The Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences (CHAPS) is situated within the School of Basic & Medical Biosciences(within the Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine), which is led by Professor Mathias Gautel and comprises five departments with a wide range of expertise and interests. Using a bench to bedside approach, the School aims to answer fundamental questions about biology in health and disease and apply this knowledge to the development of new and innovative clinical practise, alongside providing a rigorous academic programme for students. 

Dr. Seaborne’s group investigates the molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning muscle biology, in the context of health and disease, with recent attention focussing on Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) as the most common motor neuron disease. ALS is characterised by progressive loss of upper and lower motor neurons, muscle wasting, and premature mortality. While ALS has traditionally been studied as a neuron-centred disease, emerging evidence strongly implicates skeletal muscle as an active driver of disease pathology. This MRC-funded project will apply a novel single muscle cell (myofiber) omic platform — developed by the PI — to interrogate ALS pathogenesis at an unprecedented level of resolution. By simultaneously analysing multiple data sets (MANT-ATP, methylome, transcriptome and proteome) derived from the same individual muscle fibre, this project will determine the subtype-specific dysregulation of SkM in ALS, both in human patient biopsies and in a newly developed swine ALS model. The postholder will lead wet-lab experimental work, across biophysical (MANT-ATP) and functional genomic assays (methylome, transcriptome and proteome), generating and integrating multi-omic datasets to define how SkM contributes to ALS onset and progression. 

 

The position will require travel to University of Copenhagen to work closely with Dr. Julien Ochala, a leading expert in muscle biophysical assays. Travel and accommodation will be paid for. Abroad travel will be a maximum of 16 weeks across the 24 month fixed term period.  

 

This is a full time role (35 hours per week), role based in the UK with occasional travel to Copenhagen and you will be offered a fixed term contract starting 17 November 2025 until 16 November 2027.  This is a fully on site role.