박사후 연구원 모집 공고 _ Postdoctoral Positions Available [Northwestern University]

Du & Lü Labs in the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University are seeking motivated and talented postdoctoral researchers to join our team. Our labs will move to the Department of Molecular Biosciences at Northwestern University from the Van Andel Institute in September 2024.

About Us:

The Du lab and Lü lab are dedicated to unraveling the complexities of sensory perception—how the human body detects external stimuli, transmits these signals to the brain, and elicits appropriate responses through the intricate network of neuronal ion channels. A particular focus of our work is on understanding the biophysical mechanisms underlying temperature sensation and taste perception. These fundamental aspects of sensory processing offer profound insights into human physiology and potential therapeutic avenues for a range of conditions.

We employ multidisciplinary biophysical methodologies, such as cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) and patch-clamp electrophysiology, to visualize these sensory ion channels and receptors at an atomic level and understand their role in signal transduction processes critical for sensory perception.

Please email Juan Du or Wei Lü with your CV and contact information for two references. Experience in structural biology, membrane protein biochemistry, or ion channel electrophysiology is preferred but not required.

Contact Information: For inquiries or further information, please contact: Dr. Juan Du (Juan.Du@vai.org) and Dr. Wei Lü (Wei.Lu@vai.org)

Lab Homepage: https://dululabs.com/

Selected Publications: (*: co-corresponding author; #: co-first author)

• Hu J, Park S.J, Walter T, Orozco I, O’Dea Du J*. Coupling enzymatic activity and gating in an ancient TRPM chanzyme and its molecular evolution. Nat Struct Mol Biol, in press, 2024.
• Muller C#, Zhang L#, Zipfel S, Topitsch A, Lutz M, Eckert J, Prasser B, Chami M, Lü W, Du J* & Einsle O*. Molecular interplay of an assembly machinery for nitrous oxide reductase. Nature 608, 626-631, 2022.
• Ruan Z#, Haley E#, Orozco IJ#, Sabat M, Myers R, Du J*, Lü W*. Structures of the TRPM5 channel elucidate mechanisms of activation and inhibition. Nat Struct Mol Biol 28, 604-613, 2021.
• Ruan Z#, Osei-Owusu J#, Du J, Qiu Z*, Lü W*. Structures and pH-sensing mechanism of the proton-activated chloride channel. Nature 588, 350-354, 2020.
• Ruan Z, Orozco I. J., Du J*, Lü W*. Structures of human pannexin 1 reveal ion pathways and mechanism of gating. Nature 584, 646-651, 2020.
• Choi W#, Clemente N#, Sun W, Du J*, Lü W*. The structures and gating mechanism of human calcium homeostasis modulator 2. Nature 576, 163-167, 2019.
• Huang Y, Winkler PA, Sun W, Lü W* & Du J*. Architecture of the TRPM2 channel and its activation mechanism by ADP-ribose and calcium. Nature 562, 145-149, 2018.
• Winkler PA#, Huang Y#, Sun W#, Du J, Lü W*. Electron cryo-microscopy structure of a human TRPM4 channel. Nature 552:200–204, 2017.