The Eshelman Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy (www.pharmacy.unc.edu) is one of six health science schools (Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, Social Work, Public Health, Medicine) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is one of the oldest health science academic programs at Chapel Hill. The School teaches approximately 600 PharmD students and 145 graduate students. The School has built a reputation for its continued pursuit of excellence, rigorous education and training programs, cutting-edge multidisciplinary research, progressive pharmacy practices, efficient business operations, and its outstanding faculty, staff, and students. The School was named the number one School of Pharmacy in the U.S. by the U.S. News and World Report. The School has experienced unprecedented growth and success and continues to strategically position itself for sustained impact, as articulated in the School's Strategic Plan (https://pharmacy.unc.edu/about/oe/strategic-plan/).

Our Vision is to be the global leader in pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. Our Mission is to prepare leaders and innovators to solve the world's most pressing health care challenges. We are Advancing Medicine for Life through innovation and collaboration in pharmacy practice, education, research, and public service.

The Eshelman Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy supports the training of highly motivated and ambitious scholars who have a strong desire to become leaders in healthcare and change the healthcare landscape with groundbreaking research and innovations. This is an extraordinary opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research at the #1 School of Pharmacy in the US, and acquire the knowledge, research experience, and professional skills needed for a successful career in academia, industry, or government. The close proximity of UNC to the Research Triangle Park, which hosts numerous pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare companies, and to Duke University, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Central University, provides trainees with abundant opportunities for research collaborations.

Postdoctoral scholars will have access to numerous resources, such as grant writing and grantsmanship, career and professional development, state-of-the-art core facilities, work/life balance and wellness. A detailed description of the fellowship can be found at https://faopharmacy.unc.edu/the-eshelman-distinguished-postdoctoral-fellowship-in-pharmaceutical-sciences/.

An outline of the research focus of faculty accepting trainees through this fellowship is listed below. Details of their research programs can be accessed using the link above.

Jiawei Zhou Ph.D. The candidate will be co-mentored by Dr. Yanguang (Carter) Cao and Dr. Jiawei Zhou to advance the development of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models that reduce reliance on animal testing and enable the quantitative evaluation of safety and efficacy for antibody and mRNA- LNP therapeutics.

Eugene Muratov, Ph.D. The Muratov lab focuses on developing and applying the broad range of in silico tools for computational toxicology, antiviral research, discovery of drug combinations and creation of novel approach methodologies.

Kim Brouwer, Pharm.D., Ph.D. Research in the Brouwer laboratory is focused on elucidating mechanisms of hepatic transport and further developing strategies to assess and predict the impact of altered hepatic transporter function on drug disposition to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Yevgeny Brudno, Ph.D. The Brudno lab harnesses biomaterials to manufacture and deliver cellular immunotherapies to improve patient outcome and quality of life.

Kevin Frankowski, Ph.D. The Frankowski lab focuses on medicinal and synthetic organic chemistry for hit-to-lead optimization of small molecule therapeutics and chemical probes. The group leverages their chemical synthesis expertise to solve emerging challenges facing modern medicine in collaboration with disease and pharmacology partners.

Juliane Nguyen, Ph.D. The Nguyen lab is dedicated to translating cutting-edge research into life-changing therapies for patients suffering from cancer, myocardial infarction, colitis, and other diseases. Our interdisciplinary team of experts combines the power of molecular engineering, pharmaceutical sciences, and bioinformatics to develop genetically and molecularly engineered biotherapeutics that are safe, effective, and tailored to the individual needs of each patient.

This fellowship is open to exceptional graduate students and early postdoctoral scholars with doctoral degrees (PhD, PharmD, MD, etc.), unique capabilities, intellectual diversity, and the potential to make a significant and sustained commitment and contributions to the pharmaceutical sciences.

Interested applicants should be completing their terminal doctoral degree within six months, and early postdoctoral scholars should hold a terminal doctoral degree for two years or less at the time of application.

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For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.