Research Fellow

Professor Kirill Volynski’s work focuses on the understanding of how the presynaptic release machinery decodes calcium signals and translates them into the complex patterns of neurotransmitter release. His group uses quantitative imaging and computational modelling approaches to study the relationship between calcium entry and vesicular exocytosis, and to probe presynaptic ion channel function in individual small presynaptic terminals.

Nobel Laureate Professor James Rothman’s work focuses on the understanding the biochemical mechanisms involved in regulating the release of neurotransmitters at synapses. His group is using use well-defined reconstituted systems to uncover the fundamental biochemical mechanisms involved the mechanisms of synaptic vesicle release.

Both Professor Volynski and Professor Rothman are based in the Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

We are now recruiting a Research Fellow in the field of the synaptic release of neurotransmitters to participate in collaborative research between the laboratories of Professor Kirill Volynski (IoN) and Nobel Laureate Prof. James Rothman (IoN/ Yale University). The position complements the existing strengths in understanding synaptic physiology and neurological disease at IoN and in synaptic biochemistry and structural biology at the Department of Cell Biology at Yale University, supported by the Yale UCL Collaborative Network.

You will apply optical methods to address the molecular mechanisms of neurotransmitter release in central synapses and will have the opportunity to apply their research skills in a broad collaborative environment, which includes structural biology, biochemical and biophysical studies of vesicle exocytosis and mammalian and invertebrate circuit neuroscience. The project will involve dynamic imaging of the phosphoinositide cycle in individual presynaptic terminals in relation to the regulation of the synaptic vesicle cycle.

The post is available from July 2023 and funded by the ERC Synergy grant "LiquORG" for two years in the first instance.

If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team (ion.hradmin at ucl.ac.uk).

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Professor Kirill Volynski (k.volynski at ucl.ac.uk).

We expect to hold interviews on 08-09 May 2023.

For a full job description and to apply for this role please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs) and search using vacancy reference B02-04783.

Appointment as Research Fellow is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant (salary £35,702 - £37,548 per annum) with appointment as Research Fellow being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on EDI initiatives; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/equality-diversity-inclusion for more information about what we’re doing. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.

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