13 PhD positions: COLOTAN (Boosting advanced doctoral training in innovative colon targeting drugs) 1571 views

COLOTAN is a network for “Boosting advanced doctoral training in innovative colon targeting drugs” is being offered by EU Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Project. Its overarching goal is to provide high-level training to 13 early stage researchers in drug delivery, drug disposition and gastrointestinal (GI) (patho)physiology to improve targeting of drugs to the colon and to provide them with the transferable and scientific skills necessary for a successful career.

Research areas:

• Organic synthetic Chemistry
• Biomedical Sciences
• Molecular biology
• Pharmaceutical sciences
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology
• Cell biology

Requirements:

• Applicants must hold a university degree that qualifies them for doctoral studies at their recruiting organization. Solid written and oral communication skills in English are prerequisites of any successful application (typically IELTS min. 7, TOEFL internet-based min. 90 or similar level as proven by other tests). Every applicant can apply for up to three ESR positions (first, second, third choice)
• Early-stage researchers (ESR): ESRs are those who are, at the time of recruitment by the host, in the first four years (full-time equivalent) of their research careers. This is measured from the date when they obtained the degree which formally entitles them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided and should not have been awarded a doctoral degree.
• Researchers are required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up the appointment. At the time of selection by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account.
• Network fellows (ESRs) must demonstrate that their ability to understand and express themselves in both written and spoken English is sufficiently high for them to derive the full benefit from the network training.

Applications:

Apply online including a detailed CV – Europass format obligatory – and motivation letter.

Available projects:

• ESR1: Chemically modified polysaccharide (CMP) coatings for site-specific drug delivery to the colon
• ESR2: The influence of altered gut microbiota on the metabolism of and drug release from bacterially-triggered film coated colonic drug delivery for patients with IBD: in vitro and in vivo evaluation
• ESR3: Evaluate the usefulness of innovative orally administered modified release dosage forms for removing potentially harmful agent(s) from the lower intestine
• ESR4: Delivery of peptides, proteins, antibodies and nucleic acids to the colon
• ESR5: Transporter/enzyme assessment in colonic tissue from healthy volunteers and colorectal cancer patients
• ESR6: Influence of intra and extracellular free drug concentrations in the human colon on local and systemic drug exposure
• ESR7: Importance of diffusion, dissolution and release mechanisms for dosage forms delivering drugs to the colonic environment
• ESR8: Metabolomics investigation of the colonic intraluminal environment.
• ESR9: Investigating the effect of age, sex, prebiotics, and drug treatment on colonic microbiota and drug absorption
• ESR10: Mechanistic in silico modelling of colonic drug absorption
• ESR11: Evaluating the suitability of novel colon-specific in vitro models to investigate drug disposition, metabolism and safety in medium to high-throughput setting
• ESR12: Optimisation of in vitro and in silico tools to facilitate development of colonic delivery systems
• ESR13: Enteroids and cytokines: an in vitro model of drug absorption in the inflamed gut