Postdoctoral Position in Biochemistry, Protein Interaction Discovery and
Structural Biology
A postdoctoral position at the University of Chicago is available for a
highly motivated individual interested in protein-protein interactions
relevant to human health in the nervous system. Studies will involve
protein-protein interaction discovery using home-grown high-throughput
methods, biophysical characterization of interactions and x-ray
crystallography of protein complexes. Our focus is on understanding
molecular networks that wire the nervous system, and how functional
connections (synapses) are created, with a look-out for when things go
wrong (i.e. disease states). For a reference, see our two recent
publications:
Özkan, E. et al. , An Extracellular Interactome of Immunoglobulin and
LRR Proteins Reveals Receptor-Ligand Networks, /Cell/ *154*, 228 (2013).
Özkan, E. et al. , Extracellular Architecture of the SYG-1/SYG-2
Adhesion Complex Instructs Synaptogenesis, /Cell/ *156*, 482 (2014).
Candidates must hold a recent Ph.D. or expect to receive one soon, in
biochemistry, biophysics or any relevant field. Experience in molecular
cloning, bioinformatics, protein biochemistry, expression in eukaryotic
cell culture, protein purification, x-ray crystallography, and/or high
throughput interaction methods are highly desired. Familiarity with
neuroscience, nervous system development and molecular basis of
neurological and psychiatric disease is a plus. The candidate must have
superb English skills, both oral and written.
Our laboratory has start-of-the-art equipment to perform protein
expression, purification and crystallography, houses a Gryphon
crystallization robot for LCP and vapor-diffusion crystallization, and
has access to a departmentally shared Mosquito crystallization robot. We
also have regular access to a Biophysics Core facility with a circular
dichroism spectrophotometer, a fluorimeter, microplate readers, surface
plasmon resonance equipment, and a calorimeter. We are local users of
several beamlines at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) of the Argonne
National Laboratory.
Those interested should send a CV, including a list of three references,
with a cover letter describing your personal interests, experience and
your interest in our laboratory. Below is the contact information:
Engin Özkan, Ph.D.
[email protected]
Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The University of Chicago
http://ozkan.uchicago.edu
Thank you.
