Post-doctoral Fellow in Ionisable Lipid Chemistry for Nucleic Acids Delivery

This postdoctoral position focuses on designing, synthesizing, and optimizing novel ionizable lipids for nucleic acid delivery via lipid nanoparticles. Key responsibilities include lipid characterization, LNP formulation and evaluation, and investigating structure-activity relationships. Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant field, strong organic synthesis skills, and experience with lipid chemistry and LNP formulation.

• Assess the stability, biocompatibility, and nucleic acid delivery performance of new lipid-based LNPs through in vitro assays prior to in vivo evaluation.
• Design, synthesise and optimise novel ionisable lipids for use in lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations, focusing on structure-activity relationships that enhance nucleic acid encapsulation, endosomal escape, and biocompatibility.
• Develop scale-up protocols for new ionisable lipid candidates, ensuring reproducibility and purity suitable for downstream formulation and in vivo testing.
• Characterise novel lipids using analytical techniques such as NMR, LC-MS, and HPLC to confirm structural identity, purity, and stability.
• Formulate and optimise LNPs incorporating newly synthesised ionisable lipids alongside helper lipids, PEG-lipids, and cholesterol, tuning molar ratios and manufacturing parameters to achieve target particle size, encapsulation efficiency, and payload stability.
• Evaluate the physicochemical properties of LNP formulations, including size, polydispersity, zeta potential, and nucleic acid loading, using dynamic light scattering and related techniques.
• Investigate structure-function relationships between lipid chemistry and LNP delivery efficiency, informing iterative design cycles for next-generation ionisable lipids.
• Collaborate closely with molecular biology and in vivo research teams to translate novel lipid chemistries into functional LNP-based platform technologies for gene editing and nucleic acid therapeutics.
• Maintain detailed records of synthetic procedures, characterisation data, and formulation parameters to support intellectual property development and regulatory documentation.
• Prepare technical reports, protocols, and contribute to manuscript and patent application writing.
• Collaborate with external partners and vendors on scale-up, custom synthesis, and quality control of lipid materials.
• Disseminate findings through peer-reviewed publications, patent filings, and conference presentations.
• Supervise and train junior chemists, postgraduate students, or technical staff on lipid synthesis and characterisation methods.

• Experience with high-throughput lipid screening platforms or combinatorial lipid library synthesis.
• Familiarity with microfluidic or other advanced LNP manufacturing techniques.
• Knowledge of structure-function modelling or computational tools to predict lipid behaviour and guide rational design.
• Familiarity with regulatory or intellectual property considerations relevant to novel lipid excipients.
• Prior experience contributing to patent applications for proprietary lipid chemistries.
• Experience with biophysical assays assessing endosomal escape efficiency or membrane interaction properties of lipids.

• Other benefits include annual leave, medical benefits and free access to on-campus gyms and libraries.
• The appointment will commence as soon as possible on a temporary basis for 1 year, with the possibility of renewal subject to and funding availability and project progress.
• A competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered.