Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biosciences

The Role and Department

The Department of Biosciences is composed of 68 academic staff and research fellows; around 50 research and technical support staff; over 90 Research Postgraduate students and over 500 Single Honours undergraduate students. We offer a 3-year BSc degree programme in Biological Sciences and a 4-year MBiol, while also contributing to Natural Sciences. We also run a PGT in Plant Biotechnology with further PGT programmes scheduled for future delivery. Our research and teaching is supported by outstanding research infrastructure in advanced bioimaging (including super-resolution, confocal and electron microscopy), genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, high-performance computing and field research. We promote research at the interface with other disciplines.

The Dept. of Biosciences is currently ranked in the top 5 UK Biology Departments in University league tables (4th in the Guardian University Guide, 5th in The Complete University Guide) and has a 100% internationally recognised research environment (REF2021). Our basic science underpins applications across each-and-every sector of the bio-economy, including Biotechnology, Ecology and Agritechnology. Research programmes are grouped in the following areas: Molecular Plant Sciences; Biomolecular Interactions; Ecology, Evolution and Environment; and Animal Cells and Systems. These groups organise focused seminar series, Research Away Days, manage joint research facilities, oversee mentoring, internal peer review and serve to nucleate larger research projects. Along with our excellent research facilities such as bioimaging, proteomics, metabolomics and genomics we offer a high quality and supportive environment for our research staff.

The Dept. of Biosciences partners with other areas of research strength in Durham University including Computational Sciences and Chemistry, and encourages multidisciplinary research for Health and Wellbeing.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award. Athena SWAN is a national initiative that recognises the advancement of gender equality, representation and progression. The Department embraces excellence in all of its forms and invites all qualified applicants to apply. We particularly welcome applications from women and black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in the academic sector.

The Role

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biosciences with a particular emphasis on the biophysics and molecular biology of topoisomerases. The research project is titled “Dissecting DNA gyrase structural dynamics via combined Rotor Bead Tracking and single-molecule FRET microscopy”. The project is externally funded via BBSRC. The principle lead for the project is Dr Aakash Basu, and the co-lead is Dr Liz Morris.

Closing Date: 14-May-2026, 11:59:00 PM

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