The Wallace lab at King’s College London seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in membrane biophysics. Funded by a new Wellcome Trust Investigator Award, this project aims to uncover precisely how the membrane attack complex (MAC) kills bacterial pathogens.

The postholder will join a new interdisciplinary team linking researchers in the Wallace lab with researchers working with Dr Doryen Bubeck at Imperial College London. Together we will tackle a major question in understanding host-pathogen interactions and determine: (1) where MAC is located within the bacterial envelope; and (2) how does MAC activation control bacterial killing?

You will focus on building new artificial and biohybrid models of the gram-negative cell envelope, compatible with single-molecule fluorescence imaging and cryo electron tomography. This work will enable a direct link between MAC single-molecule structures and single-molecule dynamics. Experience in artificial membranes, single-molecule imaging, microbiology, and microfluidics would all be desirable.

The research builds on our lab’s track-record in building artificial cell membrane mimics and is closely linked to the complement structural biology expertise of Dr Bubeck at Imperial College London.

The current research group consists of 2 postdocs and 8 PhD students, with expertise spanning microscope construction, image analysis, microfluidics, protein biochemistry, and membrane biophysics. This breadth of expertise has helped create a very open and collaborative atmosphere in which to pursue high-impact science. Mentored directly by Mark Wallace, this post will help you grow the grant writing, networking, and publishing skills needed to support a successful transition to independence.

Contract type

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract for up to 4 years

This is a full-time post