Greetings!

My lab at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN, USA is looking for a biochemistry-minded research scientist, research associate or postdoctoral fellow interested in applying mass spectrometry-based approaches to protein structural biology. We recently published the first full-length integrated structural model of a monomeric nuclear receptor. The model of this transcription factor bound to a DNA oligo was derived largely from mass spectrometry-based data:

https://www.cell.com/structure/fulltext/S0969-2126(20)30166-0

The target protein is the nuclear receptor LRH-1 (NR5A2), a ligand activated transcription factor and target for antidiabetic drug design. The above paper establishes the unperturbed ground state structure. Your project will be to determine how known small molecule ligands, drugs, hormones, peptides and DNA sequences regulate this structure.

The techniques we applied to determine the above structure included BS3 chemical crosslinking, benzophenone artificial amino acid crosslinking, engineered disulphide crosslinking and hydrogen-deuterium exchange (HDX). We used these techniques as amino acid proximity sensors in this multi-domain protein target to model how the individual domains interact with each other. For more details please visit my lab site:

http://www.blindlab.org

Although scientist-level candidates should have extensive proteomic data analysis, protein expression, purification and characterization experience, postdoc or research associates need only basic protein biochemistry skills, an eagerness to learn and a strong sense of scientific bravery.

Send your CV to the PI (Ray Blind) at ray.blind@vanderbilt.edu, soon-to-be PhD graduates are specifically encouraged to apply.