Jobs
Postdoctoral Fellow - Prion Research
Posted 26 Sep 2024
Employer
University of Calgary
Location
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Principal Investigator
Contact
Cover letter, CV, and contact details for three references should be sent to sgilch@ucalgary.ca
Description
The Sabine Gilch lab is seeking to recruit two postdoctoral researchers to carry out projects related to cell biology of prion infection and molecular mechanisms and pathogenesis of chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease of cervids.
Prions are protein-only infectious agents that replicate by inducing a conformational conversion of the host’s cellular prion protein into the scrapie prion protein, prone to aggregate and accumulate in the brains of affected individuals. The accumulation of scrapie prion protein leads to prion diseases, which are fatal, transmissible, neurodegenerative conditions in humans and animals, e.g. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or CWD of cervids. Conformational variation in the scrapie prion proteins gives rise to prion strains resulting in distinct biological and biochemical properties and potentially different host range.
The goals of our research are to understand the impact prion conversion and accumulation affects neuronal metabolism, which host factors determine the evolution of prion strains in CWD, and how we can use this knowledge to develop tools to treat prion diseases in humans and mitigate the spread of CWD.
Postdoctoral fellow 1 will use a range of cell and ex vivo models of prion infection, including primary neurons and organotypic slice cultures, to determine the impact of prion infection on endocytic pathways, membrane properties, and stress responses in prion infection, depending on cell type and prion strain.
Postdoctoral fellow 2 will use gene-targeted mouse models of CWD established by the lab, conventional transgenic mice and cell culture models as well as in vitro prion amplification methods (RT-QuIC and PMCA) to study mechanisms underlying strain evolution in different transmission routes, prion protein polymorphisms, and tissue environment.
Requirements
Qualifications required:
- Ph.D. in biochemistry, neuroscience, infectious diseases or related fields, not more than two years ago
- Demonstrated experience with cell models including primary cells, confocal microscopy, mouse handling, protein analytical methods
- Strong interest in prions and neurodegenerative diseases, previous experience with prions, prion-like diseases and methods such as BioID are considered assets
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- At least one first author manuscript published or in preparation (including preprints)
- The Gilch lab values an inclusive, friendly, respectful and non-discriminatory working environment, and candidates are expected to adhere to these principles