Research Assistant in Designed Protein Vaccines

The Role

Join us as a Research Assistant at the newly established Centre for Programmable Biological Matter.

At the Centre for Programmable Biological Matter, we are interested in understanding, designing and building natural and artificial biological nanomachines. We look at the amazing variety of such machines in nature, including in our own cells, and ask – can we design artificial versions of such machines to carry out processes not available or even not possible in nature? The ability to design functional, dynamic proteins will revolutionise medicine. It will mean new capabilities in vaccines and drug including nanoscale medicine that can be programmed and can move. We have established the Centre of Programmable Biological Matter as to spearhead research in this area.

Project description - ‘Developing Artificial Protein Cages for Medicine’.

In this project, you join our multidisciplinary team and will work on a project to design and produce an artificial, dynamic protein cage-based vaccine able to stimulate humoral responses, gain cell entry, and open within the cell to release cargoes that further stimulate immune response. This will primarily involve two work-packages, a) Protein-Cage Design and Engineering, and b) Protein Construction, validation and testing. The work is funded by the prestigious Academy of Medical Sciences.

The location for this role will be 100% on-site in our newly refurbished labs with state-of-the art equipment, located in the Department of Chemistry, Durham University.

Responsibilities:

• To understand and convey information which needs careful explanation to the team or group of people through presentations, discussions and meetings which contribute to the production of research reports and publications.
• To write up results of research work, present information on research progress and outcomes to bodies supervising research in a clear and accurate manner.
• To analyse or undertake basic research by deciding how best to apply existing methodology according to overall context and objectives.
• To deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines by discussing with the Principal Investigator or Grant-holder and offering creative or innovative solutions.
• To liaise with research colleagues and make internal and external contacts to develop knowledge and understanding to form relationships for future research collaboration.
• Work closely with our PDRA to contribute to the planning of research projects.
• To contribute to fostering a collegial and respectful working environment which is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect.
• To engage in wider citizenship to support the department and wider discipline.
• To engage in continuing professional development by attending relevant training and development courses.

This post is fixed term until October 2027.

The post-holder is employed to work on research/a research project which will be led by another colleague. Whilst this means that the post-holder will not be carrying out independent research in his/her own right, the expectation is that they will contribute to the advancement of the project, through the development of their own research ideas/adaptation and development of research protocols.

Successful applicants will, ideally, be in post no later than April 2025.

When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

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