Research Assistant

We have an opportunity for a Research Assistant to contribute to an ambitious project which is funded for 5 years by an MRC Programme Grant and is focussed on investigating how regulation of the mRNA translation machinery influences initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma.

We are looking to recruit a structural or cellular biologist to lead the ultrastructural arm of the project using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) combined with cryogenic correlated light and electron microscopy (cryo-CLEM) and cryo-focused ion beam (cryo-FIB) milling. This programme will involve state-of-the-art imaging approaches to visualise molecular details of the intricate relationships between the mRNA translation and membrane trafficking machineries.

The successful candidate will be trained in how to apply cryo-ET coupled with fluorescence to map key functional proteins and contribute to the study of how regulation of the mRNA translation machinery influences initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma. The ideal candidate will have experience in molecular biology, cryo-EM sample preparation techniques, processing skills of EM images, and self-motivated in designing and executing cryo-ET experiments.

The post holder will join the School of Infection and Immunity (https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/infectionimmunity/), MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) (http://www.cvr.ac.uk/) working with Principal Investigator, Dr Stephen Carter (https://www.gla.ac.uk/research/az/cvr/aboutus/people/researchgroups/cartergroup/). This post is in partnership with Prof. Jim Norman and Martin Bushell at the Cancer Research UK-Scotland Institute in Glasgow, one of the world's leading cancer research centres. It supports cutting-edge discovery research into the molecular mechanisms of cancer development.

The CVR has access to instrumentation in the Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging (SCMI), such as the JEOL CRYO ARM 300 electron microscope, Leica EM GP2, a cryo-FIB instrument with a Quorum transfer stage, and the Leica THUNDER Imager EM cryo-CLEM microscope. This technology will allow the candidate to develop their skills to target events that happen deep in the cell so we can see more of the molecular mechanisms through which mRNA translation rates alter Golgi-transport, endocytosis and endocytic sorting in hepatocytes.

This post is full time and has funding available until 30 April 2029.

For informal enquiries regarding this post please contact Dr Stephen Carter, Stephen.Carter@glasgow.ac.uk