Postdoctoral Research Assistant - MRC PPU - UOD

Postdoctoral Research Assistant - MRC PPU - UOD
1989

Posted on 16 January 2026 | Reference: UOD
1989

Unit: MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit

MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU):

The MRC PPU is one of the world's most renowned centres for research on protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation (). Many world-leading researchers in the field of signal transduction have trained within the MRC PPU. The major aims of the MRC PPU are to advance understanding of the role of protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation in cell regulation and human disease, to facilitate the development of drugs to treat diseases caused by abnormalities in phosphorylation, to generate reagents and improve technologies.

A key remit of the MRC PPU is to train the next generation of scientists who will advance our understanding in this crucial area of medical research.

School of Life Sciences (SLS):

The MRC PPU is based within the School of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, a world-class academic institution with a reputation for the excellence of its research, its high-quality teaching and student experience, and the strong impact of its activities outside academia. With 900 staff from over 60 countries worldwide the School provides a dynamic, multi-national, collegiate and diverse environment with state-of-the-art laboratory, technology and teaching facilities.

Division of Signal Transduction Unit (DSTT):

The Division of Signal Transduction Therapy (DSTT) was established in 1998. This division operates as a unique collaboration between scientists in the MRC PPU and signalling researchers at the University of Dundee's School of Life Sciences and the pharmaceutical industry. The DSTT is widely regarded as a model for how academia should interact with industry. The DSTT operates as a simple bridging mechanism to enable our PIs working on ubiquitylation and phosphorylation to effectively interact with major pharmaceutical companies to help accelerate the early stages of drug discovery.

We are recruiting for exceptional individuals to join as Postdoctoral Researchers in the laboratory of Prof Miratul Muqit.
This is a fixed-term appointment for 36 months.

We are recruiting up to three postdoctoral scientists to join the laboratory of Professor Miratul Muqit, with expertise in signalling, cell biology, mouse neurobiology, CRISPR gene-editing or proteomics to investigate the function of the PINK1 kinase in neurons and the brain. The overarching goal of the Muqit lab is to undertake fundamental research to understand the molecular basis of the neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson's disease (PD), through open and interdisciplinary collaborations with leading research groups across the world.

The successful applicant(s) will undertake discovery-driven research projects as part of a Medical Research Council Programme Grant Award that will lead to better understanding of PD and how to diagnose and treat it. The Muqit Lab is exemplar in collaborative research to make robust discoveries and share data openly in the field to accelerate progress.

The project(s) will investigate mechanisms of the PINK1 kinase which is frequently mutated in early-onset PD and is a master-regulator of mitophagy in brain. Previous research by the Muqit lab has contributed to the development of targeted therapies for PINK1-induced mitophagy whuch entered clinical trials for PD patients last year. However, much knowledge on PINK1 has been obtained from in vitro studies and very little is known on how the PINK1 pathway is regulated and functions in the brain and projects will be aimed at uncovering entirely new understanding of PINK1 function that may lead to new concepts for therapeutic exploitation in PD.

The successful candidate(s) will benefit from an interdisciplinary environment in the Muqit Lab in the MRC PPU in Dundee. The laboratory forms part of the national UK DRI and the EMBO YIP networks and successful applicants will have access to UK DRI and EMBO sponsored opportunities for training and self-development. The MRC unit also collaborates a major pharmaceutical company that support the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy that provides opportunities for interaction with industry and potential exploitation of new discoveries made in the lab.

The Lab actively participates in Public Engagement and successful candidates will be encouraged to be involved in public and patient involvement.

Overall, this position provides an exciting opportunity to be involved in world-class research projects and for the successful applicant to carve themselves a major international reputation. The successful candidate(s) will have an opportunity to be trained in a suite of state-of-the-art techniques during the project.

Your priorities will include:

• Primary mouse differentiation protocols to CNS cell types including neurons and astrocytes.
• Design and performing kinome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knock-down screen and sgRNA enrichment analysis.
• Proteomic…