“FROG WIZARD” POSTDOC POSITION at Boston University, Garcia-Marcos Lab

Position overview: We have a project investigating how protein complexes signal to regulate polarity and the cytoskeleton in the context of multiciliated epithelial cells. Would you like to become our frog wizard? We need someone with experience in Xenopus and fluorescence microscopy (live-cell would be a plus), who would also be excited about expanding expertise by collaborating with an international group of people with diverse research interests. Our laboratory is collaborative, multidisciplinary, and highly committed to the career development of trainees. We are located at the heart of Boston, a scientifically and culturally vibrant location. The salary starts at $58,000/ year plus a sign-on bonus for relocation expenses.

Lab overview: Our laboratory investigates mechanisms of intercellular communication with the goal of elucidating the molecular basis of human diseases and developing novel therapeutic approaches. Our main interest is in heterotrimeric G proteins, which are molecular switches primarily activated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In the recent years, we have pioneered the characterization of novel mechanisms of G protein regulation that deviate from the traditional views in the field, and that have important implications in cancer, embryonic development, and neurotransmission. We also have an interest in creating new technologies to interrogate and manipulate cellular communication, including optical biosensors, and opto/chemo-genetic tools. We cover a wide range of experimental disciplines and approaches, from biochemical and structural studies in vitro, to cell biology, to animal studies in mice or aquatic model organisms (Xenopus, zebrafish).

Publications- Complete list: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/1ZIXmzi80H8Q6/bibliography/public/

These are representative publications that relate more directly to this position:

• Marivin A, Ho RXY, Garcia-Marcos M. DAPLE orchestrates apical actomyosin assembly from junctional polarity complexes. Journal of Cell Biology. May 2;221(5):e202111002. PMID: 35389423
• Marivin A, Garcia-Marcos M. DAPLE and MPDZ bind to each other and cooperate to promote apical cell constriction. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Jul 22;30(16):1900-1910. PMID: 31268831.
• Marivin A, Morozova V, Walawalkar I, Leyme A, Kretov DA, Cifuentes D, Dominguez I, Garcia-Marcos M. GPCR-independent activation of G proteins promotes apical cell constriction in vivo. Journal of Cell Biology. 2019; May 6;218(5):1743-1763. PMID: 30948426.
• Leyme A, Marivin A, Maziarz M, DiGiacomo V, Papakonstantinou MP, Patel PP, Blanco-Canosa JB, Walawalkar I, Rodriguez-Davila G, Dominguez I, Garcia-Marcos M. Specific inhibition of GPCR-independent G protein signaling by a rationally engineered protein. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA (PNAS). 2017 Nov 28;114(48):E10319-E10328. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1707992114. PMID: 29133411
• Marivin A, Leyme A, Parag-Sharma K, DiGiacomo V, Cheung AY, Nguyen LT, Dominguez I. Garcia-Marcos M. Dominant negative Gα subunits as a novel mechanism of trimeric G protein signaling dysregulation in human disease. Science Signaling. Apr 12;9(423):ra37. PMID: 27072656.

And these are other representative publications of our laboratory:

• Garcia-Marcos M. Complementary biosensors reveal different G-protein signaling modes triggered by GPCRs and non-receptor activators. eLife. 2021. Mar 31;10:e65620. PMID: 33787494
• Garcia-Marcos M, Parag-Sharma K, Marivin A, Maziarz M, Luebbers A, Nguyen LT. Optogenetic activation of heterotrimeric Gi proteins by LOV2GIVe, a rationally engineered modular protein. eLife. 2020. Sep 16;9:e60155. PMID: 32936073
• Maziarz M, Park JC, Leyme A, Marivin A, Garcia-Lopez A, Patel PP, Garcia-Marcos M. Revealing the activity of trimeric G-proteins in live cells with a versatile biosensor design. Cell. 2020. Jun 27:S0092-8674(20)30752-2. PMID: 32634377
• DiGiacomo V, Maziarz M, Luebbers A, Norris JM, Laksono P, Garcia-Marcos M. Probing the mutational landscape of regulators of G Protein signaling proteins in cancer. Science Signaling. 2020 Feb 4;13(617). pii: eaax8620. PMID: 32019900
• de Opakua AI, Parag-Sharma K, DiGiacomo V, Merino N, Leyme A, Marivin A, Villate M, Nguyen LT, de la Cruz-Morcillo MA, Blanco-Canosa JB, Ramachandran S, Baillie GS, Cerione RA, Blanco FJ, Garcia-Marcos M. Molecular mechanism of Gαi activation by non-GPCR proteins with a Gα-Binding and Activating motif. Nature Communications. 2017 May 18;8:15163. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15163. PMID: 28516903

Would you like to join our laboratory? Please submit a cover letter explaining your interests and goals, a CV and names/contact for 3 reference letters. Mikel Garcia-Marcos, PhD. Professor.  mikel.garcia.marcos@gmail.com

Mikel Garcia-Marcos