Postdoctoral Position
Pubblicato il 20-10-2026 - IEO European Institute of Oncology in Lombardia
Postdoctoral Position - Control of Non-coding Transcription
IEO - European Institute of Oncology
Milan, Italy
€ 45.000 per year gross
About the Project
Understanding how cells keep transcription precisely in check is fundamental to genome integrity and normal development. Mammalian genomes contain hundreds of thousands of enhancers and promoters that can release RNA Polymerase II in both directions. If left unchecked, this pervasive initiation generates a massive amount of extragenic RNAs that can disrupt nuclear organization, lead to DNA damage and perturb normal gene regulation.
Our lab has recently discovered Restrictor, a conserved, essential metazoan complex that patrols thousands of non-coding transcription units and halts RNA Pol II with a still unclear mechanism. This non-enzymatic, cleavage-independent off-switch sets Restrictor apart from all known termination pathways and opens new questions about how cells partition productive gene transcription from potentially harmful background noise.
As a postdoc,
you will contribute to:
- Dissect the molecular mechanism of Restrictor-driven RNA Pol II dismantling.
- Map its genomic targets.
- Probe the impact of Restrictor loss on genome stability and gene expression programs.
- Collaborate with structural biologists and computational scientists to integrate mechanistic and systems-level insights.
Qualifications
We seek a creative, self-driven scientists with a PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, bioinformatics or a related field. Applicants who will have submitted their PhD thesis by the start date of the contract but have not yet defended it will also be considered eligible. Expertise in chromatin, transcription, or RNA biology is a plus but not required; genuine enthusiasm for tackling fundamental questions with cutting-edge methods is essential.
Deadline 8 November