Center For Drug Design, University of Minnesota

11/28/2023

We're hiring!

Job opening: Staff Scientist in Computational Medicinal Chemistry

A hard-money Staff Scientist position in Computational Medicinal Chemistry is immediately available at the Center for Drug Design (CDD), College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota. This position will be directly under the supervision of the co-Director of the CDD, with the overall goal of advancing key CDD projects in drug discovery, by providing center-wide medicinal chemistry support. The main duties will be the design and discovery of novel small molecule drugs for multidisciplinary projects entailing medicinal chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. The success of this position will require expertise in synthetic medicinal chemistry and drug design, using standard molecular modeling tools and synthetic chemistry skills, and the ability to work in a highly collaborative team environment. The successful candidate is expected to work largely independently with minimal supervision.

Information about the CDD is available on the CDD website: https://drugdesign.umn.edu/.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

Organic synthesis (50%)

Design and execute multi-step synthetic routes for the preparation of small molecule inhibitors.
Execute compound purification using in-house CombiFlash, prep-HPLC and other methods as necessary.
Fully characterize synthesized compounds using 1H and 13C NMR, mass spectrometry, and HPLC.
Prepare and submit samples for biological, biophysical and ADMET / PK studies.
Maintain research records
Comply with research safety procedures and guidelines.

Cheminformatics and molecular modeling (40%)

Conduct molecular docking to aid in structure-based drug design.
Carry out virtual screenings using structure- or pharmacophore-based approaches.
Create and maintain a searchable in-house compound database.
Create compound structure data files suitable for high throughput docking.

Other duties (10%)

Equipment management.

Supervision

This Staff Scientist will report to Dr. Zhengqiang (ZQ) Wang.

Required Qualifications:

Ph.D. in organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, or a related field.
Demonstrated experience in multistep organic synthesis.
Acquired skills in molecular modeling, including user experience with one or more of the standard modeling program suites (Schrödinger, MOE, etc)
Proven record in productive scientific research.

Preferred Qualifications:

At least 2-year postdoc experience in drug discovery research.
Proficiency with Linux at the command line level
Demonstrated knowledge on protein-ligand molecular interactions.
Experience in machine learning, e.g. AlphaFold2, is a plus.
Proven ability to write project reports and manuscripts.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Good at computer troubleshooting.

Working Conditions:

Half of the work for this position is performed in a synthetic chemistry wet lab. The other half will be computer-based. The position is 100% on site.

Interested candidates should submit a single PDF file containing a cover letter, CV, and names/info for three references to Dr. Zhengqiang (ZQ) Wang via email at [email protected]. The email subject line should be “Staff Scientist”. Applications can also be submitted through https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/358718.

11/21/2023

We're hiring!

Job opening: PK Scientist

A Pharmacokinetics (PK) Scientist position is immediately available in the PK core at the Center for Drug Design (CDD), College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota. The CDD PK core is an approved Internal Sale Organization (ISO) that routinely performs a wide range of in vitro ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) assays, in vivo rodent PK studies and related bioanalysis to support drug discovery research within the Center and the University. The successful candidate for this position will assist the PI to manage this PK core facility and be responsible for carrying out the ADMET/PK assays as well as other research tasks and activities assigned by the PI. Information about the Center for Drug Design (CDD) is available on the CDD website: https://drugdesign.umn.edu/.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

ADMET/PK assays and bioanalysis (70%)
Carry out in vitro ADMET assays to assess the “drug-like” properties of small molecules, including but not limited to microsomal stability assay, plasma stability assay, plasma protein binding assay, permeability assays (Caco-2, MDCK, or PAMPA), solubility assay, CYP450 inhibition. This includes 1) conduct careful experimentation following standard operating procedures or optimized procedures as needed, 2) prepare and analyze samples generated in the assays, 3) analyze the data to obtain corresponding ADMET parameters.

Plan and execute all aspects of in vivo PK studies in animals (mouse, rats, or other laboratory rodents) to profile fundamental PK parameters. This includes 1) assist with protocols for studies in animals, 2) conduct careful experimentation (animals dosing, samples collection and quantitation) in compliance with established IACUC protocols, internal animal welfare guidelines and requirements, 3) data analysis and modeling using Phoenix WinNonlin software to obtain fundamental pharmacokinetics parameters, e.g., drug bioavailability, clearance, volume of distribution, and terminal half-life.

Conduct procedures for all aspects of bioanalysis to quantify compounds in biological samples using LC-MS/MS or other analytical tools. This includes 1) assist in developing methods to extract and detect parent drugs and metabolites in complex biological matrices including plasma, serum, urine, cells lysate, tissue homogenate, etc., 2) carry out biological samples preparation and extraction, 3) characterize and quantify parent drugs and metabolites in extracted samples, 4) analyze the data using software such as Analyst, MultiQuant, Excel, GraphPad Prism.

