Title: AZ funded Non-clinical PhD Studentship in Synthetic Organic Chemistry
Applications are invited for 4-year PhD studentship based in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge and the new AstraZeneca Discovery Centre at Cambridge.
The student will be working on a collaborative project jointly supervised by Prof Robert J. Phipps in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry and Dr. Anthony Metrano at AstraZeneca and will work have opportunity to work across the two sites. The project is entitled “Developing New Methods for Enantioselective Synthesis of Heterocyclic Atropiosmeric Compounds of Medicinal Relevance”.
It is becoming increasingly common to encounter atropisomeric biaryl compounds in medicinal chemistry campaigns, meaning that the development of enantioselective variants of the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling is of paramount importance, since this is the reaction which is largely responsible for the presence of these motifs. There are a number of examples of scale-up campaigns in which the final route involves separation by preparative chiral chromatography, including molecules from AstraZeneca. In some cases, one or both partners in the biaryl system may be heterocyclic. The presence of heteroatoms poses further challenges for catalysis as, in addition to forming extremely hindered new C-C bond in a stereochemically controlled fashion, the heteroatoms have a propensity to bind to and deactivate the catalyst. In the past few years our group has developed, often in collaboration with AstraZeneca, new chiral phosphine ligands based on ubiquitous Buchwald ligands such as SPhos and RuPhos. These achiral ligands are made chiral by sulfonation then resolved, with the sulfonate group acting as interaction point for engaging in attractive non-covalent interactions with the substrate, allowing excellent enantioselectivities to be obtained for compatible substrate types. We have exciting results that suggest our ligands can be effective on heterocyclic partners and will explore this in collaboration with AstraZeneca to target heterocyclic biaryl motifs of direct relevance to AstraZeneca and more broadly in a multitude of medicinal chemistry targets.
Candidate
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual capable of thinking and working independently. Applicants should have or shortly expect to obtain a first or upper second-class degree from a UK university, or an equivalent standard from an overseas university, in Chemistry. The ideal applicant should have a very strong track record of achievement at undergraduate level with and be on track to complete a relevant degree in chemistry. Practical experience of synthetic organic chemistry in a research environment would be beneficial. These positions are open to UK citizens or overseas students who meet the UK residency requirements (home fees) or are able to augment the funds to cover the extra costs associated with international student fees through scholarships or funding schemes. Students will not be allowed to supplement fees via self-funding.
Full details of the University's entrance requirements and scholarships are specified on the following link: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/
Funding
Full funding covering Maintenance fees at £21,500 per annum and the University Composition Fee is provided for the studentship, with effect from 1 October 2026.
Application Process
Applications should be made through the University Application Portal. https://pgapp.ch.cam.ac.uk/how-apply
For any general information or queries interested candidates might have, please contact Prof. Robert Phipps – rjp71@cam.ac.uk
Deadline
To be certain of consideration for this funding opportunity we ask interested applicants to submit their application through the University Application Portal by 20th November 2025.
Student support and training
As a graduate student at Cambridge, you will have access to a wide range of training opportunities and benefit from close supervision provided by your PhD supervisor as well as a personal mentor.
During their PhD, there is no taught or examined coursework, but students are encouraged to attend the wide variety of lectures and training courses available to them across the Institute and wider University. All students are expected to attend all internal and external seminars held within the Department of Chemistry. Students will also be encouraged to attend and present at the annual AstraZeneca students symposium.
Diversity and Inclusion
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. We place major emphasis on the importance of team work and an enjoyable work environment as a foundation for performing internationally leading research. This will allow the student to acquire cutting edge research methodologies in a supportive environment, where they can focus on making the best possible scientific progress.