Membrane Protein Biochemist

CK Group are working in partnership with Nxera Pharma, to recruit a Membrane Protein Biochemist, to join their Protein Sciences division. This role is ideal for a scientist passionate about GPCRs and biochemistry of membrane proteins. It offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge drug discovery in a highly collaborative and innovative environment.

Applications are welcomed from candidates with a PhD in Biochemistry, Biophysics or similar, with proven experience in membrane protein expression and purification. Location: Granta Park, Cambridge.

About the company: Nxera Pharma (formerly Sosei Heptares) is a technology powered biopharma company, in pursuit of new speciality medicines to improve the lives of patients with unmet needs globally. Their pipeline is focused on addressing major unmet needs in some of the fastest-growing areas of medicine across CNS, GI and immunology, metabolic disorders and rare diseases, and leverages the power of their unique and industry leading GPCR-targeted structure-based drug discovery “NxWave” platform to provide a sustainable source of best- or first-in-class candidates.

In Cambridge UK, Nxera have built outstanding capabilities across their platform, discovery and translational medicine teams, to advance multiple programs from pre-clinical through to early clinical development.

About the role: In this role you will focus on the expression and purification of challenging membrane proteins destined for biochemical, biophysical and structural studies to support Nxera’s structure-based drug design process. Responsibilities will include:

• Express and purify membrane proteins for biochemical, biophysical and structural biology applications.
• Design and engineer membrane protein expression constructs to maximise functional expression in mammalian and insect cell expression systems.
• Optimise protein expression and fine-tune protein purification workflows to obtain pure, homogeneous and stable membrane proteins.
• Biochemically and biophysically characterise purified membrane proteins using a range of analytical techniques (fSEC, DLS, SEC-MALS, DSF, FP, etc…).
• Reconstitute purified membrane proteins in membrane mimetic environments (lipid nanodiscs, liposomes, amphipols, etc…).
• Assemble and purify homogeneous and stoichiometric multi-component protein complexes.
• Keep up to date with relevant scientific literature, propose, develop, implement and optimise new methodologies in the fields of membrane protein expression, purification and biochemical characterisation.
• Prepare and effectively present results (written and oral) to project teams.
• Demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and collaborate effectively with other Nxera scientists to successfully progress membrane protein targets through the Nxera structure-based drug design pipeline.
• Maintain detailed and accurate laboratory records.

Skills and Experience:

• A PhD in biochemistry, biophysics or a related discipline.
• Proven molecular biology skills enabling the design and engineering of membrane protein expression constructs tailored to downstream applications.
• Proficiency in the expression of membrane proteins in mammalian and insect cells expression systems (transfection and transduction-based methods).
• Practical expertise in optimising purification protocols for membrane proteins.
• Deep understanding of what constitutes a good membrane protein sample for structural (X-ray crystallography and/or cryo-EM) and biophysical studies (SPR, mass spectrometry).
• Demonstrable experience in a broad range of biochemical and biophysical techniques.

Desirable:

• Ability to design and interpret protein construct optimisation using in silico methods (e.g. AlphaFold) with wet lab impact.
• Ability to effectively analyse experimental or predicted structures of membrane proteins (cryoEM, X-ray, in silico).
• Experience using molecular graphics software (e.g. Pymol, Chimera, Coot…).
• Experience with assay development and optimisation for small molecule drug discovery.
• Experience in the reconstitution of purified membrane proteins in membrane-mimetic environments.

What’s in it for you? State-of-the-art R&D centre located in the heart of the Cambridge science cluster. Competitive compensation package including discretionary cash bonuses. Eligible for grants of Restricted Stock Units. 26 days annual leave in addition to public holidays. Employer contribution to pension. Private Medical Insurance for employees and family and a cash plan for dental and optical reimbursement. Health and wellbeing benefits including a subsidised individual gym membership. Income protection to cover long term absences due to ill health. Group Death in Service equal to 4x basic annual salary.

Apply: It is essential that applicants hold entitlement to work in the UK. Please quote job reference 131 454 in all correspondence.