Postdoctoral Research Associate in Reversing - Durham, United Kingdom - Durham University

Durham University
Durham University
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Durham, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Tom O´Connor

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Tom O´Connor

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Description

Postdoctoral Research Associate in Reversing chemoresistance in metal-dependent lung cancer

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Job Number:




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Department of Biosciences

Grade 7:

  • £35,333
  • £42,155 per annum
Fixed Term - Full Time


Contracted Hours per Week: 35


Closing Date: 16-Jan-2023, 5:59:00 PM


Disclosure and Barring Service Requirement:
Not Applicable.


The University
At Durham University we are proud of our people.

A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other.

We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally.

We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here


The Role and Department


The Department of Biosciences is composed of 62 academic staff and research fellows; around 50 research and technical support staff; over 90 Research Postgraduate students and over 500 Single Honours undergraduate students, and also teaches students from the Natural Sciences programme.

The Department is committed to an ethos of research-led teaching at both BSc and MBiol levels, and was ranked 5th in the UK for Biological Sciences Departments in the Complete University Guide 2023.

The Dept.

of Biosciences partners with other areas of research strength in Durham University including Computational Sciences and Chemistry, and encourages multidisciplinary research for Health and Wellbeing.

Durham University was listed in the Times Higher World Top 50 Life Science Challengers (July 2017).


The Role


For this postdoctoral position we are looking for an enthusiastic individual who would like to work on the interface between academia and industry.

In this project we will focus on developing a new treatment regime for SCLC, small cell lung cancers, which are one of the most aggressive types of cancer with a very short survival.

In the Muller lab we are working on the function of p53, a transcription factor and tumour suppressor. In more than half of all cancers, p53 is mutated resulting in the formation of a mutated protein. Mutation can occur on almost any amino acid in p53, generating hundreds of different mutants. This makes p53 different from many other tumour suppressor proteins.

Many of these mutant proteins have an altered conformation and are able to bind to different proteins than a wildtype protein would do.

Mutant p53 expression results in enhanced cell invasion and metastasis, altered metabolism and chemoresistance.

Interestingly, we discovered that in some environmental conditions, in particular the presence of toxic metals even the wildtype protein can be alternatively folded, making it behave as if it is a mutant protein.

Together with a company, we are working on developing molecules that can remove the burden of metal load on p53 and restore normal p53 function of both wildtype and mutants.

That would allow cancer cells to respond to chemotherapy by inducing a p53-mediated cell death response.


Aims:

  • Determine the best treatment regimes combining existing and novel molecules with chemotherapy.
  • Understanding the environmental conditions in cancer that allow unfolding of p53 and chemoresistance.
  • Determining the functional consequences of unfolding of p53

Responsibilities:


  • To understand and convey material of a specialist or highly technical nature to the team or group of people through presentations and discussions that leads to the presentation of research papers in conferences and publications.
  • To prepare and deliver presentations on research outputs/activities to audiences which may include: research sponsors, academic and nonacademic audiences.
  • To publish high quality outputs, including papers for submission to peer reviewed journals and papers for presentation at conferences and workshops under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grantholder.
  • To assist with the development of research objectives and proposals.
  • To conduct individual and collaborative research projects under the direction of the Principal Investigator or Grantholder.
  • To work with the Principal Investigator or Grantholder and other colleagues in the research group, as appropriate, to identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio.
  • To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grantholder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
  • To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge an
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