Based in the department of Physiology, this role is responsible for performing research identifying new therapeutic targets for diabetic heart disease and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Applications are invited for a post-doctoral research fellow to work in the field of cardiology molecular discovery. Successful applicants will be a part of a dynamic team with a mission to understand how the heart responds to metabolic stress, and discover novel molecular targets to test new therapeutic interventions for diabetic heart disease.

This project is in the field of pre-clinical discoveries in cardiology with a focus on diabetic cardiomyopathy, metabolism and failure. The early occurrence of diastolic dysfunction in otherwise ‘healthy’ asymptomatic diabetic patients has been extensively reported, and is prognostic of later occurrence of heart failure and increased mortality. There are currently no evidence-based treatments for diastolic dysfunction, and our goal is to identify novel mechanisms with therapeutic value.

This role will enable an outstanding emerging scientist to undertake research in A/Prof Kim Mellor’s lab at the University of Auckland, New Zealand in collaboration with other members of the Cardiac Research Consortium in Melbourne, Australia, Prof Lea Delbridge, Dr Kate Weeks and Dr Jim Bell. This project will involve work with experimental models of disease and clinical biopsy samples and employs a range of innovative state-of-the-art techniques including:

• gene editing (Crispr) & gene therapy (AAV)
• VEVO high frequency ultrasound echocardiography
• cardiomyocyte live cell imaging
• isolated heart perfusions
• proteomics, metabolomics, gene profiling
• cell culture of cardiomyocytes

Specific areas of research include:

• diastolic dysfunction
• cardiac metabolism
• signalling regulation & post-translational modification of proteins
• cardiac function (echocardiography)
• cardiomyocyte mechanics and Ca handling (live cell imaging)

The lab is funded by competitive grants from the Health Research Council NZ and Marsden Fund New Zealand.

This is a fulltime (40 hours per week), 24-month fixed term role.

Remuneration:  PDF1 to RF3 ($90,405 - $104,175 NZD) per annum depending on experience and qualifications.

This position is for researchers who have completed a PhD, preferably in the field of cardiac or cardiovascular physiology. Technical expertise in molecular biology, cardiac function evaluation, cardiomyocyte live cell imaging, and/or isolated heart preparations, is highly desired.