Madeline E. Kavanagh

This postdoctoral project at Leiden University focuses on covalent small-molecule inhibitor discovery for emerging cancer targets. The work is rooted in chemical proteomics and drug discovery for proteins involved in immune-oncology that are considered challenging to address with conventional small molecules. The successful researcher will develop and optimize electrophilic lead compounds, then design bifunctional analogues intended to induce protein degradation. The role combines synthetic and medicinal chemistry with selectivity profiling and early functional testing, including chemoproteomics and cell-based or biochemical assays. The aim is to generate chemical tools that help validate novel cancer targets and provide leads for later-stage drug development. The position is embedded in the Leiden Institute of Chemistry and the broader Leiden Bioscience Park environment. The group is described as interdisciplinary and collaborative, with access to synthesis capabilities and a research setting connected to the Faculty of Science. The project is supervised by Madeline E. Kavanagh , Assistant Professor of Chemical Biology. The researcher will join a team working on targeted covalent inhibitors and chemical biology methods in a strong international research environment.