postdoctoral position in cryomicroscopy

[David J. DeRosier]

Opportunities for Postdoctoral Fellows in Electron Cryomicroscopy and
Structural Biology
Prof. David DeRosier (derosier at brandeis.edu).
Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center
Brandeis University

I have a postdoctoral position to study the structure of large
macromolecular machines. The position is fully funded for at least two
years, and we will pay competitive salaries.  Here is a brief description
of the available projects:

The cytoskeleton:
The actin cytoskeleton is a set of cellular machines responsible for many
of the dynamic capabilities of eukaryotic cells.  Actin bundles are a key
elements used to shape cells, generate filopodia, and order the cell
cytoplasm.  The project is aimed at determining the structure of the actin
bundle in the brush border cells, as a model system.  These bundles are the
best characterized and most tractable bundles.  The approach is two pronged
beginning with in vitro studies of the components (actin, fimbrin and
villin) and leading to in vivo studies of intact bundles.  The tool we use
is electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis.

The bacterial flagellum:
The flagellum is a several machines in one.  It is composed of over a dozen
different proteins, with one set making up the rotary motor, another the
drive train, another a bushing and seal, and another the flagellar export
apparatus.  We determining the structures of these components using
electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis, and we are correlating
structural features with the primary sequences of the component proteins.

The bacterial signaling complex:
The bacterial cell senses the environment and transmits a signal to the
flagellum.  We are using electron cryomicroscopy and image analysis to
determine the structure of a 1.4 megadalton complex of the cytoplasmic
domain of a chemoreceptor, a kinase, and an adaptor molecule.  The complex
is highly active enzymatically, but has an unusual stoichiometry, which
suggests signal integration from several receptors into a single kinase.

Please write me if you or someone you know is interested.

Professor David J. DeRosier
Abraham S. and Gertrude Burg Chair of Life Sciences
W.M. Keck Institute for Cellular Visualization
Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center
MS029
Brandeis University
415 South Street
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
Telephone: 781-736-2494
FAX: 781-736-2405
email: derosier at brandeis.edu


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