PhD in Medicinal Chemistry and Organic Chemistry for Iridium Photosensitizers in Photodynamic Therapy Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS in France

PhD opportunity in medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and coordination chemistry at the Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination (CNRS) in Toulouse, France, within the Medicinal Chemistry and Biology for Oncology team.

The project focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and biological evaluation of iridium organometallic complexes as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy. Research topics include N-heterocyclic carbenes, iridium complexes, pro-ligand synthesis, organometallic synthesis, structural characterization (including 1H and 13C NMR, HRMS, and XRD if possible), physicochemical and photophysical measurements (lipophilicity, absorbance, luminescence, ROS production), and biological assays.

Supervision is by Céline Deraeve and Heinz Gornitzka at CNRS/LCC Toulouse. The post emphasizes a strong background in organic synthesis and standard analytical techniques, plus interest in the interface between chemistry and biology for biomedical applications.

This is a 36-month doctoral contract with a thesis start date of October 1, 2026. The post does not mention tuition or fee waivers. Applicants are asked to submit a detailed CV, cover letter, reference contacts, and transcripts (M1 or equivalent; M2 if available).

Keywords: photodynamic therapy, medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, iridium complexes, photosensitizers, biological evaluation, coordination chemistry.