Research Associate

About us

The School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), is one of six schools in the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine (FoLSM) at King’s College London. The School drives translation of world-leading basic science into advances in clinical practice in vascular, cardiac and metabolic medicine.  As part of King’s Health Partners, we have an excellent environment for basic-clinical interaction and a strong focus on mentoring and career development. The School hosts the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at King's, which brings together a unique range of internationally recognised scientists and clinicians from across the School and King’s College London.

About the role

Applications are invited for a talented and enthusiastic postdoctoral scientist to join Prof Bijan Modarai’s laboratory at the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences at King's College London. The postholder will be part of a vibrant multi-disciplinary translational research group, working towards developing advanced cell and gene therapies for patients with vascular disease. The research will focus on analysing patient samples that inform disease trajectory in patients with peripheral arterial disease and develop novel therapeutic approaches for these subjects.

The postholder will perform complex cellular and molecular analyses on patient samples (eg complex flow cytometry, RNASeq) and work in close association with Prof Mauro Giacca’s lab to run high throughput screens, aimed at optimising our cell and gene therapy approaches. In addition, the postholder will carry out murine surgery (hindlimb ischaemia model), doppler assessment and histology to validate findings from patient materials. The individual will also collaborate with a highly expert team of scientists in Glasgow and Leicester University as well as a  pan-European consortium.

Minimum qualifications are PhD and/or MD with expertise in molecular and cellular biology and in vivo models. Candidates should be highly motivated individuals with excellent communication skills, and have the ability to work independently. The post holder will have the opportunity to write and publish results of research studies in high impact score peer-reviewed journals and report research results at international conferences.

The post is based within the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences at St Thomas’ Hospital, Academic Department of Vascular Surgery, South Bank Section as part of the King’s College London BHF Centre of Research Excellence. The School and Centres provide an outstanding highly multidisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art equipment, facilities and technical support for both laboratory work and animal studies.

This is a full-time post (35 Hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for three years, renewable to five years.

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria 

• PhD in relevant biological sciences and/or MD 
• Strong expertise in cellular and molecular biology 
• Self-motivated, ability to work independently 
• Commitment to continuing personal and professional development 
• Willing and able to work in a team 
• Flexible/able to respond to change in a current professional context 

Desirable criteria

• Experience with animal models  
• Experience in tissue and organ handling and processing, including histological analysis 
• Knowledge in cardiovascular medicine  

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