Postdoctoral Researcher

MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit

Contract type: Fixed-Term

Grade 7 (£37,174-£42,882)

MRC Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit (MRC PPU):

The MRC PPU is one of the world's most renowned centres for research on protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation (http://www.ppu.mrc.ac.uk/). Many world-leading researchers in the field of signal transduction have trained within the MRC PPU. The major aims of the MRC PPU are to advance understanding of the role of protein phosphorylation and ubiquitylation in cell regulation and human disease, to facilitate the development of drugs to treat diseases caused by abnormalities in phosphorylation, to generate reagents and improve technologies. A key remit of the MRC PPU is to train the next generation of scientists who will advance our understanding in this crucial area of medical research.

Faculty of Life Sciences (FLS):

The MRC PPU is based within the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Dundee, a world-class academic institution with a reputation for the excellence of its research, its high-quality teaching and student experience, and the strong impact of its activities outside academia. With 900 staff from over 60 countries worldwide the Faculty provides a dynamic, multi-national, collegiate and diverse environment with state-of-the-art laboratory, technology and teaching facilities.

Division of Signal Transduction Unit (DSTT):

The Division of Signal Transduction Therapy (DSTT) was established in 1998. This division operates as a unique collaboration between scientists in the MRC PPU and signalling researchers at the University of Dundee's Faculty of Life Sciences and the pharmaceutical industry. The DSTT is widely regarded as a model for how academia should interact with industry. The DSTT operates as a simple bridging mechanism to enable our PIs working on ubiquitylation and phosphorylation to effectively interact with major pharmaceutical companies to help accelerate the early stages of drug discovery.

We are recruiting exceptional individuals to join as Postdoctoral Researchers in the laboratories of Prof Miratul Muqit and Prof Ian Ganley. This is a fixed-term appointment for 36 months.

We are recruiting up to four postdoctoral scientists to join anexciting new collaborative project fundedby the Aligning Science Across Parkinson's (ASAP) network (https://parkinsonsroadmap.org/news/261m-investment-toward-personalized-treatments/) with expertise in signalling, cell biology, mouse neurobiology, CRISPR gene-editing or proteomics to investigate the role of mitochondrial mechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease. The project will be based in the Muqit Lab or the Ganley Lab at the University of Dundee and seeks to understand the molecular and mitochondrial basis of the neurodegenerative disorder, Parkinson's disease (PD), through open and interdisciplinary collaborations with leading research groups based at Harvard Medical School, UCLA and Gottingen University.

The successful applicant(s) will undertake discovery-driven research projects as part of a the ASAP award with principles in open science and resource sharing that will ultimately lead to better understanding of PD and how to diagnose and treat it. The project(s) will investigate the role of mitochondria in Parkinson's disease. Previous research by the Muqit and Ganley labs has contributed to the development of targeted therapies for PINK1-induced mitophagy, which entered clinical trials for PD patients last year. However, recent advances have highlighted additional cellular pathways including proteostatic stress as modulators of mitophagy. The projects will be aimed at uncovering entirely new understanding of mitochondrial stress that may lead to new concepts for therapeutic exploitation in PD.

The successful candidate(s) will benefit from an interdisciplinary environment in both the Ganley and Muqit Labs in the MRC PPU in Dundee. The Muqit laboratory forms part of the national UK DRI and the EMBO YIP networks and successful applicants will have access to UK DRI and EMBO sponsored opportunities for training and self-development.

The MRC unit also collaborates with a major pharmaceutical company that support the Division of Signal Transduction Therapy, which provides opportunities for interaction with industry and potential exploitation of new discoveries made in the labs. Both Lab actively participates in Public Engagement, and successful candidates will be encouraged to be involved in public and patient involvement.

ASAP places high value in training the next generation of researchers and successful candidates will benefit from attending many ASAP scientific and networking events during their research. In addition, the ASAP initiative also provides to those that are eligible a family care stipend - up to $10,000 USD supplement on top of salary which can be applied for following appointment.

