Predicting and Explaining Cell-Nanoparticle Interaction

Postdoc fellow: Predicting and Explaining Cell-Nanoparticle Interaction on an Individual Cell Level Using Deep-Learning-Based Modelling

Gothenburg, Sweden

Do you have expertise in, or passion for advanced drug delivery and advanced machine learning? Would you like to apply your knowledge to impact the development of nanomedicines, investigating nanoparticle engineering and interactions with biological systems? Then this postdoc position at AstraZeneca might the one for you!



About the Postdoc Programme:

Bring your expertise, apply your knowledge, follow the science, and make a difference. AstraZeneca's Postdoc Programme is for self-motivated individuals looking to deliver exciting, high-impact projects in a collaborative, engaging and innovative environment. You'll work with multidisciplinary scientific teams from a diverse set of backgrounds and a world-class academic mentor specifically aligned to your project. Our postdocs are respected as specialists, encouraged to speak up, and supported to share their research at conferences, publish papers, achieve their goals and make a difference to our patients.

This is a 3-year programme, with an initial 2-year period and 1-year merit-based extension.



About the Opportunity:

You will be based within Pharmaceutical Sciences, a branch of AstraZeneca's R&D that specializes in getting the active drug molecule to where it needs to go. The Advanced Drug Delivery department is concerned with nanomedicine development and runs a variety of projects to investigate nanoparticle engineering and nanoparticle interactions with biological systems. The performance of nanomedicine delivery systems is dependent on their ability to optimally interact with cellular membranes, enter the cells using endocytosis, and deliver their cargo to the cell cytoplasm by promoting endosomal escape. For each of these processes there is cell-to-cell variation.

We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow with a passionate relationship to science and a collaborative demeanor who will lead a project with the aim to understand and predict this variation by developing deep learning-based sequence models, allowing us to predict the time and magnitude of response to nanoparticle treatment, for every freely moving cell in a population. This information should further be fed into the experimental work to extract mechanistic knowledge about what is required for successful delivery of nanomedicine cargo.

Supported by Lars Tornberg, Associate Principle Scientist Data Science and Modelling and Alan Sabirsh, Principle Scientist Advanced Drug Delivery at AstraZeneca, you will have ownership of the entire modeling and analysis pipeline ranging from experimental work to advanced predictive modelling to drafting of manuscripts for publication. In addition, you will receive academic mentorship by Giovanni Volpe, Professor at the Physics Department of University of Gothenburg.



Qualification, Skills & Experience:

Essential Requirements

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PhD in cell biology, biotechnology, physiology or equivalent scientific field with hands on experience with data science and machine learning (including multivariate data analysis, data processing and visualization), and/or a PhD in Maths, Physics, Statistics or Computer Science with a strong curiosity about cell biology
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Considerable experience of implementation of deep learning models in python or similar programming language enabling fast model development
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Experience with in-vitro cell culture and cell biological methods
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Advanced microscopy, laboratory automation, high-content biology (robotic microscopy and image analysis) and a high technical aptitude

Desirable Requirements

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Proven track record to drive innovative research through internalization of new techniques and technology, as well as forming internal and external collaborations
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Track record of scientific excellence, with a strong publication record and engagement with the scientific community through both conferences and collaborations
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Supervisory skills and experience
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Knowledge of endocytosis, intracellular trafficking pathways and relevant intracellular signaling
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Excellent communication skills in English (written and spoken)



Why Should You Apply?

As a respected specialist, you'll be empowered to take credible risks, own it and run with it, with all the support you need. Because like you, we're passionate and driven experts looking to change the game, and make an impact.



Are you already imagining yourself joining our team? Good, because we can't wait to hear from you!



Advert Opens: October 10th 2022

Advert Closes: November 13th 2022



Where can I find out more?

Our Gothenburg site

AstraZeneca's Postdoc Programme

Life at AstraZeneca

About Next Generation Therapeutics