Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Pain Research
Vacancy Reference Number: 110016-0225 - PDRF
Closing Date: 12 Mar 2025
Salary: £34,866 to £45,163 per annum
Address: School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry
Duration: 36 Months
We have discovered a novel painkilling mechanism activated by an unusual agonist of the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R). This agonist, BnOCPA, seems only to activate one of the six Gi/o Gα subunits that adenosine receptors can couple to – the Gob subunit. Since this subunit is found at low levels in the heart, BnOCPA does not affect blood pressure or heart rate, but still acts as a potent analgesic in a preclinical model of neuropathic pain.
In this project, funded by the MRC, we will investigate the cellular and molecular mechanisms of BnOCPA and a related derivative, and test BnOCPA in neuropathic and inflammatory pain models.
The project involves three labs at the University of Warwick (Frenguelli, Wall and Zhang). Each group brings specific expertise to the project and different aspects will be overseen as required.
The three groups are part of the Neuroscience Research Cluster in the School of Life Sciences at Warwick University. We are a diverse group of neuroscientists who study a variety of physiological and pathological processes occurring in the nervous system. Through in silico, molecular, cellular and whole animal approaches, we investigate fundamental properties of synaptic transmission and plasticity, the influence of pathogenic proteins, and the impact and mechanisms of stress, pain and epilepsy.
The labs are located in the Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research Building (IBRB), a new £54m state-of-the-art research facility that combines cutting-edge research infrastructure with award-winning architecture.
Minimum Requirements:
The successful applicant will have a PhD or equivalent in neuroscience or a related discipline, and with expertise in experimental studies of physiology, particularly, but not exclusively in electrophysiology (ideally patch-clamping) and/or the behavioural assessment of pain and analgesia. We also welcome applications from people with a good experimental track record keen to learn new techniques.
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