Postdoctoral Research Associate in Nucleic Acid Computing and Molecular Programming (Fixed Term)

A two-year, primarily experimental wet-lab postdoctoral position in Dr Gamze Gürsoy's laboratory, which develops scalable molecular and synthetic biology tools for genome engineering and applies them to genetic privacy. Dr Gürsoy's primary appointment is in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and the postholder is based in her wet laboratory in the Department of Genetics. The research associate designs, builds, validates and iteratively improves programmable nucleic-acid systems that sense defined human genomic sequences and convert those recognition events into engineered DNA outputs, so that useful genetic information can be measured while limiting direct exposure of the underlying sequence, and extends them toward robust multiplexed applications.

The work combines bench research with quantitative analysis of assay performance, failure modes and alternative designs, at the interface of biochemistry, molecular biology, biomolecular engineering and synthetic biology. The salary range is £38,448-£44,352.

A PhD, or close to completion, in biochemistry, molecular biology, chemical biology, bioengineering, synthetic biology, biotechnology or a closely related experimental field. Essential: demonstrated hands-on experience designing and experimentally testing nucleic-acid systems beyond routine or kit-based molecular biology, reasoning explicitly about sequence, structure, molecular recognition, enzymatic activity and function. Applications include a CV, a research description of up to three pages and two academic referees.