Molecular mechanisms of RNA–Protein interactions and their dysregulation in human disease

About the Project

Project Summary

Cells employ RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) to control gene expression during development and stress. Many of these proteins contain intrinsically disordered regions and undergo dynamic regulation through post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation. Yet the mechanisms by which RBPs decode structured RNA elements, remodel their conformations, and assemble into functional complexes remain incompletely understood.

This PhD project will dissect the molecular principles underlying RBP–RNA communication, focusing on how RNA architecture and phosphorylation-dependent modulation of protein dynamics regulate translation. Using an integrative approach combining structural biology, biophysical assays, and computational modelling, the PhD will reveal how regulatory RNA elements and post-translational modifications shape RBP function in health and disease.

The project will be jointly based at King’s College London (Randall Centre for Cell & Molecular Biophysics), providing integrated training across structural biology, RNA biochemistry, computational modelling and data-driven analysis.

Candidate Requirements

Applicants should have a strong interest in structural biology, biophysics, kinase signalling, RNA biology, or computational modelling. A first-class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant discipline is required.