Postdoctoral Researcher in Structural Characterization of Ion Channels

Description of the workplace

The membrane protein structural biology group at the Department of Experimental Medical Science is led by Associate Professor Pontus Gourdon and is at the forefront of its field. With this position, we aim to deepen our work on understanding how various ion channels function at the molecular level. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with Peter Zygmunt (at Lund University) and Sara Liin (at Linköping University). Below is a selection of articles published by the groups over the past three years (see also rb.gy/j6ajo):

• Li et al (2025) Nature Structural & Molecular Biology 32:491-501
• Li et al (2024) Nature Communications 15(1):9605
• Augestad et al (2024) Nature 633:704
• Guo et al (2024) Nature Communications 15(1):2690
• Erlandsdotter et al (2023) Science Advances 17;9:eade7109
• Moparthi et al (2022) Nature Communications 17(1):6113
• Salustros et al (2022) Nature Communications 13(1):5121
• Zhang et al (2022) Nature Communications 13(1):7483
• Li et al (2022) Nature Communications 13(1):4339
• Wiuf et al (2022) Science Advances 8, eabn4331 

Work duties and responsibilities

At Lund University, a postdoctoral position is intended to provide opportunities for scientific and educational qualification. Primarily, the position offers merit-based development in research, but also includes some higher education pedagogical training. Teaching may also be part of the duties.

The overarching goal of this research program is to uncover fundamental molecular principles governing membrane protein function, particularly how interactions with subunits, auxiliary proteins, and/or ions or small molecules - such as drug candidates (i.e., "complexes") - enable or modulate the function of membrane proteins. The focus will be on studying such phenomena in ion channels, especially TRP- and KCNQ-channels.

To achieve this ambitious goal, we will employ an interdisciplinary approach centered on structural biology and biochemical methods. The recruited individual will conduct experimental research with a focus on cryo-electron microscopy to understand how these ion channels are regulated under normal conditions and in disease states.

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 20 postdocs will be recruited in the fourth 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/341970.

The interviews will start in November 2025. 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.

Specific requirements for the position are:

• PhD or equivalent foreign degree within structural biology or related field. The PhD must be completed no later than the time the employment decision is made
• Good ability to develop and conduct research of good quality,
• Pedagogical ability,
• Experience of interdisciplinary collaborations.
• Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.
• You must also fulfill two of the three below-mentioned criteria:
  • You must have experience in cloning, production, and purification of membrane proteins.
  • You must have experience in structure determination using single-particle cryo-EM, preferably including sample preparation and freezing of protein samples on grids, data collection, data processing, and structural analysis.
  • You must have experience in structure determination using X-ray diffraction, preferably including crystal preparation, data collection, data processing, and structural analysis.

Meritorious for the position are:

• It is meritorius if you have solid experience with the following computer programs: CryoSPARC, Phenix, Coot, Chimera and Pymol,
• It is meritorius if you have experience working with eukaryotic cells, such as HEK cells,
• It is meritorius if you have experience working with membrane proteins.

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 employed at Lund University, Work with us.

About the employment

The position is a fixed-term position of three years, 100% with start date on 2026-01-01 or as agreed. Employment at Lund University is conducted in Sweden, you are therefore expected to be able to perform your work on site in Lund.

The employment is limited to a maximum three years, according to the collective agreement on fixed-term employment as a postdoctoral researcher (the Swedish Employers' Association). A postdoctoral position is intended as an initial step in a career and as an opportunity to further deepen and broaden research expertise.

Instructions on how to apply

For more information and documents/templates/europass link, please visit https://www.ambercofund.eu/for-applicants.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure that you upload all the required documents specified below i-ix.

If you are interested in applying for more than one position (maximum 3) you must be prepared to make a full application for each individual position.

Applications shall be written in English and all documents shall be in pdf format.

i) A Curriculum Vitae (europass format). Your CV shall be exported to a PDF file that you use in your application.

ii) A detailed research plan including any foreseen secondments (candidates can suggest more than the mandated one, they can also suggest their own secondments), schools and conferences as well as a templated budget plan. The research plan should be as concise as possible, 3 pages, including one-third page of summary/abstract.

Additional texts to include in the PDF are:

iii) Letter of Commitment from any additional secondment partners the candidate wishes to bring

onboard.

iv) Evidence of English proficiency (minimum CEFR B22, also checked at interview).

v) A draft Individual Career Development Plan (ICDP).

vi) Two reference letters.

vii) Any additional documents to support the application.

viii) Ethical questionnaire (HE ethics checklist + research ethics commitment)

In addition, the application will require:

ix) Any candidate can apply for maximum of 3 positions. You must apply for each individual position. A list with order of preference of positions should be sent to the AMBER management. amber@linxs.se

More information about the Faculty of Medicine