Postdoctoral Fellow - Cherepanov Lab

This project will focus on the structural organization of the HIV-1 integration machinery. The successful candidate will study native pre-integration complexes isolated from infected cells using a range of biophysical and analytical techniques. Another exciting aspect of this project will involve dissecting the interactions between retroviral IN and RNA, and exploring how integrase facilitates the packaging of the viral RNA genome into mature cores. Research goals will be established in collaboration with the principal investigator. The laboratory is dedicated to structural studies of viral replication and host-pathogen interactions. The group's research efforts aim to understand the process of retroviral DNA integration, the roles of retroviral IN outside its canonical functions, and the mechanisms behind HIV-1 restriction factors, such as SERINC5. The laboratory also collaborates extensively with our groups within the Institute and with international partners. The main techniques employed in the lab are cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography, supported by the Institute's state-of-the-art facilities. The Cryo-EM facility provides access to two Titan Krios 300-kV microscopes, each equipped with Falcon IV detectors, along with Talos Arctica and Glacios 200-kV instruments, and two 120-kV TEM screening microscopes. Cryo-EM data processing is conducted using an in-house CPU/GPU cluster. Key Responsibilities

• Investigating research questions and developing specific research project(s) under guidance from the group leader.
• Providing specialist advice and guidance, sharing knowledge and expertise for the benefit of others.
• Providing significant contribution to the production of research papers for publication, presenting findings to group members and other internal audiences.
• Presenting work externally at international meetings.
• Authoring papers under guidance from group leader.
• Following Postdoctoral Training programme.
• Developing academic independence.
• Improving established protocols and/or develops new protocols.
• May be required to guide others.