Postdoctoral Research Associate Congenital Muscular Dystrophy - University of Liverpool

Vacancy Reference Number

010932

Closing Date

20 Feb 2019

Salary

£34,188 to £39,610 per annum

Address

Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, University of Liverpool

Duration

Fixed term for 1 year in the first instance

Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

Institute of Translational Medicine

We are seeking an innovative and highly motivated individual to join the Swan laboratory at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, University of Liverpool UK. You will investigate a new congenital muscular dystrophy disorder caused by mutations of the inositol phosphatase INPP5K, an ER-located phosphatase acting on lipid membranes. Studies of this enzyme touch on fundamental aspects of cellular biology- with implications for obesity, neurological function and muscular function. You should have a PhD in neuroscience, muscular biology, cell biology or other relevant subjects.

INPP5K links two other muscular dystrophy syndromes together: INPP5K mutations have defects in the trafficking/glycosylation of dystroglycan, and network of proteins that co-ordinate ER-stress signalling including the ER-stress sensor/Chaperone Bip and the disease gene Sil-1, which causes a very similar muscular dystrophy called Marinesco-Sjoegren Syndrome.

We wish to pursue the links between these disorders by use of an inducible mouse model of INPP5K loss, cell biological, image-based and biochemical studies. This project is in collaboration with several clinical and cell biological labs in the USA, Germany, and UK. A good grounding in either fundamentals of membrane traffic or muscular dystrophy/neurobiology would be preferred. The post is available for one year initially, up to 3 years subject to annual review to by our funders, MDUK.

For more information and to apply, click here