PhD in measuring and mathematical modelling of N-carboxy anhydride copolymerisation kinetics for predictive pharmaceutical formulation design

About the Project

We are looking for candidates for a PhD project at the interface of polymer chemistry, reaction kinetics and mathematical modelling to predict copolymer properties from reaction conditions.

Poly(amino acid)s are promising materials for biomedical applications such as drug formulation matrices and antimicrobial coatings due to their biomimetic properties and tuneable chemical composition. This project aims to advance the synthesis of poly(amino acid)s by developing new understanding and computational tools to predict the outcomes of N-carboxy anhydride (NCA) copolymerisations, with the goal of achieving better control over amino acid sequence distribution in copolymers.

Sequence control in NCA polymerisation is currently limited due to the stochastic nature of ring-opening polymerisation and the lack of robust analytical and predictive tools. This means that the relationship between reaction conditions and polymer sequence remains poorly understood. This project will focus on one of the two key aspects below required to advance the field of NCA copolymerisation:

• Develop and employ analytical methods suitable for poly(amino acid) sequence characterisation
• Develop and use mathematical models to describe and predict poly(amino acid) sequence as a function of polymerisation conditions

Both aspects feed into each other, the project will emphasise the aspect that plays towards the strengths of the candidate while also supporting the candidates development in the other aspect if required.

We are looking for candidates who

• are enthusiastic researchers
• hold a degree in a Natural Sciences related area, including but not limited to Chemistry, Material Science, Mathematics or Computational Sciences
• have an interest to develop skills in either experimental (for computationally oriented graduates) or computational (for experimentally oriented graduates) areas
• have already or have the prospect of securing their own funding for a PhD project

Additional desirable skills (they do not have to be met but can be a bonus):

• experience in polymer chemistry, particularly with N-carboxy anhydride polymerisation
• experience in reaction kinetics, particularly polymerisation kinetics (experimental and/or theoretical)
• experience with performing or processing polymer characterisation data (e.g., NMR, GPC, IR)
• experience with statistical methods
• experience with coding (e.g., python, R)

What we offer. You will join a globally leading University / School with a vibrant and international research community and state-of-the-art facilities. The University is amongst the top 100 universities in the QS World University ranking for 2026. The School of Pharmacy is ranked 12th In the world and 4th in the UK. The University of Nottingham has excellent training provisions through its Research Academy, centralised facility hubs such as the Nanoscale and Microscale Research Centre (NMRC) and a very supportive postgraduate researcher community.

Eligibility. Candidates must meet the entry requirements outlined by the University of Nottingham for Pharmacy PhD candidates: https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/course/research/pharmacy-phd#requirements.

Start date. The typical start date is the end of September of the next academic year.

Funding Notes

Candidates must bring their own scholarships or be self-funded.