PRIMED for Medincinal Chemistry (PRecision, AI Informed, Molecular EDiting)

About the Project

The PhD focusses on innovative precision molecule editing and diversification. PRIMED combines late stage enzymatic halogenation with synthetic diversification of aryl and alyl halides.

The formation of C-X bonds (where X is F, Cl, Br, or I) is of great importance to the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. The introduction of a halogen into a molecule can be used to modulate bioactivity, bioavailability and metabolic stability. It also provides a chemically reactive and selectively functionalisable handle, that can be used to build or diversify molecules. Current industrial approaches to making C-X bonds still require Cl2 and Br2. Such approaches rely on fragile supply chains. They require the C-X bond to be introduced at an early stage. Most critically, these approaches lack selectivity and, even when applied to simple starting materials, result in hard to separate mixtures. For this reason, only simple halogenated building blocks are generated. To incorporate a halogen into a molecule, whether that be a pharmaceutical or agrochemical, its assembly must be designed using these simple halogenated building blocks. In contrast to current industrial approaches to halogenation, enzymes confer exquisite selectivity, enabling precision late-stage halogenation. Unlike current industrial approaches, salt is used as halogenating agent, only one product is generated simplifying purification, and complex bioactive scaffolds, rather than simple building blocks, can be accepted as substrates.

We are an international and diverse research group focussing on medicinal chemistry. We comprise of scientists from bio through to chemo informatics; synthetic chemistry through to synthetic biology.

We seek exceptional, talented PhD candidates with strong backgrounds and an excellent first degree/masters with prior research experience and strong skills in any of the following areas:

• AI plus chemistry
• AI plus enzymology
• AI plus medicinal chemistry
• Software engineering plus chemistry/biochemistry
• Synthetic organic chemistry : multi step / total synthesis/natural products
• Enzymology/molecular biology/microbiology/bioinformatics

Funding Notes

Full funded PhD studentship opportunity linking to the EPSRC Open Plus Fellowship, awarded to Goss: PRIMED for Diversification.

We are looking to appoint by May, but will hold the position open until suitable candidates are found.