Postdoctoral Research Associate: Insect genome engineering to aid our understanding of colour vision : Cambridge, United Kingdom

Applications are invited for a highly motivated postdoctoral Research Associate, funded by a BBSRC award to Dr Trevor Wardill, to develop genome engineering tools for Drosophila and other fly species. You will work in a collaborative multidisciplinary team investigating how visual system neurons process and integrate incoming signals for goal directed behaviours such as finding food or mates while avoiding predation. We use genetics, physiology, behaviour and functional imaging to determine the general principles for visual information processing.

The successful candidate will be directly involved in developing novel genetic labelling methods to help understand the function of visual system neurons in non-model animals. Their long term aim will be to refine plasmid delivery systems, so that genetically encoded activity reporters can be expressed in specific neurons without complicated breeding schemes or the maintenance of lines. Experiments will include the development and testing of custom genomic libraries in a variety of plasmid, mobile element and viral-based vectors. They will help produce molecular tools to benefit the vision research community who use non-model animals, and also have the opportunity to learn visual neuron physiology, including extracellular or intracellular electrophysiological recording and 2-photon imaging.

You should have a PhD in a relevant subject, have a strong molecular biology background, have previously produced transgenic animals, and have knowledge or experience with viral delivery systems. You will be able to independently drive the major research focus of developing invertebrate viral delivery protocols, solve problems related to cell biology and genetic expression while supporting requests for specific plasmid constructs from other lab members.