Description

Research Fellow in Protein Chemistry for Targeted Drug Delivery

Are you an experienced protein chemist/biochemist looking for your next challenge? Are you interested in applying your research skills to develop new strategies for treatment of bacterial infections?

Working closely with a second research fellow in the School of Physics & Astronomy, you will join a multidisciplinary team based in the Schools of Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Medicine and Electronic Engineering (Prof Bruce Turnbull, Prof Steve Evans, Dr Zhan Ong, Dr Jon Sandoe and Prof Steve Freear) to work on an EPSRC funded project to develop the use of microbubbles for targeting and treatment of microbial biofilm infections.

Antibiotics are becoming less effective because of resistance developed by bacteria. We aim to combat antibiotic resistance by developing better antibiotics as well as improving the way we use existing ones. In this project we will use microbubbles, similar to those already used as ultrasound scanning contrast agents, to deliver antibiotics directly to a site of infection. You will develop methods to conjugate the bubbles to proteins that target bacterial biofilms and assess their molecular targeting activity in microfluidic systems under flow conditions. You will investigate if combinations of molecular targeting proteins improve biofilm targeting. You will also perform experiments to load liposomes with antimicrobial peptides, and attach them to the microbubbles. You will perform drug release studies to investigate if the combined use of targeted microbubbles and ultrasound drug release methods can provide enhanced antibiotic efficiency.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Professor Bruce Turnbull

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 7438

Email: w.b.turnbull@leeds.ac.uk

Location: Leeds - Main Campus

Faculty/Service: Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences School/Institute: School of Chemistry Category: Research Grade: Grade 7 Salary: £34,304 to £40,927 p.a. Due to funding restrictions an appointment will not be made above £36,382 p.a. Working Time: 37.5 hours per week Post Type: Full Time Contract Type: Fixed Term (3 years (grant funding)) Release Date: Monday 16 May 2022 Closing Date: Sunday 29 May 2022 Interview Date: To be confirmed Reference: EPSCH1060 Downloads: Candidate Brief

Apply Online