Post-doctoral Fellow in Hydrogel-Enabled Peptide Brain Delivery

University of Hong Kong

Department: Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy (21300)
Rank: Postdoctoral
Position type: Full-time
Reference: 537604
Start date: As soon as possible
Salary / grade: Highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience
Application deadline: 31 Jan 2027

Duties & Responsibilities

Design, synthesise and evaluate novel peptide analogues and biodegradable hydrogels for brain-targeted therapy.
Conduct peptide chemistry, nanomaterial/hydrogel engineering, and nose-to-brain delivery experiments.
Perform analytical characterisation using HPLC, LC-MS, NMR, gel permeation chromatography and surface plasmon resonance.
Design, cross-link and characterise polymer-based nanomaterials and hydrogels.
Conduct animal studies including dosing, sample collection, pharmacokinetic sampling and behavioural assessment.
Prepare study protocols, reports and contribute to manuscript writing.
Supervise and mentor undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology or related field.
Strong biological skills with proven track record in peptide or nanomaterial-based therapeutics research.
Hands-on expertise in nanomaterials and hydrogel formulation, characterisation and optimisation.
Experience in peptide synthesis and bioconjugation chemistry.
Proficiency in cell and molecular biology techniques including ELISA, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and cell culture.
Experience with in vivo rodent models, pharmacokinetic sampling and behavioural testing.
Excellent written and spoken English with strong scientific communication skills.
Ability to work independently with excellent problem-solving skills and capacity to supervise students.