General information
Offer title : PhD Thesis (M/F) - Formulation of lipid coatings for oral administration of supersaturated forms of Praziquantel (H/F)
Reference : UMR5623-MURBLA-006
Number of position : 1
Workplace : TOULOUSE
Date of publication : 05 May 2025
Type of Contract : FTC PhD student / Offer for thesis
Contract Period : 36 months
Start date of the thesis : 15 July 2025
Proportion of work : Full Time
Remuneration : 2200 gross monthly
Section(s) CN : 11 - Supra and macromolecular materials and systems: development, properties, functions
Description of the thesis topic
According to the World Health Organization, schistosomiasis is a global parasitic disease affecting over 250 million people, for which Praziquantel is the most widely used drug. It is a compound with a good safety window, but its low efficacy against the juvenile stages of the parasites and highly irregular pharmacokinetic profiles limit its effectiveness. Against this background, the aim of this project is to develop new lipid formulations of supersaturated forms of praziquantel, in order to improve its stability and bioavailability.
The main objective of this PhD Thesis will therefore be to develop a new formulation based on supersaturated forms of Praziquantel.
Tasks will include:
- Implementation of lipid coatings and their physicochemical characterization (light scattering, electron microscopy, thermal analysis, etc.)
- Evaluation of coating disintegration in water
- Study of the crystallization mechanism and its modeling by QSPR to optimize the system
Work Context
The offer comes from the SMODD team, part of the SOFTMAT laboratory (CNRS UMR 5623, Toulouse), and is part of the multidisciplinary GALANTH project funded by the ANR, which is the result of collaboration between the SOFTMAT, RAPSODEE and MEDIS laboratories, and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil (FIOCRUZ).
The SMODD team has solid, internationally-recognized experience in formulation using systems derived from soft matter; research that combines synthesis engineering and physicochemical characterization of innovative self-assemblies with a sustainable development approach. In particular, the SMODD team designs formulations for cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications.
Constraints and risks
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