A position is open for a Postdoc Research Associate in developing translational synthetic strategies to control recombination, in the Henderson Group in the Department of Plant Sciences. This is a collaborative project with the University of Cambridge and Bayer Biosciences. Meiosis and recombination are critical processes that underlie crop breeding and improvement strategies by providing avenues to combine variation from different strains.
However, there are major limitations on recombination levels and distribution that can slow or hinder crop improvement. For example, most plant species show pronounced regions of recombination suppression surrounding the centromeres that extend far into the chromosome arms. During breeding, recombination suppression can in these regions severely limits opportunities to combine variation in these regions and can result in linkage drag between deleterious alleles and beneficial target loci of choice limiting crop improvement.
Therefore, technologies are urgently required to control the level and distribution of recombination in crop genomes to accelerate genetic improvement in the face of climate change. This project will involve development of novel technologies, based around the dCas9 platform, to tether recombination and chromatin effectors in plant genomes.
The strategic aim is to locally create recombination hotspots and thereby deliver tools to unlock recombination in previously repressed regions of crop chromosomes. The candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. Henderson at the University of Cambridge to develop proof-of-principle approaches in the model plant Arabidopsis.
In collaboration with industrial partner scientists, they will work to translate these approaches into key crop species, including maize. This project will provide the post-holder with experience in cutting-edge functional genomic approaches using mutated nucleases to control recombination. Training will be provided in genetics, genomics and crop sciences.
The project will involve extensive interactions and visits with industry partner researchers providing additional training in plant agricultural bioscience. Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance. Click the ‘Apply’ button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Please notice that if you have not received any news from us 1 month after the closing date you should consider that on this occasion your application has not been successful. Please quote reference PD37659 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
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Further information: Salary: £35,308-£43,155, Closing date: 4 August 2023Further Particulars