Expires on: 06/02/2024
Description
The Crick Institute announces a PhD scholarship for 2024 in collaboration with Ed Tate and Jo Redmond. This project focuses on effector-driven pharmacology, a revolutionary approach to drug discovery exemplified by molecular glue degrader (MGD) therapeutics. The research, part of a Prosperity Partnership with the UK government and AstraZeneca, aims to develop novel approaches for discovering molecular glues with applications in various disease areas.
The project addresses the challenge of ‘undruggable’ drug targets by exploring effector-driven pharmacology, specifically molecular glue degrader (MGD) therapeutics. The goal is to discover new molecular glues that induce ternary complexes between target proteins of interest (POI) and effector proteins, triggering specific cellular effects. The project is part of a Prosperity Partnership with AstraZeneca, focusing on intractable targets in cancer with broad applications across disease areas.
Over the 4-year PhD program, candidates will experience each stage of MGD discovery, utilizing cutting-edge technology platforms developed in the Prosperity Partnership. This includes cellular and biochemical screens, gene editing, structure-based design, machine learning, and encoded library technologies. The collaborative environment, involving more than 15 scientists, provides hands-on training and supervision from experts in chemical biology, medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, and chemical proteomics. Collaboration opportunities with partner organizations, including Micrographia Bio, add further depth to the research.
Qualification:
Applicants must meet standard Crick academic eligibility criteria and hold or expect to achieve a Master’s degree at merit level (or above), or equivalent. This scholarship is open to both UK and international students. Ideal candidates have a strong molecular science background, including chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, or biochemistry, with hands-on lab experience applying molecular approaches in a relevant biological context.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should follow the application process outlined here. For inquiries, contact Prof. Ed Tate (ed.tate@crick.ac.uk) and Dr. Jo Redmond (jo.redmond@crick.ac.uk).