Laboratory: CARMeN Institut (UMR 6064) located in Caen (Normandy, France)
Periode : 18-months starting in June 2026
Title : Synthesis of carbohydrate and nucleoside analogs functionalized by organo-fluorinated emergent groups and study of their chemical stability in biological and environmental media.
Main goal of the study: Due to its highly interesting intrinsic properties, fluorine atom plays an important role in medicinal chemistry. Indeed, many blockbuster drugs contain one or several fluorine atoms. Among them, the motif CF3 and CF2H are the most fluorinated chemical modification introduced. However, degradation and / or metabolization of these functional groups in potential PFAS is a serious problem that needs to be solved. In this challenging field, our project deals with the synthesis of new carbohydrate and nucleoside analogs containing several organo-fluorinated functional groups with the aim to propose an alternative to PFAS. To access to these innovative derivatives, synthetic methodologies including radical and ionic chemistry will be developed. More precisely, the reactivity of highly functionalized glycals and anhydronucleosides towards various fluorinated radicals and carbanions will be studied. Having in hands these new fluorinated compounds, their chemical stability in biological and environmental media will be realized and the resulting metabolites will be identified and characterized.
Requirements: A PhD in organic chemistry is required for this position. The candidate shall have a strong background in fluorine chemistry and/or multi-step synthesis and/or sugar chemistry and/or nucleosides. A strong motivation as well as excellent written and relational skills are fully expected. An excellent level in English (speaking and writing) and French is required.
Salary: Between 2477 € and 2697 € per month depending on the candidate’s experience.
Application: A detailed Curriculum Vitae in French or English and two recommendation letters have to be sent by e-mail to Pr. Thierry Lequeux and Dr. Emmanuel Pfund.
Contact: Pr. Thierry Lequeux (
Paper Highlights
- A quantitative model of enzyme-free copying of RNA with dimers
- Quality Control of mRNA Vaccines by Synthetic Ribonucleases: Analysis of the Poly-A-Tail
- Ribosome-free translation up to pentapeptides via template walkon RNA sequences
- Solid-Phase-Supported Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of a Light-Activatable tRNA Derivative
- Controlling Coagulation in Blood with Red Light