Research Associate/Fellow - Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Evaluate Myotonic Dystrophy (fixed-term)

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Detail information about job Research Associate/Fellow - Cardiomyocytes from Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Evaluate Myotonic Dystrophy (fixed-term). Terms and conditions vacancy

Applications are invited for the above post based within the Department of Stem Cell Biology in the Centre for Biomolecular Science, University of Nottingham. This post provides an exciting opportunity to join a team of scientists with an interest in combining a range of state-of the art stem cell technologies to answer key biomedical questions, including those relating to heart disease.

Work in our laboratory is at an advanced stage to make new stem cell-based models to understand myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), which is a prevalent yet incurable muscular dystrophy that often leads to premature death from cardiac arrhythmia. The postdoc used skin fibroblasts from individual with different severities of DM1 to produce human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) and then differentiated these into cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). The postdoc has started to investigate stability of repeats during reprogramming, culture of hiPSC and differentiation/maturation to cardiomyocytes. They also started to investigate other pathological aspects, such as formation of nuclear foci, splicing defects, and mitochondrial and electrophysiology impairment, which is allowing the effect of small molecule therapeutics to be investigated.

The position advertised here requires a talented researcher with strong skills in cell and molecular biology to finish off the work that has been started, and contribute as an author to writing up the manuscript(s) for publication. Skills in stem cell culture are not necessarily needed, provided the applicant has real strength in molecular cellular skills. These are likely to include some or all of the following: PCR (including small pool PCR), Southern blots, in situ hybridisation, high content imaging, splicing analysis, calcium/electrophysiology analysis, assessing responses to pharmacology and/or RNAseq/bioinformatics. The applicant will also be expected to collaborate with the partner groups in this project, which include those in Nottingham, Newcastle, and Glasgow, and potentially others as required.

Candidates should be nearing completion of a PhD or hold a PhD in the biological sciences or equivalent, and be prepared to start on or very soon after 9November 2017. The appointed candidate is likely to have a good publication track record and will have presented the data in seminars to international audiences of scientists and the public. They will have a proven ability to collaborate with other institutions and work in a team. Full details are in the job specification.

This full time post will be offered on a fixed-term contract from 9 November 2017 until a fixed end date of 30 April 2018.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Professor Chris Denning (tel: 0115 831236 or email: [email protected]). Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

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The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.