Research Assistant (Fixed Term)

A 1-year Research Assistant position is available in the laboratory of Dr András Lakatos in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of Cambridge. The post is funded by the Hop on the Cure and ALS Finding a Cure Foundations.

This exciting project aims at further characterising complex human organoid models developed in the lab with a view to facilitate translational research in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The successful applicant will be responsible for monitoring the quality of human cell lines and cultures, generating and characterising 3D human neural organoids, and managing the laboratory environment.

We seek a motivated candidate with excellent organisational and communication skills and an aptitude for teamwork, who will gradually contribute to the technical training of scientists while being assigned to their own research project. The post is a unique opportunity for an enthusiastic graduate with a Masters degree in Biological Sciences, who already gained practical skills in human neural stem cell and organoid cultures. Experience in both academic research and industry is desirable.

The candidate will join a multidisciplinary and dynamic group of basic and clinician scientists to pursue fundamental and clinically relevant questions in neurobiology. The laboratory is based in the John van Geest Centre for Brain Repair, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, with affiliation to the MRC-WT Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, which are leading centres dedicated to Regenerative Neurobiology, Restorative Neurology and Data Science. The appointee will join a vibrant and international research environment in the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, which has a strong track record for empowering exceptional scientists and supporting the career development of research staff from diverse backgrounds.

Key References:

Szebényi, K., Wenger, L.M.D., Sun, Y., Dunn, A.W.E., Limegrover, C.A., Gibbons, G., Conci, E., Paulsen, O., Mierau, S.B., Balmus, G., and Lakatos, A. Human ALS/FTD brain organoid slice cultures display distinct early astrocyte and targetable neuronal pathology (2021). Nature neuroscience 24, 1542¿1554 Giandomenico, S.L., Mierau, S.B., Gibbons, G.M., Wenger, L.M.D., Masullo, L., Sit, T., Sutcliffe, M., Boulanger, J., Tripodi, M., Derivery, E., Paulsen, O., Lakatos, A., Lancaster, M. Cerebral organoids at the air-liquid interface generate diverse nerve tracts with functional output (2019). Nature neuroscience 22(4):669-679

The deadline for the current round of applications is 11th December 2024. However, the position may remain open until the most suitable candidate fills the position. The post is for one year initially, with a possibility for an extension to five years in total. If you have any questions about this vacancy or the application process, please contact Dr András Lakatos by email at the first instance (AL291@cam.ac.uk). For further information about the laboratory, please click here.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click on the apply button.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and a CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Advert information