Post Doctoral Research Assistant in Skeletal Muscle Physiology and Metabolism (MHLCM1218)

Are you a post doctoral scientist with a keen interest in molecular physiology and metabolism in health and disease? Are you interested in understanding how the adaptation of skeletal muscle to exercise results in beneficial health effects? Do you want to learn more about skeletal muscle organ crosstalk and myokines?

This post doctoral research assistant (PDRA) role is on a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council funded project within the laboratory of Dr Lee Roberts, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine. The research in Dr Roberts’ group addresses the metabolic regulation of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue with a focus on tissue cross talk and bioactive metabolites and lipids. Exercise has multiple beneficial effects on health. How exercise exerts its systemic adaptive effects remains poorly understood. 

The PDRA will investigate the molecular mechanisms through which skeletal muscle adapts to exercise in preclinical in vivo and in vitro models. Myokines are molecular signals released from muscle which signal to distal tissues to elicit a physiological response. This project will focus on the role of the metabolite myokine β-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) in the adaptive response of muscle to exercise. We previously discovered BAIBA was released from muscle during exercise and signals to liver and adipose tissue (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24411942). The successful candidate will use a variety of state-of-the-art techniques including high-resolution respirometry, muscle contractility analysis, whole body physiological, exercise, and indirect calorimetry analysis, PET-CT imaging, tissue light sheet microscopy, and metabolomics alongside histological, tissue culture and molecular biology techniques.

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact: 

Dr Lee Roberts, Associate Professor of Molecular Physiology and Metabolism

Tel: +44 (0)113 343 1050, email: L.D.Roberts@leeds.ac.uk 

Further Information

The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offers a range of family friendly policies. The University is a charter member of Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award. The School of Medicine holds the Gold award. We are committed to being an inclusive medical school that values all staff, and we are happy to consider job share applications and requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees. 

Closing Date: 12 Mar 2020
Category: Research