Postdoctoral Research Associate in Computational Ion Channel Biophysics

Queen Mary University of London seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to join Dr. Wojciech Kopec's research group within the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences. Working on the BBSRC Pioneer Award project 'Dark Channelome', the successful candidate will integrate artificial intelligence-based structural modelling with molecular dynamics simulations to identify and functionally classify candidate human ion channels. The role involves generating membrane-protein assemblies, analyzing pore geometry and hydration, and applying computational electrophysiology to evaluate transport capabilities. The appointed researcher will collaborate with external partners at Oxford, contribute to openly shared scientific resources, mentor students, and publish high-impact findings while utilizing advanced GPU and high-performance computing facilities.

• Generate and assess membrane-protein assemblies using structural modeling and AI-based prediction tools.
• Perform biomolecular molecular dynamics simulations to analyze pore geometry, hydration properties, and protein dynamics.
• Utilize computational electrophysiology methods to test candidate ion channels and evaluate conduction failures.
• Collaborate with project partners at Oxford to translate computational findings into testable experimental predictions.
• Contribute data and findings to an openly accessible research resource for the scientific community.
• Mentor junior researchers and students while actively pursuing independent research and peer-reviewed publications.