Research Associate

Department

Biology

Salary

£36,024 - £44,263 a year

Grade

Grade 6

Contract status

Fixed term

Hours of work

Full-time

Based at

University of York campus

Interview date

22nd March 2024

Posted Date

05/02/2024

Apply by

26/02/2024

Job Reference

13099

Documents

You will be a member of the Department of Biology, which is one of the UK's leading Biology departments, and renowned internationally for our research. This is combined with a commitment to teaching and outstanding student satisfaction, and we have been recognised consistently for our family-friendly policies and are proud of our Athena SWAN Gold Award. We aim to ensure that there is a supportive culture across all staff groups and levels. We promote good practice and a strong culture of equality in higher education. Further information can be found on our website (https:// www. york.ac.uk/biology/research/).

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a new project engineering gene regulatory networks to design disease resistant crops. The project is a collaboration between Katherine Denby's group at the University of York, Nicola Patron at the University of Cambridge and Richard Morris at the John Innes Centre. We have modelled and validated a gene regulatory network underlying the lettuce transcriptional defence response to fungal pathogens, which has identified several regulators of the defence response (both positive and negative) and their downstream target genes. In this collaborative project we will further validate and refine the gene regulatory network, use computational modelling to predict network re-wiring to maximise plant resistance to infection, implement the re-wiring using gene editing and synthetic genetic controllers, and test in protoplasts and transgenic lettuce.

The key aspects of the York PDRA role will be to carry out in vitro and protoplast-based techniques for network validation (protein-DNA interaction and gene regulation), design and build network re-wiring constructs and test these in lettuce protoplasts and gene-edited lettuce lines for impact on network gene expression and (for whole plants) disease resistance, work closely with the PDRAs in the Patron and Morris groups, lead on data analysis and drafting manuscripts for publication, and train/supervise other staff and students.

● PhD in a relevant biological science, or equivalent.

● Track record of research success; supervisory experience

● Good communication skills, ability to write up research work for publication in high profile journals

● Experience of working with plants and advanced molecular biology expertise

● Dependable, reliable and self-motivated; good interpersonal skills; able to work as part of a team

Interview date: 22nd March 2024

For informal enquiries: please contact Katherine Denby on [email protected]

The University strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves.

We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented at the University.

We offer family friendly, flexible working arrangements, with forums and inclusive facilities to support our staff. #EqualityatYork