Postdoctoral Research Associate and Research Assistant positions have become available in the laboratory of Dr. Doryen Bubeck at Imperial College London starting January 2014. The posts are funded up to 5 years through a Cancer Research UK Career Establishment Award to Dr. Bubeck. The main objective of these posts is to use structural biology to characterize the 3D structure and mode of action of pore-forming proteins with immune receptors in model membranes.
Complement plays an important role in monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based cancer immunotherapy through complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). One mechanism of tumor clearance is by the deposition of membrane attack complex (MAC) pores on target cells. The effectiveness of CDC remains limited in some cancers due to over expression of CD59, a membrane-bound complement regulator that inhibits MAC-mediated lysis. The bacterial toxin intermedilysin (ILY) competes for the MAC binding site on CD59, resulting in enhanced CDC. Broadly the goal of this project is to understand how MAC and ILY pores are formed, and the role CD59 plays in these processes. These posts provide an exciting opportunity to work as a key member of an interdisciplinary structural biology project that has the potential to impact actively prescribed cancer therapeutics.
The posts will be based at Imperial College London, in the Department of Life Sciences and are funded by Cancer Research UK. The appointee will collaborate with membrane biophysicists at Imperial College London, immunologists at the University of Southampton and Cardiff University, as well as microbiologists at the University of Oklahoma, USA. The Imperial College Centre for Structural Biology is a state-of-the-art electron microscopy facility equipped with two FEG electron microscopes and cutting edge dectectors (4k x 4k CCD and FEI Falcon direct electron detector).
Informal enquires can be made directly to Dr. Doryen Bubeck (d.bubeck@imperial.ac.uk<mailto:p.freemont@imperial.ac.uk>).
Our preferred method of application is online via our website:
http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/employment (please select “Job Search” then enter the job title or vacancy reference number, including spaces into “Keywords” - NS 2013 196 IL – for RA and - NS 2013 197 IL- for PDRA posts, respectively).
Please complete and upload an application form as directed.
Should you have any queries about the application process please contact Mrs Manami Kanazawa by email at:m.kanazawa@imperial.ac.uk<mailto:m.kanazawa@imperial.ac.uk>.
Closing date: 6 October 2013 (Midnight BST)
Our preferred method of application is online via this website. Please download the application form and save to your computer. Please then upload a research CV and a covering letter in addition to a completed application form and apply via the website.
