Durham University Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Sciences and Social Sciences.

The Dept. of Biosciences was ranked in the top ten UK Biology Departments for research impact in the REF2014. Our basic science underpins applications across each-and-every sector of the bio-economy, including Biotechnology, Ecology and Agritechnology. Research programmes are grouped in the following areas: Molecular Plant Sciences; Biomolecular Interactions; Ecology, Evolution and Environment; and Animal Cells and Systems. These groups organise focused seminar series, Research Away Days, manage joint research facilities, oversee mentoring, internal peer review and serve to nucleate larger research projects. Along with our excellent research facilities such as bioimaging, proteomics, metabolomics and genomics we offer a high quality and supportive environment for our research staff.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in neurobiology with a particular emphasis on Drosophila neurogenetics. The research project will be undertaken under the supervision of Dr Vincent Croset (Principal Investigator) and funded by UKRI (BBSRC). Nutrition has a significant impact on neuronal function and behaviour. Resolving the interplay between diet and the brain is essential to prevent or alleviate conditions such as eating disorders, depression, or dementia. Nutritional states alter gene expression in the brain, and these alterations may reflect molecular pathways triggering behavioural changes or responses to cellular stress induced by the imbalance of key nutrients. This project will use the simple brain of Drosophila melanogaster to investigate molecular control of nutritional state-dependent behaviour. Taking advantage of recent advances in single-cell transcriptomics, the successful applicant will generate a systems-level depiction of the gene expression correlates of specific nutritional states and assess the behavioural relevance of candidate genes and pathways identified. They will further explore how state-driven transcriptional dynamics changes during the life course to affect cognitive ability in aged animals.

The successful applicant will join a new team of motivated researchers and benefit from state-of-the-art equipment within the Department of Biosciences, including for fly husbandry, behaviour, or neuroimaging. In addition to research, they will have the opportunity to present their research at national and international conferences and supervise undergraduate and graduate students in the laboratory, therefore developing their scientific communication and leadership skills.

This post is fixed term for 1 year in the first instance, renewable for a maximum of 2 additional years as funding is available for a maximum of 3 years only. Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post by June 1^st, 2022 (negotiable). All applicants are asked to submit:

• A CV and covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
• A one-page statement describing your current and future research interests