Research Fellow in Calcium signalling

About us

The Division of Biosciences at UCL is one of the world's foremost centres for research and teaching in the biological sciences. We have an outstanding international reputation and a community of over 500 staff and more than 300 PhD students engaged in cutting edge research and collaboration.

Further information can be found on our website https://www.ucl.ac.uk/biosciences

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Patel Laboratory (Patel Lab | Faculty of Life Sciences) based in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology.

You will work in a small, collaborative and innovative team at the forefront of research in lysosomal calcium signalling.

About the role

The main purpose of this position is to perform cutting-edge research using molecular, biochemical, cellular and in vivo approaches coupled with computational methods to better understand signalling through lysosomal two-pore channels. The project builds on the recent identification of small molecule agonists that switch the ion selectivity of these channels form a calcium permeable to a more sodium-selective state.

This is a collaborative project with the Lambie Lab (UCL https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/72826) and the Biggin lab (Oxford https://sbcb.bioch.ox.ac.uk/biggin.php/).

See the following references for background:

Yuan et al Segregated cation flux by TPC2 biases Ca(2+) signaling through lysosomes, Nature communications 13(1) (2022) 4481.

Saito, et al Convergent activation of Ca(2+) permeability in two-pore channel 2 through distinct molecular routes Science signaling 16(799) (2023) eadg0661.

Yuan et al Two-pore channel-2 and inositol trisphosphate receptors coordinate Ca(2+) signals between lysosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum, Cell Reports 43(1) (2024) 113628.

Zaki et al Plasticity of the selectivity filter is essential for permeation in lysosomal TPC2 channels, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 121(32) (2024) e2320153121.

Gregori et al Lysosomal TPC2 channels disrupt Ca2+ entry and dopaminergic function in models of LRRK2-Parkinson's disease, The Journal of cell biology 224(6) (2025).

This role is an open-ended contract with a funding end date of 3 years upon appointment in the first instance.

Research Fellows - 'Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Grade 6B (salary £38,357 - £41,005 per annum) with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD Thesis.'

This appointment is subject to UCL Terms and Conditions of Service for Research and Professional Services Staff. Please visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/conditions-service-research-teaching-and-professional-services-staff for more information.

A job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online or have any queries about the application process, please contact the HR Administrator.

Customer advert reference: B02-09991

Advert information