Research Associate - Axon Regeneration

About Us

Wolfson SPaRC (Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre) is one of four departments in the School of Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, and is located on the Guy’s Campus at London Bridge. Research in the department spans three main themes: Chronic Pain & Migraine, Spinal Cord & Brain Repair, and Hearing Loss & Sensory Systems. Our fundamental mission is to understand the biological mechanisms behind these neurological and sensory disorders and harness this knowledge to develop new therapeutic strategies. 

We have world-leading experts who interrogate these conditions at the genetic, molecular, cellular, and whole systems level. Cross-cutting strengths lie in our world-leading expertise in neuroplasticity, interdisciplinary neuro-immune research, high-throughput sequencing technologies, drug discovery and advanced therapeutics. We have excellent facilities to support our parallel use of pre-clinical cell and in vivo models, alongside human cellular models, which provides an essential platform for us to forward- and back-translate our fundamental research to and from the clinic.  

About the Role

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate to join a project investigating new approaches for retinal neuroprotection and restoration of vision. The research is a part of a large project to identify and develop new treatments for glaucoma and spinal cord injury. Neurodegenerative diseases such as glaucoma cause irreversible damage to neurons in the retina and optic nerve, leading to a loss of vision. Spinal cord injury causes irreversible damage to axons which control movement and sensation.

The role will use preclinical models to test and develope gene therapy approaches for retinal neuroprotection and optic nerve regeneration, whist using cell and molecular techniques to study the mechanisms controlling axon regeneration, and bespoke bioinformatic approaches for target identification.

The work will involve collaborating with researchers and partners aiming to move treatments towards clinical treatments, with collaborations in London, Cambridge and Stockholm (Karolinska Institutet).

Axon regeneration through the optic nerve and on towards the visual centres of the brain will be necessary as a regenerative treatment for glaucoma. The project will address this challenge by focusing on Protrudin, a scaffolding molecule that localizes to axon growth tips and brings together many of the components needed for axon growth including recycling endosomes, motor proteins and the endoplasmic reticulum.

The work is part of a large project to repair the CNS by stimulating the transport of regenerative machinery into axons in the optic nerve or spinal cord. The Eva Lab is studying the role of various sub-cellular organelles during axon growth and regeneration, using several models of axonal injury.

The position, funded by the MRC , will focus on Protrudin and related molecules as targets for stimulating guided regeneration through the diseased or injured nerve.

This is a full time post and you will be offered an a fixed term contract until 5 Janaury 2028.

Essential criteria

• PhD qualified in relevant subject area (or pending results following your final submission). 
• Experience working with in vivo models of disease or injury, preferably in the visual system. 
• Evidence of engagement in high quality research activity.
• Excellent organizational and administrative skills.

Desirable criteria

• Ability to exercise a degree of innovation and creative problem solving.
• Experience with:
• Microscopy.
• Neuronal Cell Culture.
• Standard Biochemical Techniques.
• Molecular biology / DNA cloning.
• Bioinformatics.

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