Post-doctoral Fellow in Drug Delivery, Nanomedicine & Advanced Therapeutics
at the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (several posts)
The University of Hong Kong
Apply now Ref.: 523977
Work type: Full-time
Department: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (21300)
Categories: Senior Research Staff & Post-doctoral Fellow
Hong Kong
Post-doctoral Fellow in Drug Delivery, Nanomedicine & Advanced Therapeutics
at the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (several posts) (Ref.:
523977)
We now invite applicants to join the Science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics Lab of Drug Delivery, Nanomedicine & Advanced Therapeutics at the
Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, LKS Faculty of Medicine. We are
looking to recruit a number of highly motivated postdoctoral fellows, PhD
students, a lab technician and a research officer.
The aim of our lab is to use nanotechnology to better understand, diagnose and
treat diseases with particular interests in cancer and neurodegenerative
diseases. We are a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary lab eager to
create an impact on people's lives taking research a step beyond the lab.
Research projects we are looking to pursue are in the areas of extracellular
vesicles & cell therapy, immunotherapy, nucleic acids therapeutics for brain
cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Design and develop small molecules, nucleic acids and peptide
therapeutics.
Design, prepare and characterize nanoparticles.
Employ state-of-the-art techniques to assess the physicochemical
properties of nanoparticles, ensuring their stability, drug release
kinetics, encapsulation efficiency and electron microscopy imaging.
Integrate innovative approaches to enhance the specificity and efficiency
of advanced therapeutics, with a particular emphasis on addressing
challenges related to tissue penetration and targeted delivery.
Conduct cell culture studies using cell lines, primary cultures and/or
patients' tissues for efficacy evaluation.
Conduct in vivo studies, including administration of nanoparticles,
monitoring fate, therapeutic response, and assessing the impact on disease
progression.
Develop relevant disease models to assess therapeutic efficacy of a
specific treatment.
Demonstrate understanding of the disease pathology for better design of
advanced therapeutics.
Coordinate with clinical collaborators to obtain ethical approvals and
obtaining human tissue samples for subsequent studies.
Engage in collaborative projects both internally and externally.
Periodically report progress to PI, co-investigators, project
collaborators, and project funder.
Initiate and contribute to grant writing activities.
Write study-specific procedures for analytical methods, protocols, and
reports and provide training on processes and equipment.
Supervise and co-supervise undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Disseminate research findings through the preparation of research articles
and presentations at international conferences.
Foster an agile and friendly working environment within the research
group.
Requirements:
Education and Expertise:
Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Biology, Molecular
Biology, Biochemistry, Immunology, Bioengineering, Chemistry, Data Science
or related fields.
Post-doctorate experience preferred.
Proven track record in conducting high-quality biological or chemical
research.
Demonstrated history of writing reports and scientific articles based on
research results.
Research Skills :
Strong background in various research areas including pre-clinical
studies, image-guided delivery, nucleic acid therapeutics, targeting and
therapeutic aptamers/peptides, immunotherapy, RNA biology, nose-to-brain
delivery, blood brain barrier targeting, nanoparticle formulation, peptide
therapeutics, T cells therapy, extracellular vesicles, cancer vaccines,
brain cancer, motor neuron disease, protein corona, hydrogels, and gene
therapy/editing.
Hands-on experience in advanced cell culture techniques and in vivo
models.
Proficiency in various cell and molecular biology experimentation
techniques like PCR, gels, Western blotting, Immunohistochemistry, ELISA
and flow cytometry, immune profiling.
Experience in bioconjugations.
Desirable Skills :
Highly desirable skills include various in-vivo tracking modalities and
imaging techniques for monitoring drug delivery dynamics.
Additional advantageous skills involve working with patient tissue
handling and culturing, surgical implantation of brain cancer, cryo-
electron microscopy, transcriptome, proteome, single cell sequencing and
bioinformatics, iPSC derived cells, tissue organoids and/or tissue slices,
analytical techniques e.g. LC-MS, liquid scintillation, HPLC, MS, NMR.
Administrative and Collaborative Skills :
Ability to manage a research programme financially and administratively
under the guidance of the Principal Investigator.
Ability to work independently with excellent problem-solving skills,
collaborate within a team, and supervise students.
High attention to detail in experimental design and execution with a
willingness to adapt to new procedures and undergo further training as
necessary.
Language and Technical Competence :
Excellent command of written and spoken English.
Capable of writing grants and contributing to additional funding
acquisition.
Proficient in IT skills for efficient data management and communication
within the research programme.
What We Offer
The appointment will commence as soon as possible on a temporary basis for 1
year, with the possibility of renewal up to 3 years subjected to satisfactory
performance and funding availability. A highly competitive salary commensurate
with qualifications and experience will be offered. Other benefits include
annual leave, medical benefits and free access to on-campus gyms and
libraries.
How to Apply
The University only accepts online application for the above post(s).
Applicants should apply online at the University's Careers site
(https: // jobs.hku.hk) and upload an up-to-date C.V. Review of applications
will start as soon as possible and continue until February 29, 2024 , or
until the post(s) is/are filled, whichever is earlier.
The University is an equal opportunities employer and
is committed to equality, ethics, inclusivity, diversity and transparency
Advertised: Dec 29, 2023 (HK Time)
Applications close: Feb 29, 2024 (HK Time)
Apply now
