Postdoctoral in Structural studies of mitochondrial DNA replication

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This postdoctoral position is part of a research project funded by a Wallenberg Scholar grant. The postdoctoral researcher will work in an interdisciplinary team with expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry and structural biology. The project aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern mitochondrial DNA replication and gene expression, and how defects in these processes contribute to human disease.

Mitochondrial DNA replication is essential for maintaining mtDNA integrity and stability and thereby for normal mitochondrial function and cellular energy production. Defects in the replication process can lead to mtDNA depletion or deletions and cause mitochondrial disease.

Our research aims to understand the molecular mechanisms that govern replication of human mtDNA. We combine structural biology, in vitro biochemistry and cell biology to investigate how the mitochondrial DNA replication machinery is organized and regulated. A particular focus is on structural and functional studies of the protein complexes involved in mtDNA replication and on understanding how disease-associated mutations affect these processes.

In this project, In this project, the postdoctoral researcher will carry out structural and functional studies of protein and protein-DNA complexes involved in mitochondrial DNA replication. A central aim will be to determine structures of replication complexes using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and use these structures to understand how the proteins interact and regulate mtDNA replication at the molecular level.

The work will include preparation and biochemical characterization of protein complexes, cryo-EM sample preparation and grid optimization, as well as processing and structural analysis of cryo-EM data. Structural findings will be combined with in vitro biochemical analyses to test mechanistic models and investigate how disease-associated mutations affect the function of the replication machinery.

The postdoctoral researcher is expected to drive the project independently while working closely with other members of the research group and our collaborators.