Postdoctoral Scientist - Neurobiology - Dr Anne Bertolotti - LMB 2531

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

Cambridge, United Kingdom

GBP 42,694 per year

The position is for a Postdoctoral Scientist with expertise on cryoEM and/or protein biochemistry. You will be responsible for expressing, purifying phosphatases and kinases and solving their structures using a combination of approaches, primarily cryoEM and/or crystallography, with the support of LMB facilities. You may also develop new inhibitors and conduct functional studies.

Dr Anne Bertolotti’s pioneering research programme focuses on innovative approaches to boost stress signaling pathways to increase cellular resilience and protect from diverse diseases including neurodegenerative diseases. We have developed approaches to inhibit or activate phosphatases or kinases of the integrated stress response and are progressing towards a structural understanding of these important enzymes (Tsaytler et al., 2011, Science, 332, 91-4; Das et al., 2015, Science, 348, 239-242; Carrara, M., Sigurdardottir, A., & Bertolotti, A. 2017, Nat Struct Mol Biol; Krzyzosiak, A., Sigurdardottir, A. et al., A. 2018, Cell; Szaruga M, et al,. Nat Commun, 2023. 8;14(1):5535; Fatalska A., Hodgson G, et al., Mol Cell. 2024; Miguel, C. D. et al. Science eadw5137 2025). The small molecules discovered by the group are currently tested in clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases. You will provide fundamental structural and mechanistic insights on these important enzymes and expand on the next generation of inhibitors.

You will join a strong inter-disciplinary team at the LMB, which has broad expertise extending from biochemistry, structural, chemical, molecular and cell biology through to transgenic animal models of degenerative diseases. The team also has an excellent record of innovative basic research leading to applications in medicine.

You will be ambitious, creative and fearless, able to invent new approaches to explore the unknown. You will have a PhD in biochemistry or structural biology or due to complete doctoral studies within 6 months of applying. Relevant experience is required, and this must be best attested by at least one impactful and original publication. An interest in signaling enzymes is desirable.

You will enjoy interacting with a dynamic interdisciplinary team sharing a passion for science and a commitment to explore the unknown.

This is a three-year training and development position suitable for you if you have recently completed your doctoral studies, or you are looking to move into a new research discipline and/or need to further develop your research skills. Working with our world class scientists you will be working in an Institute renowned for its excellent scientific facilities and high-quality research.