Postdoctoral Fellowship in Next-Generation Nanomedicine

The Michael Smith Laboratories at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) to join a dynamic and multidisciplinary team under the co-supervision of Dr. Anna Blakney and Dr. Jay Kizhakkedathu. The successful candidate will work on a project developing new lipid and polymeric strategies for RNA delivery. The Blakney Lab at UBC (blakneylab.msl.ubc.ca) develops next-generation RNA vaccines and therapies based on self-amplifying RNA and using interdisciplinary approaches including bioengineering, immunology, molecular biology and bioinformatics. The Kizhakkedathu lab (https://cbr.ubc.ca/our-people/investigators/jayachandran-kizhakkedathu/) develops novel polymers and biomaterials as therapeutics and devices.

Project: RNA medicines have gained considerable momentum in the past few years with the approval of Onpattro and the COVID-19 messenger RNA vaccines. While lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are the state-of-the-art delivery system for RNA, we recently discovered that polymeric nanoparticles are less inflammatory and induce higher protein expression than LNPs. For this project, we are keen to explore the polymer and lipid design space for RNA delivery for a variety of applications. The PDF will work with the Blakney and Kizhakkedathu labs to design and synthesize novel polymers, lipid delivery systems, and test them for RNA delivery and immunogenicity in vivo in preclinical models. We anticipate that nanoparticles will be a clinically translatable delivery system for RNA therapeutics.

Candidate: We are hiring chemists with a background in polymer synthesis, organic chemistry, lipid synthesis, biomaterials and/or bioengineering. Candidates must have a Ph.D. in chemistry, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, or similar fields with an excellent publication record. The candidate must be able to work well in a team environment, even in situations where an opportunity is more exciting and time-sensitive than normal. We are seeking a creative individual with great interpersonal skills and excellent communication, both written and verbal.

Opportunity: The PDF will be a member of a fun, diverse and interdisciplinary group. They will learn about RNA gene therapies and different aspects of its delivery. The successful candidate will be actively involved in projects that are intended for clinical translation. The University of British Columbia is located in Vancouver, which is world-renowned for its scenery and quality of living. UBC is a center of excellence for growing your career in nanomedicine and gene delivery technologies, and you will have opportunities to collaborate with world-class leaders in the field through the Nanomedicine Innovation Network.

The expected pay for this position is $60,000 per year.

The appointment will be for one year commencing July 1, 2025 with a possibility for extension, subject to satisfactory performance and funding.

Application Process: Interested applicants should submit a CV and cover letter that details their experience and contact details for 3 references. Applications should be submitted to the UBC Careers portal at https://ubc.wd10.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/ubcfacultyjobs/job/Postdoctoral-Fellowship-in-Next-Generation-Nanomedicine_JR19982 no later than the posting date.