Currently recruiting: one postdoc or graduate level researcher to study missense mutants of SynGAP1 suspected to cause non-syndromic intellectual disability
We are currently recruiting a researcher to join our SynGAP missense project – please see the following links until the closing date of May 7th 2023
Links
current open positions
direct link
Synposis of project:
SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability (or SynGAP syndrome), an intellectual disability caused by de novo mutation of one of the two copies of the SynGAP1 gene, is heavily underdiagnosed.
There are no treatments or cures addressing the underlying cause but a number of potential therapies are under development. As the majority of known cases appear to be caused nonsense or trucation mutants of the SynGAP1 gene, leading to haploinsufficiency, or lack of functional protein, these therapies aim to increase the endogenous protein level.
However in some known cases, and perhaps the great majority of cases overall (PMID: 30541864), the SynGAP1 gene carries an missense mutation. In such cases, diagnosis becomes less certain and the potential risk or applicability of therapies designed to boost expression is unknown. For these reasons the mechanisms of #missense variant dysfunction must be clarified. Our project aims to establish a panel of assays to determine these mechanisms in an efficient and scalable manner. The most scalable assays could in principle be used in future drug screening campaigns.
Recent Posts
- The Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation has granted nearly €1 million to support research led by Professor Jukka Westermarck993 000 € was granted to a research project led by our Group Leader Professor Jukka Read moreApril 2, 2026
- Cecilia Sahlgren’s group discovers a new mechanism driving breast cancer progressionOur affiliated research group led by Professor Cecilia Sahlgren at Åbo Akademi University and the InFLAMES Research Read moreMarch 25, 2026
- BioCity Turku asks for proposals for Elias Tillandz publication prize winner during March 2026In the context of the 35th BioCity Symposium “Vision, Expanded” (27-28 August 2026) the twenty-second Read moreMarch 3, 2026
- Rector Widen Visited Our Centre Åbo Akademi University Rector, Gunilla Widén, visited our Centre on Wednesday, February 25th, to learn Read moreFebruary 27, 2026
- Laura Elo is awarded the Leif C. Groop Award for outstanding research on type 1 diabetesLaura Elo a group leader at Turku Bioscience is awarded the Leif C. Groop Award Read moreFebruary 23, 2026
- Finnish Cultural Foundation Awards Funding to Turku Bioscience ResearchersWe are pleased to announce recent funding from The Finnish Cultural Foundation: Congratulations to all Read moreFebruary 16, 2026