PhD Studentship New Routes to Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) Relating to Age and Wellbeing

Prof. David C. Harrowven, Chemistry, University of Southampton, UK and Prof. Christina Chai and Dr. Chen Anqi, ICES, A*STAR Institute, Singapore

48 Month PhD Studentship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Many frontline pharmaceutical treatments involve drugs that were developed many years ago. With their patents now expired, generics companies are free to manufacture and sell their own copies of these drugs without redress from their inventors. Usually this leads to a cost reduction compared to proprietary medicines. However, many remain expensive due their reliance on inefficient manufacturing routes developed decades earlier. Indeed, they only survive because of the high cost of developing and re-registering alternative routes to APIs.

As the year-on-year cost of raw materials increases and waste disposal becomes ever more costly and burdensome, the case for re-registration is ever more compelling. This is especially true when the new route leads to greater manufacturing efficiency and a reduced waste stream. For API’s related to ageing, the increase in life expectancy is also an important factor as it is likely to increase demand for such medicines. The additional cost could be offset, at least in part, by the emergence of a low-cost and sustainable manufacturing route.

The studentship is offered as a collaboration between the University of Southampton and the A*STAR Institute in Singapore, who will co-funder the project. It is a 4-year program jointly supervised by Prof. David Harrowven (Southampton), and Prof. Christina Chai and Dr. Chen Anqi (A*STAR). The successful applicant will spend approximately half their time in Southampton and half their time at A*Star. They will join strong and established research teams with long track records of collaboration with the pharmaceutical sector in the UK and Singapore.

Applicants should have, or expect to receive shortly, a good first degree in Chemistry (preferably a first class or upper second class MChem degree or equivalent) and a keen interest organic synthesis. Good laboratory skills are essential and experience in target-oriented synthesis is desirable.

Due to funding restrictions, these studentships are only available to EU/UK applicants.

Administrative contact and how to apply:

Please complete the University’s online application form, which you can find via the ‘Apply’ button below.

You should select MPhil/PhD in Chemistry and enter Prof D Harrowven as your proposed supervisor. Queries on the application procedure should be addressed to pgafnes@soton.ac.uk

Closing Date: Saturday 31^st August 2013