For a joint PhD project between the University of Leuven (KUL) and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) focusing on the fundamental investigation of liquid chromatography columns for the analysis of oligonucleotides, the division of Pharmaceutical Analysis of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences of KUL and the Department of Chemical Engineering of VUB, are looking for a highly motivated PhD candidate.
Within Pharmaceutical Analysis, the research group of the PhD promoter Prof. Deirdre Cabooter is currently working on the fundamental investigation of liquid chromatographic supports for the analysis of small and large (bio)molecules, the implementation of multidimensional liquid chromatography in combination with mass spectrometry for environmental, pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, and the development of automatable method development strategies for complex samples.
Within the Department of Chemical Engineering, the research group of the PhD co-promoter Gert Desmet focuses on the development of faster and more sensitive separation methods, mostly in chromatography. To base this work on firm theoretical grounds, the group also does important work on the measurement and modeling of flow effects in microfluidic and chromatographic systems, for which it received wide international recognition.
Website unit
Project
Oligonucleotides (ONs) are synthetic nucleic acid polymers that are revolutionizing the treatment of diseases. An increasing number of ONs is nowadays under development to treat a variety of diseases that were previously hard or even impossible to cure with traditional medicines based on small molecules. During the production process of ONs, a large number of closely related impurities is typically formed that need to be carefully monitored and controlled. For this purpose, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) is used as the analytical technique of choice. Due to the high complexity of ON samples, their analysis via HPLC is, however, very challenging at present. This is because the influence of specific column parameters on the resulting separation of ONs is currently poorly understood. This represents a true bottleneck in their pharmaceutical development, as the number of therapeutic ONs under investigation is rapidly growing. Therefore, this project aims to perform a detailed investigation of the most important column parameters for efficient ON analysis. The ultimate goal is to obtain insight into how the ideal column for optimal ON separations should be designed, to speed up the analysis and pharmaceutical development of therapeutic ONs in the future.
Profile
The candidate ideally has a Master in (Analytical) Chemistry, Bio/Environmental/Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy or Biomedical Sciences, with a strong interest in analytical chemistry. A good knowledge of and hands-on experience with (U)HPLC are an absolute must, while an interest in the fundamentals of chromatography is required (you will be questioned on the van Deemter equation!). As this project also involves an amount of modeling, the candidate should have good knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Candidates must be proficient in oral and written English, must have excellent communication and multi-tasking skills, and be team-oriented, proactive and results driven.
The start date of the position is relatively flexible, with a final starting date in October 2025. Interested candidates should send their CV and a motivation letter using the KU Leuven online application tool.
Offer
We offer a PhD position in a stimulating environment at a top European university in a well-equipped, experienced and internationally oriented research unit. You will be based at the Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences at the Gasthuisberg Campus in Leuven, but you will also closely collaborate with the Department of Chemical Engineering of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, where you will expand your knowledge of flow and mass transfer processes.
Interested?
For more information please contact Prof. dr. Deirdre Cabooter, tel.: +32 16 32 34 42, mail: [email protected].
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