Astex Pharmaceuticals is a world leader in innovative drug discovery and development. 
The company has successfully applied its proprietary Fragment-Based Drug discovery 
platform to generate multiple new drug candidates that are progressing in clinical 
development and the company is a recognised world expert in structural biology and 
crystallography. The sustaining innovation Postdoctoral research program aims to 
enhance the Companys excellent scientific culture by fostering basic research in 
the drug discovery field, whilst working with scientists in the biotech sector and
with academic experts in the areas of research interest. 

University of Cambridge and Astex Pharmaceuticals have partnered to create an exciting
new postdoctoral position in AI-based Computational Chemistry. The successful candidate
will join Dr. Lucy Colwells group at the Chemistry Department, leaders in the innovative
application of modelling and AI-based approaches to unsolved problems in chemistry, 
biochemistry and structural biology. 

Project title: 	Development and application of Artificial Intelligence technologies to 
data from fragment screening campaigns to generate deeper understanding and more accurate predictive models.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are now widespread in society, where they have become hugely 
successful in fields ranging from voice recognition to clinical diagnostics. A recurring question in 
Fragment-Based Drug Discovery is why certain fragments bind to a target, while other fragments do not? 
AI methods, trained on data from fragment screening campaigns, may well be able to identify rules about
what dictates fragment binding that would otherwise not be detected. This project will apply AI methodologies
to data from Astexs fragment screening campaigns to help understand and predict what drives fragment binding. 
The successful candidate will be based in the chemistry department, and will also spend time embedded at the
Astex headquarters in Cambridge.  

Candidate Requirements 

- A PhD in a chemistry or in a relevant theoretical science
- Thorough understanding of chemistry and non-bonded interactions 
- Significant, relevant and demonstrable programming experience
- Excellent communication skills
- Good data management skills

Desirable skills

- Hands-on experience with large data sets and machine learning technologies
- Experience of relational databases

To apply please send your CV and a cover letter, quoting the job reference SI-CC005 to HR.UK[]astx.com