Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre

Full Time: The appointment will be on UCL Grade 7. The salary range will be £32,699 - £39,523 per annum, depending on skills and experience, inclusive of London Allowance.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join a well funded, highly interactive research group led by Professor Francesco Muntoni which is investigating the molecular basis of, and treatment for, Neuromuscular diseases.

You will be involved in a project whose aim is to restore dystrophin production in a subset of Duchenne muscular dystrophy boys. This will be achieved by developing cutting edge gene therapy approaches, based on using antisense oligonucleotides to interfere with splicing of the dystrophin transcript, leading to skipping of the mutated exons. It is anticipated that this will lead to production of a truncated but functional dystrophin that should enable improvement of muscle function in DMD boys. Exon skipping-based approaches have shown promise in preclinical studies and in phase I and II clinical trials, and represent one of the most exciting new approaches for the treatment of DMD. 

The post is aimed at addressing the extent of dystrophin restoration in response to the drug. This will require the analysis of muscle and serum samples, using a range of techniques. 

This post is initially funded for up to 15 months in the first instance.

Applicants must have a PhD in a relevant subject.  The successful applicant will have extensive experience of cell and molecular biology techniques, including qPCR, RT-PCR, Western blotting, culture and transfection of primary cells.   

To access further details about the position (ref 1414578) and how to apply please click on the ‘Apply’ button below.

Please ensure you attach your CV and list of publications.

For enquiries about the post please contact ICH Human Resources on ich.hr@ucl.ac.uk quoting job reference 1414578.

Closing Date: 16/5/2014

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