Other research tasks (25%)
Maintain good research records.
Write routine summary reports on results of work and confer with the PI on interpretation of results.
Perform other research tasks as assigned.
Assist in maintaining laboratory equipment such as LC-MS/MS.

General lab duties (5%)
Maintain an adequate supply of common laboratory reagents and consumables.
Sterilize supplies as needed.
Maintain compliance with safety procedures and guidelines.

Required Qualifications
Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences-related field(s) and 2 years of related experience or BS/BA and 4 years related experience or a combination of training and work experience of more than 8 years in the Pharmacokinetics and Bioanalytical fields. It should be noted that applicants with Ph.D.’s, while not a requirement, should not be deterred from applying.
Must be willing to work with mice, rats, or other laboratory rodents.
Hands-on experience in biochemical / bioanalytical assays and cell culture.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience in conducting ADMET/PK assays.
Experience in LC-MS/MS bioanalysis.
Experience in laboratory rodents handling, drug administration using intravenous / intraperitoneal injections and oral gavage, blood withdrawal.
Knowledge of principles, concepts, practices, and methods in pharmacokinetics and /or bioanalytical research to solve relatively complex research-related problems and work assignments.
Strong interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills.

Working Conditions
The majority of the work in this position is performed in a multidisciplinary wet lab.

Interested candidates should submit a PDF package with a cover letter, CV, and names/info for three references to Dr. Jiashu Xie via email at [email protected] or apply through https://hr.myu.umn.edu/jobs/ext/358652.

07/19/2023

Our founder, Professor Robert "Bob" Vince, PhD, has been selected as the 2022 Lawrence C. and Delores M. Weaver Medal recipient. The award recognizes sustained and distinguished support of the College of Pharmacy and its students, and/or acknowledges outstanding contribution to pharmacy education, practice, research or community outreach. Congratulations, Dr. Vince!

https://www.pharmacy.umn.edu/weaver-medal

02/09/2023

Job Opening: Researcher 5

About the Job
A Researcher 5 (9742R5) position is available starting immediately at the University of Minnesota Center for Drug Design. The Center for Drug Design is a dynamic workplace where biologists, biochemists, and chemists interact to facilitate drug discovery. https://drugdesign.umn.edu.

This position will be part of a small biological core facility (BioCore) with the main role to produce recombinant proteins and conduct biochemical assays supporting CDD faculty projects. The position will conduct well-established assays but also work with CDD faculty to set up and troubleshoot the production of new proteins and new biochemical assays. Another important aspect of this position will be to advise other CDD researchers on protein production and biochemistry.

Job Responsibilities
75% Primary research
Plan and conduct approved biochemistry laboratory research studies. Develop and carry out recombinant protein production techniques. Assist CDD scientists in the development of protocols for protein production and biochemical assays. Manage the day-to-day activities of multiple research projects. Document research findings in approved notebooks using approved techniques.

10% Project coordination
Receive Biological Core Request Forms and prioritize research requests from CDD faculty. Work with CDD faculty to evaluate the feasibility of approaches and improve upon the experimental design. Evaluate the Request Form template document for clarity and utility and improve as needed.

10% Project Reports
Prepare detailed reports based upon the experiments/data requested in the Request Forms. Construct tables, graphs, and figures in support of CDD faculty manuscripts and grants.

5% Service
Perform safety and technical training and maintain records where appropriate. Assist in the maintenance of BioCore and CDD shared equipment.
Required Qualifications. Candidates should have: (1) a Masters or PhD in biochemistry or a related field and at least four years experience; (2) a strong background in molecular biology, recombinant protein expression/purification, and biochemistry; (3) Strong organizational and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications. Experience with: (1) Working in a multi-disciplinary group to achieve project goals (2) Techniques involving mass spectrometry, metal ion affinity chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, and use of an FPLC.

Apply at https://hr.umn.edu/Jobs/Find-Job, job #353985 (BioCore Biochemist)

06/24/2022

Postdoctoral Associate Opening - More Lab (Center for Drug Design)

Posted 4:30:10 PM. Interested candidates should submit a pdf with cover letter, CV, and names/info of three references…See this and similar jobs on LinkedIn.

05/20/2022

03/16/2021

A Postdoctoral Associate position in synthetic medicinal chemistry is immediately available in the Wang group at the Center for Drug Design, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota. The successful candidate will be working on an NIH-funded project on antiviral small molecule drug discovery.

Duties/Responsibilities:

- Design and execute multi-step synthetic routes for the preparation of small molecule inhibitors against viral proteins.
- Conduct molecular modeling.
- Properly collect, interpret, manage, and present research data. Must be able to write manuscripts.
- Participate in research discussions with members of the research teams in a highly collaborative research environment.

