We are inviting applications for two Postdoctoral Scientists (Research Associates) to join the Röper lab at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge. We investigate the mechanisms and mechanics of organ formation during development, by studying two complementary model systems of tube morphogenesis, the formation of the salivary glands in the Drosophila embryo and the formation of the nephron tube in human renal organoids in culture. We are looking for skilled and enthusiastic individuals with expertise in cellular and developmental biology and a keen interest in understanding how complex tissues emerge during development.

You will lead a project investigating the role of actomyosin assemblies and cytoskeletal crosstalk during the tube formation of the salivary glands in the Drosophila embryo. This is a simple model process of tube formation, a process used repeatedly during organ development in all animals. We want to understand the assembly, specific components and dynamic behaviour of supracellular actomyosin cables, as these structures play important roles during morphogenesis across evolution. Furthermore, actomyosin networks that are key to drive tissue bending during tube formation rely on the microtubule cytoskeleton for their function, and we want to understand this requirement and crosstalk. You will lead this work, using a combination of advanced imaging, quantitative and genetics approaches, as part of a team of researchers that tackle related questions across our two models.

Candidates should have a PhD in a Cell Biology, Developmental Biology or Biochemistry-related subject. You should ideally have experience of Drosophila husbandry and genetics, or experience in another model organism, as well as experience in immunofluorescence labelling and confocal analysis. For one of the positions, skills in coding using Python or Matlab environments would be useful.

https://www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/48942/