Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Cardiovascular Pharmacology

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher to carry out research in cardiovascular pharmacology as part of a project supported by the British Heart Foundation, working in the group of Dr Charalampos Sigalas in the Department of Pharmacology.
The aim of the post is to characterise the molecular and cellular effects induced by mutations in the cardiac Ryanodine Receptor (RyR2) which are linked to an inherited lethal cardiac disease called Catecholaminergic Polymorphic Ventricular Tachycardia (CPVT).
The project also aims to investigate the effects of selected drugs on RyR2 channel function and Ca2+-release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac myocytes. The successful candidate will conduct experiments using single-channel recordings of RyR2 reconstituted in artificial lipid bilayers. They will also perform Ca2+-imaging experiments in cardiac myocytes isolated from mouse hearts.
You will manage your own academic research and administrative activities, adapting existing and developing new scientific techniques and experimental protocols, testing hypotheses and analysing scientific data from a variety of sources and will contribute ideas for new research projects. The postholder will be expected to use specialist scientific equipment in a laboratory environment and perform experiments using the following techniques: i) isolation of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from cardiac muscle, ii) isolation of cardiac myocytes from mouse hearts using the Langendorff perfused heart preparation, iii) single-channel reconstitution in artificial lipid bilayers, and iv) Ca2+-imaging experiments in isolated cardiac myocytes.

You must have a relevant PhD/DPhil (or be close to completion), together with relevant experience in cardiovascular pharmacology. Sufficient experience in isolating sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and cardiac myocytes from rodent cardiac muscle; performing experiments using i) single-channel reconstitution in artificial lipid bilayers, and ii) Ca2+-imaging in cardiac myocytes; and management of rodent colonies are all essential.