A position for a PhD student is available at the Laboratory of Prof. Chris Ulens, KU Leuven, Belgium (http://www.xtal.be). The research in the Laboratory of Structural Neurobiology is aimed at understanding the molecular
mechanism of ligand-gated ion channels. Our methods rely on X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM in combination with electrophysiological recordings to relate structure to function. Our laboratory hosts an integrated macromolecular crystallization facility with
a Mosquito crystallization robot and two RockImagers. We have access to a 200 kV Glacios microscope on campus as well as 300 kV JEOL CryoARM300 at the nearby EM facility in Brussels. Current projects are situated at the crossroads of structural elucidation
and drug discovery of different pentameric ligand-gated ion channels.
We would like to recruit a PhD student with some experience in cryo-EM, X-ray crystallography, or purification of integral membrane proteins.
The successful candidate:
– easily communicates in an open verbal manner
– has an ambitious work ethic
– critically contributes to writing of manuscripts and grant proposals
– meets intermediate deadlines and brings projects to a successful end
– fuels internal discussions of recent publications in the field
The position is open immediately and applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Applicants are requested to submit a CV via e-mail to chris.ulens@kuleuven.be
Selection of recent publications:
A lipid site shapes the agonist response of a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel. Hénault CM, Govaerts C, Spurny R, Brams M, Estrada-Mondragon A, Lynch J, Bertrand D, Pardon E, Evans GL, Woods K, Elberson BW, Cuello LG, Brannigan G, Nury H, Steyaert J, Baenziger
JE, Ulens C. Nat Chem Biol. 2019;15(12):1156-1164. doi: 10.1038/s41589-019-0369-4.
Modulation of the Erwinia ligand-gated ion channel (ELIC) and the 5-HT3 receptor via a common vestibule site. Brams M, Govaerts C, Kambara K, Price KL, Spurny R, Gharpure A, Pardon E, Evans GL, Bertrand D, Lummis SC, Hibbs RE, Steyaert J, Ulens C. Elife. 2020;9:e51511.
doi: 10.7554/eLife.51511.
The structural basis for an on-off switch controlling Gβγ-mediated inhibition of TRPM3 channels. Behrendt M, Gruss F, Enzeroth R, Dembla S, Zhao S, Crassous PA, Mohr F, Nys M, Louros N, Gallardo R, Zorzini V, Wagner D, Economou A, Rousseau F, Schymkowitz J,
Philipp SE, Rohacs T, Ulens C, Oberwinkler J. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020;117(46):29090-29100. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2001177117.