Supervisor: Prof. Rachel Harding
Location: University Health Network, Toronto, Canada
Program: Mitacs Accelerate Umbrella – Target 2035 Fellows
Positions available: 2
Position overview
This project aims to unlock a new frontier in contraception by discovering, validating, and chemically modulating previously under-explored protein targets with the potential to drive truly next-generation contraceptive strategies. Fellows will be assigned a novel human protein target(s) and will advance their target(s) through the drug discovery pipeline from hit to chemical probe, with the aim of unravelling the protein’s function and relevance as a contraceptive drug target. The target(s) will be chosen from a portfolio of proteins with sperm-specific expression with links to male fertility that are putative drug targets for non-hormonal contraception
approaches.
The fellow will be embedded in an early-stage drug discovery team, gaining hands-on experience from target to starting points for therapeutic development. This will include protein expression and purification, biochemical and biophysical characterisation, and high-resolution structure determination (including X-ray crystallography and/or cryo-EM) to reveal target structure, mechanism, and function. They will also play a central role in assessing target ligandability and contributing to develop screening strategies, including high-throughput approaches to uncover high-quality starting chemical matter, including E-ASMS and DEL-ML.
In this unique training opportunity, the Target 2035 Fellow will be embedded in a highly collaborative, international research program and supported by a multidisciplinary project team. The Fellow will work closely with experienced medicinal chemists, machine learning scientists, automation and software engineers, biochemists, and cell biologists, contributing to cutting-edge, data-driven drug discovery efforts alongside academic, industry, and technology partners.
In close partnership with medicinal chemists, the Fellow will drive hit validation, structure–activity relationship (SAR) development, and early compound optimisation, leveraging integrated structural and functional insights to inform compound design toward a chemical probe. This position offers exceptional interdisciplinary training, high-impact collaboration at the biology–chemistry interface, and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to an area of profound medical and societal importance.
Responsibilities
- Design, execute, and troubleshoot well-controlled experiments across protein biochemistry, biophysics, and structural biology
- Maintain accurate, timely experimental records using electronic laboratory notebooks, ensuring data and metadata are organised, reproducible, and publication-ready
- Analyse and critically interpret experimental data, integrating structural and functional results to guide next steps
- Communicate results clearly in project meetings and with interdisciplinary collaborators, including medicinal chemists, to support SAR and compound design
- Contribute to manuscript preparation, data reporting, and a rigorous, collaborative research environment in line with best research practices
The positions offer a highly collaborative environment, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure, and the opportunity to contribute to research addressing a major unmet medical and societal need.
Qualifications
- PhD (or near completion) in biochemistry, chemical biology, structural biology, pharmacology, or a related discipline
- Strong experimental background in one or more of the following:
a. Protein expression and purification
b. Biochemical and/or biophysical assay development
c. Structural biology (X-ray crystallography and/or cryo-EM) - Demonstrated ability to design, execute, and interpret experiments independently
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Track record of high-quality, peer-reviewed publications
- Enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research and collaborative science
Preferred
- Experience integrating structural and functional data to inform hypothesis-driven design
- Interest in translational science and early-stage drug discovery
Appointment, Training Program, and Research Environment
This position is part of the Target 2035 Fellows program, supported through a Mitacs Accelerate Umbrella program. The fellowship is offered as a full-time postdoctoral appointment for an initial one-year term, with the possibility of renewal for up to two additional years, subject to performance, funding availability, and program requirements.
The Fellow will be embedded within University Health Network’s research environment and will contribute to collaborative research aligned with Target 2035, a global open science public-private partnership focused on accelerating early drug discovery through the generation of high-quality chemical tools and protein–ligand interaction data for artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Training is provided through academic supervision, day-to-day integration within UHN’s research teams, and participation in collaborative projects involving a global team of academic, technology, and industry partners.
Find more information and apply here: https://jobs.smartrecruiters.com/UniversityHealthNetwork/744000104783130-postdoctoral-researcher-contraceptive-drug-discovery