Job Description

In this project we seek a motivated individual, with extensive mass spectrometry experience, who wants to develop a new instrument and apply it to the study of MDa. protein assemblies. You will be based in the team of Prof. Perdita Barran in the Michael Barber Centre for Collaborative Mass Spectrometry, and work closely with Dr. John Hoyes (TrueMass Ltd.), Dr. Dimitris Papamastasiou (Fasmatech Ltd.) and Prof. Rob Appleby (UoM). Your primary role will be to build, install and test a new geometry CDMS instrument with a novel ESI source with improved characteristics for the transmission of MDa ions

The project also involves close collaboration with Prof. Brian Biggar (UoM) and collaborators at Pharmaron ltd. as we apply the technology to determine the DNA content of recombinant adenoassociated viral (AAV) vectors.

We propose to compare the capabilities of this instrument with that of commercially available mass spectrometry platforms and other methods. As part of this exciting and truly interdisciplinary project you will also build a stage to allow subsequent characterisation of these MDa. complexes via microscopy.

You will develop standard operating procedures for the instrument using, large assembled protein standards (ferritin, Groel and IgEs) and subsequently develop its use for AAVs. The potential to study other large assemblies will also be explored especially heavily glycosylated protein assemblies. This project will use the instrument to measure how many of a given AAV product have filled capsids versus empty and we will compare the data to the efficacy of the drug in animal models.

Overall Purpose of the Job:

This project aims to develop a new methodologic approach to measure very large protein particles. This will be applied to AAVs of high commercial interest to the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries and outputs will therefore be highly exploitable therein. AAV vectors have emerged at the forefront of gene therapy due to their lack of pathogenicity, relatively low immunogenicity and persistent gene expression in different tissue types. The analytics to support AAV production are very limited and to answer this challenge, this project will construct a new charge detection mass spectrometer - CDMS - that will significantly advance analytical capabilities throughput the pipeline for manufacturing and testing of AAV therapies.

Our team is truly interdisciplinary spanning physics chemistry and medicine. You will work with academic and industrial partners to design, build and apply the new instrumentation to measure AAVs and other large protein assemblies.

Previous applicants for this post need not apply.

Our University is positive about flexible working - you can find out more

Blended working arrangements may be considered

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Professor Perdita Barran

Email:

General enquiries:

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Technical support:

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.

University of Manchester