Post-doctoral position on RIG-I like helicases at EMBL Grenoble

A Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Structural Biology of RIG-I like
helicases is available
in the group of Dr. Stephen Cusack at the EMBL Grenoble Outstation.
For more details and applications see
http://ig14.i-grasp.com//fe/tpl_embl01.asp?newms=jj&id=46569&aid=15470

   The group of Stephen Cusack at the EMBL Grenoble Outstation is
seeking to recruit a motivated post-doctoral fellow to work on the
structural biology of RIG-I like helicases. These cytoplasmic signalling
proteins are pattern recognition receptors of the innate immune system
and are critical for the early detection of viral infections through
recognition of non-self viral RNA molecular patterns, which triggers
interferon production. The Cusack group has recently determined crystal
structures of the auto-repressed and RNA/ATP activated states of RIG-I
leading to the first structure-based model of the RIG-I activation
mechanism. This work is in press in Cell. Future work will refine this
model and extend structural work to the two other RIG-I like helicases,
MDA5 and LGP2 and the downstream signalling partner MAVS.
   The EMBL Grenoble Outstation is embedded in the Grenoble
Partnership for Structural Biology (PSB), which is a uniquely rich
environment for structural biology providing access to state-of-the-art
facilities for protein production, biophysical characterisation,
crystallisation and structure determination (ESRF synchrotron, NMR, EM).
   Candidates should have a PhD and a record of successfully working
on challenging structural biology problems. Experience in some of the
following will be an advantage: protein expression in insect cells, in
vitro production of RNA and reconstitution of protein-RNA complexes,
synchrotron based protein crystallography, functional assays in cells.
Candidates interested in biophysical mechanistic studies of RLHs in
vitro or in living cells (e.g. by fluorescence techniques) are also
encouraged to apply. Funding is available for an initial two year period
with the possibility of staying up to five years.

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Dr. Stephen Cusack,    
Head of Grenoble Outstation of EMBL
Group leader in structural biology of protein-RNA complexes and viral proteins
Joint appointment in EMBL Genome Biology Programme
Director of CNRS-UJF-EMBL International Unit (UMI 3265) for Virus Host Cell Interactions (UVHCI)
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