PhD student in medicinal chemistry

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic PhD candidate (promovendus) to join the Tracer Center Amsterdam (TCA). The successful applicant will contribute to an NWO-funded research project focused on the development of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) tracers targeting a protein involved in neuroinflammation. This highly interdisciplinary project spans medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, radiopharmaceutical chemistry, and molecular imaging, with the aim of elucidating the role of this protein in brain diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease. As a PhD candidate, your primary responsibility will be the design, synthesis, and radiolabeling of ligands with distinct pharmacological profiles, followed by the investigation of the target protein in both in vitro and in vivo models. You will become part of a multidisciplinary team at TCA and collaborate closely with research groups at Vrije University Amsterdam.

As a PhD candidate in this project you will:

• design and synthesize biologically active compounds targeting the protein of interest;
• radiolabel selected compounds with tritium and PET radionuclides (fluorine-18 and/or carbon-11);
• perform autoradiography, binding studies, and functional in vitro assays;
• work closely with our collaborators;
• present your findings at scientific meetings, symposia, and international conferences;
• contribute to teaching activities and supervision of BSc and MSc students.

We are looking for an ambitious and motivated candidate who meets the following requirements:

• a MSc degree in medicinal chemistry or a closely related discipline;
• demonstrated experience in synthetic organic chemistry;
• a strong interest in drug/tracer development;
• the ability to work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary research environment;
• excellent communication skills in English, both written and spoken.