Research Associate/Assistant (Fixed Term) Cambridge, East of England
Job description
Available Job Today Applications are invited for a full-time post-doctoral position to select aptamers against specific bacterial outer membrane targets. The Mela laboratory has previously shown that DNA nanostructures can be functionalised with aptamers to create bacteria-specific drug-delivery vehicles that can potentiate their antimicrobial cargo. The successful candidate will build on this approach. The project will initially focus on the development of microfluidics-based SELEX for the identification of aptamers that bind to specific proteins on the outer membrane of bacteria. Once aptamers have been selected, their application will be two-fold. First, the aptamers will be combined with DNA nanostructures to create drug delivery vehicles in which the aptamers anchor antimicrobial-carrying nanostructures to specific proteins on the bacterial surface. Second, the potential of the aptamers themselves to have pharmacologically-relevant effects through binding and blocking their target proteins will be explored.
The post is associated with a Royal Society University Research Fellowship awarded to Dr Ioanna Mela, the aim of which is to explore DNA nanostructures as drug delivery vehicles. The position will be based primarily in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Cambridge, but there will be opportunities to work with and in collaborating labs at the MRC-LMB (Dr Emmanuel Derivery), Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge (Professor Clemens Kaminski) and Kyoto University (Professor Hiroshi Sugiyama). The work will also involve some DNA cloning, atomic force microscopy and fluorescence microscopy.
Applicants should have a first degree or PhD in an area relevant to the project. The key duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: developing research objectives and conducting the research project, continually updating knowledge and understanding in the field, translating knowledge and advances to the research activity; supporting research activities and communication through participation at group meetings/seminars; contributing to the supervision of junior researchers and PhD students and acting as a mentor to less experienced colleagues; writing up research work for publication; dissemination of research results by presentation at national and international conferences. The successful candidate will have experience in DNA nanotechnology and/or aptamer selection, molecular biology and microbiology, and fluorescence microscopy. Some experience with DNA cloning and recombinant protein expression and purification is desirable but not essential. Experience working with microfluidics would be an asset.
The funds for this post are available for 42 months. The salary range if appointed as a Research Associate is £32,348 - £42,155 per annum and the salary range if appointed as Research Assistant is £27,929 - £32,348 per annum with promotion to Research Associate on attainment of PhD if applicable.
Informal enquiries about the position can be made to Dr Ioanna Mela ([email protected]).
The Department of Pharmacology holds an Athena SWAN bronze award, demonstrating a commitment to provide equal opportunities and to advance the representation of women in science subjects. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates irrespective of gender but, as women are currently under-represented at this level in our department, we strongly encourage applications from female candidates. Appointment will be based on merit alone.
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Please quote reference PL35773 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
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