Location: | Oxford |
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Salary: | £38,674 to £46,913 per annum : Grade 7 |
Hours: | Full Time |
Contract Type: | Fixed-Term/Contract |
Placed On: | 7th May 2025 |
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Closes: | 16th June 2025 |
Job Ref: | 179382 |
Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in single-molecule biophysics of DNA damage-induced transcription stress.
We are looking to hire an outstanding experimentalist for an exciting project at the interface of biophysics and biochemistry that has as its goals to understand the response of RNA polymerase to DNA damage-induced transcription stress.
This post is fixed term for 3 years.
What are you going to do?
In this fully-funded project, you will:
About the project
Unperturbed gene expression is vital for correct functioning of cells. RNA polymerase II is the enzyme that transcribes genes into mRNA, enabling subsequent protein synthesis. Its transcriptional activity is continuously challenged by the occurrence of DNA damage, resulting from exposure of DNA to cellular metabolites and environmental agents. Bulky and helix-distorting DNA damage physically blocks the forward movement of transcribing RNA polymerase II. Such DNA damage-induced transcription stress can lead to severe cellular dysfunction, death and senescence, and is believed to be a major contributor to aging-related diseases, such as neurodegeneration, and neurotoxic side effects of chemotherapy. You will perform biophysical experiments to unravel the molecular mechanisms behind these aging-related phenotypes. A willingness to learn and employ biochemical approaches and interact with external collaborators in molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of Oxford and in the Netherlands is essential. In doing so, you will publish high-quality scientific papers to advance this exciting field.
Requirements For this innovative, interdisciplinary project, we are looking an excellent scientist with:
We look for friendly and driven colleagues to enrich our team. We would like to welcome our new colleague in the fall of 2025.
Information and application
For more information please contact Prof. Nynke Dekker, e-mail: nynke.dekker@physics.ox.ac.uk
Only applications received before midday 16 June 2025 can be considered. You will be required to upload a brief statement of research interests, CV and details of three referees as part of your online application.
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