Postdoctoral fellow position on transthyretin amyloid formation using X-rays, neutrons and electron microscopy
Description of the project A motivated postdoctoral researcher is sought to work on the molecular mechanisms underlying amyloid formation from the protein transthyretin. Transthyretin normally functions as a transporter protein of thyroxine and retinol-binding protein (RBP) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid. However the folded protein is prone to instability and the formation of amyloid fibrils in tissues such as the heart and nervous system, invariably with fatal consequences. The project will focus on probing the molecular factors underlying this instability (see for example https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-08609-z/), and in understanding the pathway that link the functional and pathological forms of the protein. Techniques involved will include X-ray and neutron crystallography, small-angle scattering (SAXS & SANS), and cryo-EM. The work will involve the study of wild-type TTR (which is intrinsically amyloidogenic) and also a range of other mutants that are typically associated with early onset amyloidosis in various tissues. The work may involve comparative studies with amyloid material derived fromex vivosources. Description of the workplace The Molecular Biophysics group is in the Department of Experimental Medical Science within Lund University Faculty of Medicine, and is led by Professor Trevor Forsyth. The group uses biophysical techniques to study biomolecular systems in crystals, solutions and partially ordered systems. Particular use is made of X-ray and neutron diffraction, cryo-EM, and a wide range of other biophysical techniques. The group is located in close proximity to the MAX-IV and ESS facilities in Lund which accommodates state-of-the-art facilities for synchrotron and neutron beam instrumentation as well as for cryo-EM. The group also makes extensive use of the ESRF and ILL X-ray/neutron sources in Grenoble, France, and at DESY in Hamburg, Germany. The project will have good access to state-of-the-art facilities within the medical, natural science and engineering faculties. Professor Forsyth leads the LINXS advanced study institute at the Science Village (https://www.linxs.se/) located between MAX IV & ESS and there is good access to a wide range of highly interdisciplinary science in life sciences, soft matter, and hard matter. Work duties and responsibilities You will need to be a proficient and independent worker with competence in protein expression, purification, crystallization, and biophysical characterization (purity, yield, stability) prior to neutron and X-ray scattering/diffraction experiments. You will also need to be competent with crystallographic diffraction data collection, data processing, solving & refining crystal structures using standard software. The work may require travel to institutes including ILL in France, DESY in Hamburg, and other centres as needed for the project. It may also require participation in national and international workshops/conferences. Description of the AMBER project context This post-doctoral position is part of the EU cofund research project AMBER, Advanced Multiscale Biological imaging using European Research infrastructures, will address scientific and sectoral gaps in biological imaging ranging from molecular, through cellular, to tissue, organ and organism levels of organisation, and is coordinated by LINXS Institute of advanced Neutron and X-ray Science. AMBER is funded by the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) COFUND scheme. Around 15 postdocs will be recruited in the fifth call 2025, with each fellowship lasting 36 months. AMBER has six core partners: Lund University/MAX IV, Sweden, the European Spallation Source (ESS), Sweden, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), France, the International Institute of Molecular Mechanisms and Machines, (IMOL), Poland, and the Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, United Kingdom. Your work may include clinical and biomedical projects. It may also include technique development work aimed at combining imaging techniques and data analysis to provide a more integrated picture of life processes in the context of health and disease. To be a postdoc fellow at the AMBER programme you will get unprecedented medical, biological, and methodological capabilities, with a profound potential impact for Europe’s next generation of research and researchers. When you have completed the AMBER programme you will be extraordinarily well equipped to further your career in academia, at infrastructures, in the health and MedTech sectors, and beyond. For more information about the total announced post-doctoral positions within in the AMBER co-fund project please visit https://www.euraxess.se/jobs/392999 The interviews will start in April/May 2026. For more information about AMBER, application and evaluation process etc please visit: ambercofund.eu Qualifications Minimum requirements are: Candidate needs to have a maximum 8 years after a doctoral degree (PhD), as required by the project Grant Agreement signed with the European Commission, At least one original publication in a peer-reviewed journal, A background in the relevant methods, A complete application package submitted through the AMBER portal (including CV and detailed research plan), and finally, Strict compliance with the MSCA mobility rule that the researcher must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the host organisation’scountry for more than twelve months in the three years immediately prior to the call deadline. Each project will have additional specific requirements that candidates have to fulfill, be sure to check what these are before you apply. Undergraduate degrees in physical sciences, biological sciences or other relevant field. PhD or equivalent foreign degree within physical sciences, molecular biology, biochemistry, structural biology or a related subject. The PhD must be completed no later than the time the employment decision is made, Competence in protein expression and purification Competence in X-ray and/or neutron diffraction (eg crystallography, small-angle scattering) and associated data analysis. Ability to develop and conduct good quality research. Motivation and ability to work independently and as part of a team Proficiency in spoken and written English Personal skills are of importance. It is crucial that you are structured in your work and can work independently and have good social skills. The assessment of applicants will be based primarily on their scientific merit and potential as researchers. Particular emphasis will be placed on scientific ability within the subject area. We offer Lund University is a governmental authority, which means you get special benefits, generous holidays and a favorable occupational pension. We also have a flexible time agreement that creates good conditions for a balance between work and leisure. Read more on the university’s website about being



