Are you an ambitious researcher looking for your next challenge? Do you have an established background in Structural Biology, particularly Cryo-Electron Microscopy (cryo-EM), NMR or HDX-MS? Do you want to further your career in one of the UKs leading research intensive Universities?

Based in the laboratories of Professor Alex Breeze and Dr Stephen Muench at the Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, you will join a vibrant cross-institution team with colleagues at University College London (UCL; Professor Matilda Katan lab), working together on an exciting project deciphering the chaperone interaction cycle of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs).

The project is funded for 2.5 years (30 months) by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and will involve solving high-resolution structures of complexes of FGFR intracellular domain with HSP90 and Cdc37 chaperone components using cryo-EM, as well as investigating dynamics and interaction epitopes using NMR spectroscopy and hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX-MS). Exceptional facilities and training are available in Leeds to support the project, including two Titan Krios electron microscopes equipped with the latest detectors as well as state-of-the-art cryoprobe-equipped NMR spectrometers including Bruker Avance III HD Aeon 950 MHz and Waters Synapt HDMS IM-MS, HDX and FPOP mass spectrometers.

You should have a PhD (or close to completion) in structural biology or a closely allied discipline, with experience in cryo-EM and potentially also NMR spectroscopy and/or structural MS, as well as protein expression, purification and labelling for the study of large proteins. You will work closely with the Katan group at UCL, whose primary role will be to generate the protein samples for the cryo-EM investigations.

The University of Leeds and the Faculty of Biological Sciences are committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offer a range of family friendly policies. The University is a charter member of Athena SWAN (the national body that promotes gender equality in higher education), and the Faculty of Biological Sciences was awarded a Silver award in 2020.  We are proud to be an inclusive Faculty that values all staff, and are happy to consider job share applications and requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees. Our Athena SWAN webpage provides more information. 

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Professor Alex Breeze, Professor of Biomolecular NMR

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 0087 | Email: [email protected]