5 overall, with not less than 6.0 in any section.

Please check our Admissions page for further information: Chemistry PhD : University of Sussex

Deadline

20 February 2023 23:45

How to apply

Please submit a formal application via How to apply for a PhD : PhD : Study with us : University of Sussex and upload the following supporting documents:

• Personal Statement (no research proposal required),
• CV,
• BSc/MSc degree transcripts AND certificates,
• Two references on academic letterhead
• English language proficiency documentation if required.

On the application system select Programme of Study – PhD Chemistry, and September 2023 entry date. Please ensure you state 'EPSRC DTP 2023' and the project title in the funding section and state the supervisor’s name when prompted.

Contact us

For enquiries about the application process, contact Emma Chorley: lifesci-rec@sussex.ac.uk 

For enquiries about the project, contact George Kostakis: G.Kostakis@sussex.ac.uk