Research Fellow

About us

The Department of Neuromuscular Diseases is a hub for clinical and research excellence across the spectrum of spinal cord and neuromuscular diseases. Our group of world-leading clinical, genetic and basic science researchers focus their work on understanding the causes and biological mechanisms leading to Neuromuscular Disease and translating this knowledge into developing novel therapeutic solutions that is of direct benefit to neurological disorders such as motor neurone disease, Alzheimer’s disease and neuromuscular disease.

About the role

We are seeking a Research Fellow to work on a project aiming to understand how Rab10 manages the transport of key signalling molecules within nerve cells, crucial for maintaining healthy brain function.

This is an exciting chance to join us at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, a world-renowned centre for clinical and basic neuroscience. You will be based in Schiavo laboratory, which is part of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) and provides a vibrant and collaborative research network across the UK. You will benefit from access to state-of-the-art facilities and a wealth of expertise in neuroscience and neurodegenerative diseases.

The work will involve handling and differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) into neurons, primary culture of basal forebrain neurons from mice, as well as confocal microscopy and image analysis, immunoisolation of intact organelles and their proteomic analyses, biochemical approaches and data analysis.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at developing novel therapeutic strategies for AD by leveraging the neurological resilience conferred by Rab10. You will benefit from the wealth of expertise and core technology platforms available at ION, UCL, and its collaborating institutes, making significant contributions to the field of neurodegenerative disease research.

The role is available immediately and funded by the UK Medical Research Council to 30 September 2027 in the first instance.

For a full job description and to apply for this role please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal and search using vacancy reference B02-07794.

About you

You will have a PhD in neuroscience, biology, or a related discipline (or equivalent research experience), as well as experience with iPSCs handling and differentiation, mouse colony handling, primary neuronal cultures, advanced biochemistry, and cell biology methods. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and strong problem-solving abilities are also required for this role.

What we offer

Starting salary offered at £43,124 per annum inclusive of London Allowance.

Appointment as Research Fellow is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be as Research Assistant (salary £38,357- £41,005 per annum) with appointment as Research Fellow being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. 12% of Institute staff are actively working on EDI initiatives; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/equality-diversity-inclusion for more information about what we’re doing. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce; these include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, LGBTQI+ and gender diverse people in all roles, and women in Grade 9 and 10 roles.

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