FP7 Framework Grant ‘TRANS-INT’ Oral Nanomedicines: Transporting Peptides Across The Intestine
2 Ph.D. STUDENTSHIPS supervised at UCD by Prof. David Brayden, School of Veterinary Medicine and UCD Conway Institute.
See: http://www.ucd.ie/vetmed/staff/veterinarysciences/davidbrayden/
FP7 Framework Grant ‘TRANS-INT’
Oral Nanomedicines: Transporting Peptides Across The Intestine
University College Dublin (UCD) is part of €8m consortium comprising 17 partners, including major European pharma, Roche (Basel) and Sanofi (Paris) offers two PhD studentships as part of the TRANS-INT grant on oral nanomedicine delivery.The major goal of TRANS-INT is to use nanoparticles developed by consortium members to enable oral delivery of peptides (e.g. insulin) to treat diabetes. Such peptides, if taken orally, are normally degraded in the stomach and intestine and fail to cross the gut wall. Currently, to ensure adequate delivery such peptides must be injected, resulting in poor patient compliance and loss of other beneficial gastrointestinal effects. The properties of a range of novel nanoparticles loaded with selected peptides will be systematically investigated to find lead ‘nano’ formulations that significantly enhance peptide delivery across the intestine into the body in a safe and effective manner. A key and unique aspect of the work will be the systematic head-to-head assessment of a wide range of particles with the potential to move at least one to from pre-clinical concepts into a product to be tested in human clinical trials. There will be opportunities to carry out research placements in other EU and industry labs in the Consortium.
Project 1: Design and formulation of peptide nanoparticles based on hyaluronic acid for oral delivery: synthesis, characterisation and bioassay (in conjunction with Dr. Lidia Tajber, Trinity College Dublin, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences) See: http://healthsciences.tcd.ie/pls/pharmacy/staff.detail?uname=ltajber
Project 2: Biological evaluation of a range of peptide-loaded nanocarriers using cell-based high content analysis and intestinal instillations
Post-Graduate Studentships are for a 3 year Ph.D, - Annual stipend €19.8K + Fees. EU candidates are preferred. Candidates must hold a minimum of a 1.1 or 2.1 degree in pharmaceutical, biological or chemistry-based subjects. Please send letter of application specifying which project with a CV to drugdelivery@ucd.ie. Further details can be obtained from the SFI Irish Drug Delivery Network Project Manager, Dr. Graham Armstrong, tel: +35317166017. Applications must be received by 12th October 2012, with a provisional start date of November 1st, 2012.