KOODAC Team Structural Biologist - Scotland, United Kingdom - Havas People

Description

Position 3 – Structural Biology / Biophysical Assay Development PDRA (KOODAC team)
Unit: Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation Fixed-Term for 5 years
Grade 7 (Spinal Point £36,024- £44,263)

We are recruiting for an exceptional Structural Biologist / Biophysicist with experience in
studying structures of protein- ligand and protein-protein complexes to join the group of Professor
Alessio Ciulli as a Postdoctoral Research Assistant within the expanding Centre for Targeted
Protein Degradation (CeTPD) at the University of Dundee. This position is part of an academic,
multi-disciplinary drug discovery team being formed within the Ciulli group, funded by the Cancer
Grand Challenges, within KOODAC ( KOODAC's mission
is to discover and develop small-molecule drugs that degrade key oncogenic drivers of solid tumours
in children, as a novel therapeutic paradigm to treat pediatric cancers. The team will develop two
types of degraders – proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glue degraders. Both
classes of degraders work by recruiting a ubiquitin E3 ligase to a target protein to induce
target's ubiquitination and degradation, leading to cell death. The team will focus on developing
degraders for the ALK, DNAJB1::PRKACA, MYCN, EWSR1::FLI1 and PAX3::FOXO1 (or PAX7::FOXO1)
oncoproteins, which have been implicated in the development and/or spread of neuroblastoma,
fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma, medulloblastoma, Ewings sarcoma and fusion positive
rhabdomyosarcoma, respectively, in children.

Candidate Requirements:

• A Ph.D. in structural biology, biophysics, biochemistry, chemical / molecular biology, or a
related discipline

• Highly experienced in molecular biology (construct design, cloning etc.), protein expression,
purification and characterisation.

• Strong experience in structure solution and model refinement via protein X-ray crystallography
and/or cryo- EM.

• Outstanding academic and/or industrial track record.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.

• Capable of working in a diverse team, but able to plan and work independently.

• Exceptional time management, organisational and self-motivational skills.

• An open and collaborative approach to science.
Preferred skills:

• Experience with biophysical techniques and assays to study protein-ligand and protein-protein
interactions are strongly desired.

• Experience with studying of PROTACs and/or molecular glue degraders.

• Experience with studying protein-ligand interactions and structure-based drug design.

For further information about this position please contact Professor Alessio Ciulli at To find out more about Group please visit the group's Website.

The Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation is part of a growing Life Sciences Innovation District,
an ecosystem of organisations and people within the life sciences sector in Dundee driving
innovation and local economic growth. Opened since January 2023, CeTPD is a first of its kind
Centre leading a number of internationally significant projects in the burgeoning new area of
translational chemical biology and targeted protein degradation. The goal of CeTPD is to innovate a
next-generation of small-molecule technology platforms and modalities to advance chemical and
biological insights and therapeutic targets related to human diseases. It aspires to achieve this
by redefining new models of open collaboration with academic, industrial and venture partners, and
by training and inspiring the next-generation of research scientists and leaders.

The diversity of our staff and students helps to make the University of Dundee a UK university of
choice for undergraduate, postgraduate and distance learning. Family friendly policies, staff
networks for BME, Disabled and LGBT staff, membership of Athena SWAN, the ECU Race Equality Charter
and Stonewall as well a full range of disability services, create an enjoyable and inclusive place
to work.