BBSRC Yorkshire Bioscience DLA Programme: How does the Oestrogen receptor globally regulate transcription across the genome during development?
Posted on 11 November 2025
Job type: PhD
Location: Toseland lab, University of Sheffield
Closing Date: 7 January 2026
The oestrogen receptor (ER) is a transcription factor that controls gene expression programs essential for development, reproduction, and cellular health. By binding to specific DNA sequences, ER recruits cofactors and remodels chromatin to regulate transcription. However, despite decades of research, we still lack a fundamental understanding of how ER locates its genomic targets, how it influences DNA mechanics, and how these processes are altered in disease.
This project will use cutting-edge single-molecule technologies to explore the molecular rules governing ER activity. In particular, we will focus on how ER proteins search for and bind DNA, and how this binding reshapes genome organisation to regulate transcription.
