Postdoctoral Fellow
Postdoctoral researcher in bacterial chromosome organization and segregation Full-time
We are looking for a Structural biologist/Biochemist to join the Le labs (John Innes Centre-Department of Molecular Microbiology-UK https://www.tunglelab.org/).
The chromosomes of all living organisms must be compacted nearly three orders of magnitude to fit within cells. Moreover, DNA must be packaged in a way that is compatible with a myriad of DNA-based processes, including replication, segregation, transcription, repair, and recombination. This challenge is particularly acute in bacteria as chromosome segregation occurs concomitantly with DNA replication rather than being separated temporally, as in eukaryotes. How chromosome organization and its integration with biological processes are achieved in vivo remains poorly understood. To fill this knowledge gap, our lab aims to:
1) Elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying chromosome organization and segregation
2) Unravel the relationship between spatial chromosome organization (locally and globally) and important biological processes in the cell.
We are particularly interested in how the Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) protein and Partitioning proteins (ParA-ParB-parS) interact with DNA to organize and segregate the bacterial chromosome.
The combination of structural biology, genetics, cell biology, and genome-wide techniques (ChIP-seq and Hi-C) has proved to be very effective in investigating SMC/ParB in our lab. In the long term, we aim to apply similar approaches to investigate other classes of chromosome-structuring proteins. The ultimate aim of our lab is to understand the integration of actions of different classes of architecture proteins in organizing the chromosome.
The candidate will join a diverse group of students, postdocs, and scientists and work closely with Prof. David Lawson, the John Innes Centre X-ray crystallography platform manager.
Qualifications:
– PhD in a relevant field
–Experience in protein purification and enzymology
–Experience in X-ray crystallography/cryo-EM.
–Experience with microbiology is desirable
– Organized and detail-oriented
– Enjoys working with others
To apply:
Email tung.le@jic.ac.uk with
– a cover letter that highlights your experience, contributions to science, and interests
– CV
We prioritize inclusiveness in our team and encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds, and individuals committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, to apply.