Research Associate (two posts) (ref. 17396), University of Bristol

Contract:

Fixed Term Contract (three years)

Salary:

£33,884-£38,140

Grade:

Level b in Pathway 2

Closing date for applications:

9:00am 31 Aug 2012

We currently have two vacancies for Research Associates jointly co-supervised by the School of Clinical Sciences and the Department of Engineering Mathematics. One post has a biological emphasis and the other a mathematical emphasis.
The purpose of the work is to undertake research into mechanisms of hormone signalling action. The project is funded by the BBSRC and is led by Professor Craig A McArdle (School of Clinical Sciences) and by Dr Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova (Department of Engineering Mathematics). It focuses on understanding signalling of the neuropeptide gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), in biochemical, molecular and mathematical terms.
Post 1 will involve a number of standard molecular and cellular biological techniques (cell culture, transfection, transduction, preparation of plasmid and viral vectors, western blotting, transcriptional reporters, and fluorescence microscopy) as well as automated fluorescence microscopy. GnRH is secreted in brief pulses and its effects are dependent on pulse frequency and this project will focus on cellular frequency decoding mechanisms. The importance of the work lies in the fact that GnRHR are major therapeutic targets for treatment of infertility and hormone-dependent cancers.
Post 2 will involve development and analysis of computational models of both the physiology and phenomenology of GnRH signalling. These models will be used to probe for mechanisms that govern GnRH frequency decoding. GnRH is secreted in brief pulses and its effects are dependent on pulse frequency and this project will focus on cellular frequency decoding mechanisms. The importance of the work lies in the fact that GnRHR are major therapeutic targets for treatment of infertility and hormone-dependent cancers, and in the utility of this system for understanding the mechanisms of frequency decoding in biological systems.
Please state in your application which post(s) you wish to apply for.
If successful, you may be appointedeither on a fixed-term or an open-ended contract depending on the extent of your previous relevant research experience. Three years’ appropriate and relevant experience at another higher education institution would normally lead to an appointment on an open-ended contract. Further information can be found at www.bristol.ac.uk/hr/ftc/

Download full details:

• 17396 post 1.doc
• 17396 post 2.doc

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Contact for informal enquiries:

Professor C McArdle (Craig.Mcardle@bristol.ac.uk | 0117 331 3077)

Dr K Tsaneva-Atanasova (K.Tsaneva-Atanasova | 0117 331 5603)