Cytoskeleton self-organisation and microtubule-based transport

Disciplines: Physical Sciences, Biological and Medical Sciences,
Subjects: Biophysics, Biochemistry, Cell Biology / Development
Type: PhD Research Project

Project Description:

In this project, you will study the dynamic self-organisation of microtubules into paraxial arrays either in differentiating skeletal myoblasts or in neurons. You will either use gene editing to fluorescently label endogenous cytoskeletal proteins and perform live cell imaging experiments using lattice light sheet imaging and expansion microscopy to quantitatively assess changes in the microtubule array organisation upon specific perturbation of microtubule crosslinkers. Alternatively, you will apply imaging-based biochemical assays to reconstitute microtubule organisation or microtubule-based transport from purified proteins in vitro. Please see recent publications from our lab describing these assays (Mogessie et al eLife 2015: https://elifesciences.org/articles/05697 ; Siddiqui et al Nature Comms 2019: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10644-9).

You will be supervised by Dr Anne Straube in the Centre for Mechanochemical Cell Biology at the University of Warwick. You will become part of an international and interdisciplinary environment that is well resourced with access to state-of-the-art equipment as well as a vibrant community with internal and external seminar series. For more information see: http://mechanochemistry.org/Straube/

You will expected to compete for scholarship funding. Thus you should hold or expect to achieve an excellent university degree (BSc, MSc or equivalent) in a relevant field, already have some research experience, prizes and/or publications.

Scholarship opportunities:
1) MRC-funded Doctoral Training Programme (for UK/EU residents): https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/med/study/mrcdtp/apply/ - next deadline 11 June
2) Scholarships for International students: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/dc/schols_fund/scholarships_and_funding/chancellors_int - deadline 16th January
3) Scholarships for UK residents: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/dc/schols_fund/scholarships_and_funding/wms - deadline 16th January
4) Scholarships for EU students: https://warwick.ac.uk/services/dc/schols_fund/scholarships_and_funding/eu_chancellors - deadline 16th January
5) Midlands Integrative Bioscience Training Partnership (for UK residents): https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/pgstudy/phd_opportunities/

For informal enquiries and to discuss a potential application, please send an expression of interest including a statement of career intentions, a full CV (including list of publications), degree certificates or transcripts plus two academic references to Dr Straube ([Email Address Removed]).