英国伦敦大学国王学院精神病学研究所博士后职位

Post-Doctoral Research Worker
Institute of Psychiatry - Department of Neuroscience & CCBB, Institute of Psychiatry
King's College London

12/R28

Applications are invited for two Postdoctoral Research Workers in the Department of Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London. The posts are funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) until February 2014. The successful candidates will utilise cell, molecular and advanced imaging approaches to investigate the mechanisms by which insults associated with neurodegenerative diseases influence protein/organelle trafficking and axonal transport in neurons.

In particular, the research will focus on how defects in signalling between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria impact upon organelle trafficking in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease (ALS) and the fronto-temporal dementias (FTD). They will join an established research group headed by Professor Chris Miller.

(see http://internal.iop.kcl.ac.uk/ipublic/staff/profile/internal.aspx?go=10580 )

Applicants should have a PhD in a relevant field (e.g. Biochemistry, Neuroscience or other Medical Science). Applicants with experience in signal transduction processes and advanced microscopy are particularly encouraged to apply.

For background and some of our recent work see
De Vos, K.J. et al (2008). Role of axonal transport in neurodegenerative diseases. Ann. Rev. Neurosci. 31 151-173. PMID: 18558852
Vagnoni, A. et al (2011). Phosphorylation of kinesin light chain-1 at serine-460 modulates binding and trafficking of calsyntenin-1. J. Cell Sci. 124 1032-1042. PMID: 21385839
Manser, C. et al (2011). Lemur tyrosine kinase-2 signalling regulates kinesin light chain-2 phosphorylation and binding of Smad2 cargo. Oncogene. in press PMID: 21996745
De Vos, K.J. et al (2012). VAPB interacts with the mitochondrial protein PTPIP51 to regulate calcium homeostasis. Hum. Mol. Genet. In press. PMID: 22131369
Mórotz, G.M. et al (2012). Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-associated mutant VAPBP56S perturbs calcium homeostasis to disrupt axonal transport of mitochondria. Hum. Mol. Genet. In press. PMID: 22258555

The posts are fixed term until February 2014. The appointments will be made, dependent on relevant qualifications and experience, within the Grade 6 scale, £33,343 to £39,335, inclusive of London Allowance, per annum.

For a Job Description, Further Particulars and an application form please see our website www.kcl.ac.uk/jobs or email vacancies@iop.kcl.ac.uk . For an informal discussion of the post please contact Chris Miller - chris.miller@kcl.ac.uk

Closing date is 9th March 2012. Please quote reference 12/R28.