Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Adipose Tissue Interorgan Metabolic Signalling

Location: Leeds - Main Campus

Contract type: Fixed term (18 months - to complete specific time limited work)

Are you a postdoctoral researcher with a keen interest in molecular physiology and metabolism in health and disease?  Are you interested in how adipose tissue communicates with other metabolic organs to regulate whole-body metabolism?  Do you want to learn more about adipose tissue-derived bioactive lipids (lipokines) and their therapeutic potential in obesity?

This postdoctoral fellowship role is on a Medical Research Council funded project within the laboratory of Prof Lee Roberts, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine. The research within Prof Roberts’ group addresses the metabolic regulation of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue with a focus on tissue cross talk and bioactive metabolites and lipids (metabokines and lipokines) (PMID: 33772024; PMID: 35365625; PMID: 24411942; PMID: 36137304). Prof Roberts’ group aims to use this approach to find novel therapeutics and therapeutic targets for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases including obesity and diabetes.

Thermogenic brown and beige adipose tissue are therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases. Beige and brown adipose tissue influence systemic metabolism through endocrine signals in the adipocyte secretome. We have identified a putative interorgan lipokine signal released from beige and brown adipose tissue. The postdoctoral fellow will characterise the effect of the lipokine on adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and liver metabolism using preclinical animal disease and transgenic models, human adipocyte, myocyte and hepatocyte tissue culture and human patient tissue biopsies. The postdoctoral fellow will also investigate the mechanisms of production and secretion of the lipokine from adipose tissue and the signalling mechanisms of the lipokine in target tissues (adipose tissue, muscle, liver). The successful candidate will use a variety of state-of-the-art techniques including high-resolution respirometry, whole body metabolic phenotyping of animal models including indirect calorimetry, mass spectrometry lipidomics, and PET/CT imaging alongside immunohistological, microscopy, tissue culture and molecular biology techniques (gene / protein expression).

What does the role entail?

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow your main duties will include:

• Leading, organising and taking responsibility for your research project.
• Experimental design and realisation of in vitro and in vivo experiments using a variety of metabolic, physiological and molecular biology techniques.
• Writing reports, undertaking literature reviews and preparing papers for publication and grants for submission, with guidance as necessary;
• Working both independently and as part of a larger team of researchers and stakeholders;
• Supporting research activities, including contributing to research results and outputs and to the generation of independent and original ideas, ensuring a successful programme of investigation;
• Collating and analysing data;
• Participating in the research group and presenting research output where appropriate;
• Contributing to the research culture of the School, where appropriate;
• Continually updating your knowledge, understanding and skills in the research field.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

You will report to Prof Lee Roberts, Professor of Molecular Physiology and Metabolism.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Lee Roberts, Professor of Molecular Physiology and Metabolism

Email: L.D.Roberts@leeds.ac.uk

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