PhD student (all genders) in Brain Penetrant Macrocycles for CNS Drug Discovery - 3 years temporary

AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. 

This doctoral candidate position is open within the context of the Doctoral Network (DN) project MC4DD (Macrocycles for Drug Discovery) within the framework of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA).

This PhD position is hosted at AbbVie Germany GmbH & Co. KG, in 67061 Ludwigshafen, Germany, with 2 secondments for 3 months each at University of Torino (Italy), and at Technical University Darmstadt (Germany).

Responsibilities:

• Define a set of macrocyclic model substrates spanning a range of key structural and physicochemical parameters;
• Generate in vitro data on permeability and efflux substrate properties using cellular models: Caco2, MDCK (+MDR1 & BCRP efflux transporters)
• for a selected subset of compounds, use mouse PK cassette studies to determine in vivo brain/plasma ratio, absolute brain and plasma compound levels, and determine free fraction in brain homogenate to calculate Kp,uu,brain.
• Determine the desired property space for brain penetrant macrocycles by analyzing relationships between endpoints determined above, e.g. SAR (relationship between structural or physicochemical properties and in vitro permeability / efflux or in vivo brain penetration), and in vitro – in vivo (relationship between in vitro permeability / efflux and and in vivo brain penetration)
• Measurement of chameleonicity of brain-permeable MCs (during 3-months secondment at University of Torino, Italy)
• Analysis of Structure-Activity-Relationships (SAR) of brain-permeable MCs (during 3-months secondment at Technical University Darmstadt, Germany)

• MSc or equivalent in Biology, Pharmaceutical or Life Sciences
• Research experience in biological, biochemical or related fields
• Scientific interest, dedication to research, and career goal to work in drug discovery
• Appreciation for interdisciplinarity and proactive drive to collaborate across fields
• Proficiency in English, good communication skill and social competence
• Hands-on experience with in vitro assays, ideally with cell culture systems
• Hands-on experience with animal experiments, ideally through participation in a FELASA course, and willingness to perform in vivo studies in mice and/or rats (e.g. dosing, and blood/ tissue sampling)
• Ability and willingnes to work independently in an industry environment

Eligibility criteria

• Supported researchers must be doctoral candidates, i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment.
• researchers must not have spent with AbbVie >12 months in the 36 months preceding their recruitment date.

Mobility Rule: researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Germany >12 months in the 36 months preceding their recruitment date.

Please upload your CV and a motivation letter. 

Nur gemeinsam können wir das Beste für Patienten erreichen. Daher setzen wir bei AbbVie auf Chancengleichheit, Vielfalt & Inklusion. Wir gestalten ein Arbeitsumfeld, in dem alle Mitarbeiter ihr Potenzial entfalten können – unabhängig von Geschlecht, Herkunft, Religion, sexueller Orientierung oder anderen Vielfaltsdimensionen. Doch für uns bedeutet Vielfalt mehr als nur offensichtliche Unterschiede zu berücksichtigen: Sie bezieht sich auch auf unterschiedliche Ausbildungshintergründe, Fachkenntnisse, Persönlichkeitstypen, Denkweisen und Lebenserfahrungen.