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Research Scientist / Senior Research Scientist - Protein Sciences

MedImmune, the global biologics unit of AstraZeneca, is committed to developing better medicines that help people live healthier, longer and more satisfying lives. The company is focused on the areas of infection, respiratory and inflammatory disease, oncology and neuroscience, with two marketed products and a robust pipeline of promising new product candidates.

MedImmune’s state-of- the-art Cambridge site (formerly Cambridge Antibody Technology) is home to around 390 employees, and serves the company’s European hub for research and development.

As part of the Protein Sciences team the individual will be responsible for cloning protein targets, expressing recombinant proteins in a variety of host cells and purifying the recombinant proteins. A particular focus of the role will be cloning, expression and purification of multi-spanning membrane proteins and their reconstitution into liposomes.

You will have:

Practical experience in modern molecular biology techniques and their application to the cloning and expression of proteins in prokaryotic and eukaryotic host cells.

Practical experience of protein purification using current purification platforms and chromatographic techniques (e.g. AKTA)

Practical experience of detergent solubilisation of membrane proteins and their purification and reconstitution into artificial lipid bilayers (e.g. liposomes, magnetic proteoliposomes).

Up to date knowledge of developments in these technical areas (e.g. new platforms).

Communicating with project teams to ensure project needs are discussed, understood and fulfilled and providing intellectual input into project strategy.

Maintain scientific knowledge and best practice with respect to cloning, expression and purification of proteins with a particular focus on multispanning membrane proteins.

Providing written reports of work as required and oral presentation of work to project teams.

Recording and conducting work according to current codes of practice (e.g. lab book recording and health and safety legislation).

Additional responsibilities would depend on the candidate but could be extended to biophysical characterisation of proteins and affinity determination for protein-protein interactions.

Experience

You will hold a PhD (or have equivalent industrial experience) in Molecular Biology, Protein Biochemistry or related discipline in addition to experience of working within an industrial environment. Evidence of working successfully in a project team.

Knowledge/Skills

Essential: Molecular biology (e.g. PCR, cloning), extraction of membrane proteins using detergents and their subsequent purification, reconstitution of membrane proteins into liposomes or other forms of lipid bilayers.
Desirable: Protein analytical techniques, protein-protein interaction analysis.

Behavioural Competencies

Essential: Good communicator. Strong evidence of team working. Ability to work independently and accurately. Evidence of an interest in innovating. Ability to deliver to multiple assigned goals. Ability to communicate complex information to a non-specialist audience.