All applicants must have a PhD in synthetic medicinal/organic chemistry, with extensive experience in organic synthesis. Skills in molecular modeling for structure and ligand-based small molecule inhibitor design are preferred.

Interested candidates should submit via email ([email protected]) an application package consisting of a cover letter, CV, research summary, and a list of three references. All files should be prepared in PDF and the email subject line should be "Postdoc".

03/15/2021

Postdoctoral Associate Position Available

Summary of the Position:

A Postdoctoral Associate position is available starting immediately at the University of Minnesota Center for Drug Design for applied and basic science research on NIH-funded projects involving herpesvirus, flavivirus and coronavirus drug discovery. This position will design and carry out experiments to contribute to ongoing projects in the laboratory as we seek to identify preclinical drug candidates to treat or prevent human viral pathogen infections.

The Center for Drug Design is a dynamic workplace where virologists, biochemists and chemists interact to facilitate drug discovery. https://drugdesign.umn.edu

Required Qualifications:

- A Ph.D. in biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, virology, or related field.
- A strong background in the ideas and concepts of molecular biology, biochemistry or virology, and the requisite laboratory skills to test those ideas and concepts.
- Published work in international peer-reviewed journals.
- Preferred Qualifications:

Experience working with recombinant protein expression, cell culture, viruses, or in drug discovery
Working Conditions:

The majority of work in this position will be in a laboratory setting using dedicated instruments and equipment.
Significant time will be spent in meetings discussing results and working on assembling manuscripts based upon those results.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Interested candidates should submit a pdf with cover letter, CV, and names/info for three references to Dr. Robert J. Geraghty at [email protected].

03/15/2021

A post-doctoral position is available in the Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy. This one-year renewable position will be focused on studies of the effect of small molecule therapeutics on disease pathology in multiple models of neurodegenerative diseases. The laboratory integrates several disciplines, including medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, biochemistry, and has a strong translational focus, with activities in preclinical studies and development of novel therapeutics and biomarkers for early diagnosis.

Required Qualifications: Candidates should have earned a Ph.D. degree with a major in pharmaceutical sciences (including medicinal chemistry) or a related discipline. At least two-year research experience in the neuroscience field would be a plus.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience working with cell culture, animal handling, recombinant protein expression, and microscopy is preferred. Ability to conduct basic cell biology techniques including ELISA, SDS-PAGE, western blot, PCR, and other basic assays.

Working Conditions: The majority of the work in this position is performed in a general chemical-biology laboratory setting.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Swati More, PhD

Duties/Responsibilities:

70% Design and perform (1) cell culture and cell-based assays (2) enzymatic reactions (3) mouse experiments involving breeding, genotyping, and drug administration (4) various types of microscopy.

15% Submit periodic written reports with details of experimental procedures and results. The candidate will also be expected to write manuscripts reporting research findings, and to participate in grant proposal writing.

5% Observe current laboratory safety practices and follow/update relevant protocols.

5% Maintain a continually updated knowledge base of literature pertaining to specific projects.

5% Assist with the organization and maintenance of the laboratory and equipment contained therein.

Interested candidates should submit a pdf with cover letter, CV, and names/info for three references to [email protected].

https://drugdesign.umn.edu/about/employment-opportunities

09/22/2020

Postdoctoral Associate Position Available

Summary of Position:
A Postdoctoral Associate position is available starting immediately at the University of Minnesota Center for Drug Design for applied and basic science research on NIH-funded projects involving herpesvirus, flavivirus, and coronavirus drug discovery. This position will design and carry out experiments to contribute to ongoing projects in the laboratory as we seek to identify preclinical drug candidates to treat or prevent human viral pathogen infections.

The Center for Drug Design is a dynamic workplace where virologists, biochemists, and chemists interact to facilitate drug discovery. https://drugdesign.umn.edu

Required Qualifications:
- A Ph.D. in biochemistry, cell biology, microbiology, virology, or related field.

- A strong background in the ideas and concepts of molecular biology, biochemistry or virology, and the requisite laboratory skills to test those ideas and concepts.

- Published work in international peer-reviewed journals.

Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience working with recombinant protein expression, cell culture, viruses, or in drug discovery.

Working Conditions:
- The majority of work in this position will be in a laboratory setting using dedicated instruments and equipment.
- Significant time will be spent in meetings discussing results and working on assembling manuscripts based upon those results.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Interested candidates should submit a pdf with cover letter, CV, and names/info for three references to Dr. Robert J. Geraghty (https://drugdesign.umn.edu/bio/cdd-faculty-staff/robert-geraghty) at [email protected].