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ESR1

EU   Ocuther

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 722717.

ESR1: Kinetic modelling of drugs and nanocarriers in the posterior eye segment; University of Eastern Finland (Finland)

At the University of Eastern Finland, we perform research and educate students covering a broad spectrum of the academic fields. We are located in Kuopio on a green, lake-side, modern campus with state-of-the-art facilities that include pharmaceutical sciences, medicine, biotechnology, dentistry, physics, and materials sciences. The University of Eastern Finland is among the best universities in Finland with particular strength in health science.

The School of Pharmacy at the University of Eastern Finland invites applications for the OCUTHER – European Training Network within Marie Sklodowska Curie Programme. The applications are invited for a

DOCTORAL STUDENT POSITION (Early Stage Researcher 1: Kinetic modelling of drugs and nanocarriers in the posterior eye segment)

Drug delivery to the retina is problematic, since only repeated and invasive intravitreal injections are effective means to deliver drug into the retina.  In this ESR project, pharmacokinetics of drugs and nanomedicines will be investigated experimentally and computationally. Selected drugs and nanoparticle formulations will be tested using various ocular models (in vitro, in silico, ex vivo, in vivo). The PhD thesis project aims to build systematic understanding and modelling tools for retinal drug delivery.

Required background: MSc degree in an appropriate field of science (e.g. pharmacy, medicine, chemistry, biology).

Prof. Arto Urtti’s multi-disciplinary research group at the University of Eastern Finland, School of Pharmacy, offers a training programme in the field of biopharmaceutical sciences. The group’s target is to build test models, understanding and materials for ocular drug delivery. Research activity in the group involves physico-chemical aspects of the materials and formulations, biological features of drug delivery systems in the cells and tissues, and computational simulation methods to model drug delivery processes in the body. The group is well recognized in the field of ocular drug delivery and pharmacokinetics. The OCUTHER network will provide training across a wide range of disciplines including biology, pharmacology, chemistry and ophthalmology, ensuring an interdisciplinary and inter-sectoral learning experience. You will be enrolled in the University of Eastern Finland Doctoral Programme in Drug Research and will defend your PhD at the end of the project. The PhD research at the University of Eastern Finland will be conducted in English. You will perform your PhD research in a multidisciplinary Initial Training Network (ITN) project OCUTHER.

What we have to offer

  • Employment: 1,0 fte;
  • Duration of the contract: 4 years;
  • At the beginning of the employment period a doctoral student’s salary will range from €2500 to €3000 gross per month before income tax and statutory work-related deductions.
  • All standard pension benefits and occupational health care are provided for university employees.

What we expect from you

At the time of recruitment, you must be in the first four years of your research career and have not yet been awarded a doctoral degree. You have excellent communication skills and are able to work efficiently in a team. Recruitment is open to all nationalities, but because of mobility rules defined by the EU, at the time of recruitment, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in Finland for more than 12 months in the three years immediately prior to the reference date (compulsory national service and/or short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account).

Would you like to know more?

  • Further information on: www.ocuther.eu
  • For more information about this vacancy and the project, please contact:
    • Prof. Arto Urtti;
    • E-mail: arto.urtti@uef.fi.

Are you interested?

Your application should include (and be limited to) the following attachments:

  • Letter of motivation
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Brief statement on how you will contribute to this project

A probationary period is applied to all new members of the staff.

The application needs to be submitted no later than 5.2.2017 (by 24.00 hours Finnish time) by using the electronic application form.

Apply for the job