PhD positions: -TRACT; OligoNucleotide Technologies of Cancer Therapies

Organisation/Company University of Southampton Department Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Field Chemistry » Biochemistry Chemistry » Organic chemistry Chemistry » Other Biological sciences » Other Medical sciences » Other Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country United Kingdom Final date to receive applications 28 Feb 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/London) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Horizon Europe - MSCA Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number  Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Join the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network
ON-TRACT (Oligo Nucleotide Technologies for Rapid Advancement of Cancer Therapies) and become part of a pioneering European research initiative! We offer 14 exciting PhD opportunities (36-month contracts) focused on developing next-generation oligonucleotide platforms, smart delivery systems, and innovative therapeutic strategies for personalised medicine.

ON-TRACT will develop a N
ext Generation Oligonucleotide (ON) Platform Technology based on combining tailored ONs with smart delivery technology, and optimising ON therapies through testing in medicinal environments. The multipartner, multidisciplinary project ON-TRACT addresses urgent needs in healthcare. We apply cutting edge oligonucleotide technology to find innovative solutions for personalised medicine.

ON-TRACT brings together leading universities, hospitals, SMEs, and pharmaceutical industry across the UK, Sweden, Belgium, Italy, France, and Poland. As a doctoral candidate, you’ll receive world-class interdisciplinary training
, including academic, industry, and hospital placements, plus courses in cutting‑edge science and transferable skills.

Explore the 14 projects and apply as indicated. Help us transform healthcare through advanced oligonucleotide technologies.

Application process:

Please refer to the project specific pdf documents further below for more information on the host institutions, projects, supervisors and secondments. There may also be additional eligibility criteria that need to be adhered to.

The project specific deadline is indicated in the pdf file.

• You will need to fill out the generic application form.
• The project documents may indicate further institution specific steps to be undertaken. Links related to this second step may not yet be active.

DC-1 :
Exploring the use of biocatalysis in synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients
;
University of Cambridge, UK.

This project pioneers ultrahigh‑throughput enzyme evolution to create efficient biocatalysts for pharmaceutical synthesis. Combining advanced mutagenesis, nanopore sequencing, and machine learning, it delivers novel enzymes and deep insights into sequence‑function relationships.

DC-2 :
Synthesis Methodology and New Oligonucleotide Constructs for Enhanced Delivery
;
Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.

Focused on overcoming drug delivery challenges, this research develops innovative oligonucleotide bioconjugates with targeting ligands like peptides and antibodies. The goal is to boost therapeutic performance through cutting‑edge conjugation strategies and in vitro/in vivo evaluation.

DC-3 :
Synthesis of building blocks for ON constructs, upscaling, and substrates for directed enzyme evolution
;
Research Institutes of Sweden, Sweden.

This project creates versatile oligonucleotide conjugates by integrating lipids, peptides, and proteins for advanced biomedical applications. It emphasizes novel linkers and click‑compatible entities to enable collaborative testing across the consortium.

DC-4 :
Synthesis of building blocks for evolution of polymerases
;
University of Southampton, UK.

We aim to revolutionise PCR‑based technologies by designing dynamic combinatorial libraries for DNA templating. This approach will evolve new ligases and polymerases, opening pathways for innovative cancer‑targeted therapies.

DC-5 :
Photochemical methods for the synthesis of conjugates
;
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland.

This research develops light‑driven conjugation methods…