"Postdoctoral Position in Transthyretin Amyloid Formation Using X-rays, Neutrons and Electron Microscopy"

A Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MCSA) Postdoctoral Position at Lund University Medical Faculty, Sweden.

Transthyretin amyloid formation using X-rays, neutrons and electron microscopy

Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is a serious disease that has devastating effects on human health. This occurs when the transthyretin protein, which normally functions as a blood transporter of the hormone thyroxine and retinal binding protein, misfolds and forms amyloid fibrils that obstruct crucial tissues such as the heart or nervous tissue.

The project will focus on probing the molecular factors underlying the instability of TTR (see for example https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08609-z/), and in understanding the pathway that links the functional and pathological forms of the protein. There is also interest in studying the effect of candidate drugs that may slow or prevent amyloid formation.

Techniques involved will include X-ray and neutron crystallography, small-angle scattering (SAXS & SANS), and cryo-EM. The successful applicant will have good access to advanced international facility centres for synchrotron X-ray and neutron beams such as MAX IV, ILL, ESRF, ISIS, and during the course of this project, ESS.

The project is resourced through the MCSA AMBER project – for further details and application instructions, click the 'Apply' button. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the PI for the project, Professor Trevor Forsyth (trevor.forsyth@med.lu.se) before applying.