Overall, this position provides an exciting opportunity to be involved in world-class research projects and for the successful applicant to carve themselves a major international reputation. The successful candidate(s) will have an opportunity to be trained in a suite of state-of-the-art techniques during the project

Relevant publications:

• Singh, P.K., Agarwal, S., Volpi, I., Wilhelm, L.P., Becchi, G., Keenlyside, A., Macartney, T., Toth, R., Rousseau, A., Masson, G.R., Ganley, I.G., Muqit, M.M. (2025) Kinome screening identifies integrated stress response kinase EIF2AK1 / HRI as a negative regulator of PINK1 mitophagy signalling. Science Adv 11: eadn2528.
• Bagnoli, E., Lin Y-E., Burel, S., Jaimon, E., Antico, O., Themistokleous C., Nikoloff, J.M., Morella, I., Watzlawik J.O., Fiesel, F.C., Springer, W., Tonelli, F., Brooks, S.P., Sunnett, S.B., Brambilla, R., Alessi, D.R., Pfeffer, S.R., Muqit, M.M. (2025) Endogenous LRRK2 and PINK1 function in a convergent neuroprotective ciliogenesis pathway in the brain. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 122: e2412029122.
• Antico, O., Thompson, P.W., Hertz, N.T., Muqit, M.M., Parton, L.E. (2025) Targeting mitophagy in neurodegenerative diseases. Nature Rev Drug Discov 24: 276-299.
• Raimi, O.G., Ojha, H., Ehses, K., Dederer, V., Lange, S.M., Rivera, C.P., Deegan, T.D., Chen, Y., Wightman, M., Toth, R., Labib, K.P.M., Mathea, S., Ranson, N., Fernandez-Busnadiego, R., Muqit, M.M. (2024) Mechanism of human PINK1 activation at the TOM complex in a reconstituted system. Science Adv 10: eadn7191.
• Lenka, D.R., Dahe, S.V., Antico, O., Sahoo, P., Prescott, A.R., Muqit, M.M., Kumar, A. (2024) Additional feedforward mechanism of Parkin activation via binding of phospho-UBL and RING0 in trans. eLife 13: RP96699 doi: 10.7554/eLife.96699
• Lorentzen, K.C., Prescott, A.R., Ganley, I.G. (2025) Artificial targeting of autophagy components to mitochondria reveals both conventional and unconventional mitophagy pathways. Autophagy 21: doi: 10.1080/15548627.2024.2395149.
• Longo, M., Bishnu, A., Risiglione, P., Montava-Garriga, L., Cuenco, J., Sakamoto, K., MacKintosh, C., Ganley, I.G. (2024) Opposing roles for AMPK in regulating distinct mitophagy pathways. Mol Cell 84: doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.10.025.

Your priorities will include:

• Molecular based mechanistic research studies
• Design and performing kinome-wide CRSIPR/Cas9 knock-down screen and sgRNA enrichment analysis.
• Proteomic discovery platforms including PTM proteomics and organellar isolation workflows
• Public and patient involvement and engagement presentations.
• Dissemination of protocols and data openly and through formal peer-reviewed publications.
• Advising and mentoring undergraduate and PhD students.

Candidate requirements:

• • Have a PhD in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Proteomics, Mouse Neuroscience, or related discipline with outstanding academic track record and a publication record in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals.

  • Have a strong interest in signal transduction research and how disruptions of these pathways are linked to human disease.

  • Have a strong background in mouse neurobiology, biochemistry, cell biology proteomics and/or gene editing.

  • Have a strong ability to work independently but with excellent ability to work in a team, and an open and collaborative approach to science.

  • Highly organised, motivated and meticulous, with an ability to work independently and to drive a project

forward robustly and at pace.

• • Have excellent communication skills and knowledge of the English language are essential.

  • Prior experience in mouse neurobiology or proteomics would be highly desirable.

We are one of the UK's leading universities, internationally recognised for our expertise across a range of disciplines and research breakthroughs in multiple areas, including science, medicine and engineering, amongst many others. Our purpose is to transform lives, locally and globally, which we do as a community of staff (Professional Services and academic Faculties), students and alumni. Professional Services directorates are key to delivering the University strategy and driving change across the University.

For further information about this position please contact Prof Miratul Muqit at m.muqit@dundee.ac.uk or Prof Ian Ganley at i.ganley@dundee.ac.uk. To find out more about MRC PPU please visit https://www.ppu.mrc.ac.uk/

Commitment to DORA

The Faculty of Life Sciences has been fully committed to the principals of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) since 2013. In assessing applicants, we consider the scientific quality of their published research papers, but do not take into account where the papers were published and do not consider journal-based metrics, such as Journal Impact Factors.

As an internationally diverse institution, we welcome job applicants from all countries and nationalities. The Faculty of Life Sciences is proud to employ staff from over 40 different nations.

The diversity of our staff and students helps to make the University of Dundee a UK university of choice for undergraduate, postgraduate and distance learning. Family friendly policies, staff networks for BME, Disabled and LGBT staff, membership of Athena SWAN, the ECU Race Equality Charter and Stonewall as well a full range of disability services, create an enjoyable and inclusive place to work.