Clinical Research Fellow

The Research Department of Neurodegenerative Disease is recognised as internationally leading in the study of neurodegenerative diseases causing dementia and related disorders.

Based within the Department is the UCL Dementia Research Centre, a hub for patient-centered research into dementias. Our work focuses on identifying and understanding the disease processes that cause dementia, the factors that influence these disease processes, ways to improve diagnosis and treatments, and how best to support people with dementia and their families.

We are seeking a highly motivated Clinical Research Fellow to join a groundbreaking project under the leadership of Dr Ross Paterson.
This study, focused on understanding the early pathological changes in Alzheimer’s disease, utilises Stable Isotope Labeling Kinetics (SILK), as outlined in Paterson et al., Nature Reviews Neurology, 2018.

The aim of this study is to investigate Alzheimer’s disease pathology in living human brains, particularly through the measurement of translation, misfolding, and incorporation of pathogenic proteins into brain tissue. Additionally, the study will explore the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in this process. This is an international, collaborative research effort involving clinical neurosurgical partners at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN), alongside colleagues from Washington University St Louis (USA), University of Gothenburg (Sweden), and King’s College London.

Work will involve participant recruitment, characterisation and sample collection and processing. You will have a strong interest in training as an academic clinician and would be expected to have an active clinical role in acquiring participant samples but will also have the opportunity to carry out parallel basic science research using the SILK technique.

You will contribute to the busy cognitive disorder clinic at the NHNN, including a satellite clinic at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford, Kent. You will be embedded within the neurosurgical team, particularly within the specialist hydrocephalus service.

An honorary contract will be sought from UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, for which a DBS check will be required.

The role is available from 01 April 2025 and funded by the Race Against Dementia/Rosetrees for one year in the first instance.

If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team (ion.hradmin at ucl.ac.uk).

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Dr Ross Paterson (r.paterson at ucl.ac.uk).

Application deadline: 23:59, Wednesday, 22 January 2025.

For a full job description and to apply for this role please visit UCL’s online recruitment portal (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs) and search using vacancy reference B02-08144.

You must be a registered medical practitioner with an MD, MBBS, or equivalent medical degree, and be permitted to practice in the UK. Experience in clinical Neurology or Neurosurgery, as well as experience in clinically taking biosamples and of genetics, biomarkers, and neurological disorders, is also required for this role.

The role is offered in the range of £48,580 - £75,038 per annum including London Allowance, on the CL, JDPS, or StR scale, dependent on NHS contract and/or stage of clinical training.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits; visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/reward-and-benefits to find out more.

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