Doctoral Candidate Position 10 - Anacalypsis Therapeutics, Athens, Greece
Novel drug screening models and companion biomarkers of LRRK2-Parkinson's Disease
Description of project
Detecting Parkinson's disease (PD) early and developing effective treatments are high unmet medical needs that must be addressed simultaneously. This project implements a patient-centric approach to developing biomarkers that can identify Parkinson's disease in its early stages and innovative treatments that can modify the disease course. To achieve this, we are using a unique combination of protein biochemistry and drug screening to develop novel types of LRRK2 inhibitors (e.g. small molecules and stapled peptide protein-protein interaction inhibitors. This project aims to 1) advance the development of novel in vitro and in vivo preclinical PD models, 2) screen novel LRRK2-based drug candidates for efficacy and toxicity in our PD models, and 3) develop novel single and multi-plex companion biomarker tools for patient stratification and pharmacodynamic measures of drug target engagement. An industrial doctorate gives the doctoral candidate the opportunity to step outside academia and develop skills in industry and business by being jointly supervised by academic and non-academic organisations. The doctoral candidate will work closely with other members of the consortium to achieve the research and training objectives.
Required selection criteria
- Excellent track record in relation to the opportunity
- Completed Master's degree (or equivalent) in Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry or related
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills and fluency in English
Preferred selection criteria
- Background in neuroscience/neurodegeneration
- Experience in tissue culture (e.g. primary neurons or iPSC-derived neurons)
- Experience in in vivo research (e.g. stereotaxic injections, immunohistochemistry/immunofluorescence; microscopy/imaging)
- Experience with ELISA execution and development
- Experience in time management and teamwork
- Above-average commitment, ability to work independently and integrate into an interdisciplinary team
- Scientific curiosity and passion
Specific Requirements
- Must not already hold a doctoral degree
- Must comply with the MSC Action mobility rule: not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Greece for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately before the recruitment date.
- You must meet the requirements for admission to the Doctoral academic (PhD) studies at the University of Athens School of Medicine.
Benefits
- Access to state-of-the-art training within the BICEPS doctoral network, at an academic, and industry level
- Opportunities to collaborate with discipline specific world leading researchers
- A mobility allowance to support relocation
- A family allowance for the relocation of family (terms and conditions apply)
Eligibility criteria
The candidate will be enrolled in a PhD programme at the University of Athens, School of Medicine. For the purposes of the degree-granting requirements, they will perform the research towards their PhD under the official supervision of Prof. Leonidas Stefanis, Chair of the First Dept of Neurology at the University of Athens School of Medicine. Anacalypsis Therapeutics firmly believes that diversity nurtures excellent working environments. We therefore invite applicants from underrepresented groups in particular to apply. Our selection procedure follows the guidelines of the Gender Equality Plan and the guidelines of the Recruitment code (NVP) and European Commission's European Code of Conduct for recruitment of researchers.
Selection process
The application and supporting documentation to be used as the basis for the assessment must be in English. Applications should include:
- Complete CV (name, address, degree(s) with transcript(s) of grades, research experience, educational and employment history, publications etc.)
- Letter of application (max. 1 page) including a short explanation of the applicant's motivation to undertake a PhD
- Transcripts and diplomas for bachelor's and master's degrees
- For the candidates that have acquired 300 ECTS, a copy of the master's thesis. If you recently have submitted your master's thesis, you can attach a draft of the thesis. Documentation of a completed master's degree must be presented before taking up the position.
- Names, contact details (including email addresses) of at least two referees
If all, or parts, of your education have been completed outside of Greece, we also ask you to attach documentation of the scope and quality of your entire education, both bachelor's and master's education or integrated academic studies of medicine, in addition to other higher education. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
Please use the harmonized Application Form before the deadline of 15-February 2025. Candidates are encouraged to apply early. Applications will be accepted until this deadline and considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Applications submitted by post or email will not be considered. Upon request, you must be able to obtain certified copies of your documentation.
In the evaluation of which candidate is best qualified, emphasis will be placed on education, experience, and personal and interpersonal qualities.
Additional comments
ATx is a private discovery stage small-medium enterprise (registered Private Company (PC) or IKE in Greece), focusing on therapeutic and biomarker development for PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. ATx was established in 2019, deriving from the academic research of Drs. Rideout and Polissidis, at the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA). Strong research ties are maintained between the company and BRFAA, as well as multiple Neurology clinics at hospitals throughout Athens. Cellular and in vivo models are used to identify and evaluate novel gene and pathway based therapeutic targets to block neuronal death in PD. Drug development efforts are closely tied to biomarker development as we believe that this dual approach is key for optimal patient treatment (giving the right drug to the right patient at the right time).
We offer you a competitive salary. The position is limited to a period of 3 years. The first year constitutes a probationary period, with an evaluation of the candidate's performance after nine months. The objective of this evaluation is to establish whether the candidate will be able to finish a PhD thesis in the remaining two years. If the performance evaluation is positive, the candidate's contract will be extended by another two years, for a total of three years.