Loerch Lab | UC santa cruz

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Hunting Ribosomes

We combine different electron cryo-microscopy strategies to investigate the structural basis of translational control.

Welcome to the Loerch Lab

The Loerch lab studies translational regulation, or simply said, how a cell instructs ribosomes to make the right protein at the right time and in the right place. We use cutting edge cryo-EM methods including single particle analysis (SPA) to determine the high-resolution structures of purified complexes and high-resolution template matching (HRTM) to investigate these complexes in their native environment in the cell. Our goal is to establish a more comprehensive understanding of structure-function relationships of specialized ribosomal complexes.

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Open positions

We are actively recruiting motivated post-docs, graduate students, and undergrads.
Currently, we are looking for a future lab member interested in working on a
computational project. A background in Physics, engineering, or computer science is
an advantage but not required.

Undergraduates

interested in the Loerch Lab should email Dr. Loerch a statement of their research interests, a copy of their transcript, and a CV. We encourage work study students to apply.
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Graduates

interested in the Loerch Lab should apply to the Graduate Training Program in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (CB3 track) or the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Deadlines are in early December.

Postdoctoral Candidates

interested in the Loerch Lab should email Dr. Loerch with a copy of their CV and their research interests along with manuscripts or preprints and three references. We are looking for candidates with a background in RNA biology, electron cryo-microscopy, structural or cell biology.​

Santa cruz, california

Santa Cruz is a liberal town situated on the northern tip of Monterey bay. It is only a little over an hour (~75 miles) south of  San Francisco. Santa Cruz enjoys a moderate climate throughout the year, which is great for outdoor activities. Options for outdoor activities are abundant. Numerous state parks with trails for hiking, running and biking surround Santa Cruz and the beaches offer some of the best surfing in California.

The UCSC campus is located in a dense redwood forest just a few miles north of downtown in a dense redwood forest.