Research Associate

The ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute (ADDI), part of the University of Cambridge CIMR Division of Translational Medicine (https://cambridge-ddi.alzheimersresearchuk.org/), is seeking a biologist with a background in neurodegeneration. The ALBORADA DDI is part of a network of world-class Drug Discovery Institutes, funded by Alzheimer's Research UK, forming the Alzheimer's Research UK Drug Discovery Alliance. The work of the DDI at Cambridge is aimed at validating new drug targets and identifying potential new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease as well as other forms of neurodegeneration.

The successful candidate will be a member of our Cell and Molecular Biology Team and will be responsible for designing and performing studies to validate the link between targets and disease and for carrying out studies to characterise and assess compounds emerging from our drug discovery programmes. This is a highly collaborative role which involves working alongside colleagues in the screening and *in vivo* teams and with medicinal and computational chemists to progress projects from target identification through to *in vivo* proof of concept in rodent models.

The role is primarily lab-based and demands an enthusiastic and proactive mindset, along with a demonstrable ability to troubleshoot and optimise methods and an aptitude for data analysis. Working with chemists and other biologists in a stimulating and collaborative environment with opportunities for training and development, the successful candidate will also be encouraged to contribute to implementing new technologies and processes as well as develop a leading role in their specialist laboratory skillset.

The successful candidate will be required to have the following skills and experience:

•  A PhD in Biology with laboratory-based experience, or significant experience in a relevant industrial environment.
•  Experience in neurodegenerative disease research.
•  Practical experience with optimising and troubleshooting immunostaining, PCR and basic molecular biology techniques.
•  Familiarity with cell-based assays and culture techniques.
•  A willingness to provide scientific leadership and supervise junior staff.

Additional desirable attributes would be:

•  Experience with isolating and maintaining neuronal and neuroglial cell lines and primary cells, including pluripotent stem cells.
•  Knowledge of handling large data sets from image analysis and data analysis software.
•  Knowledge of high-content and high-thoughput automation platforms.
•  Experience with the drug discovery process.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 30 April 2026 in the first instance.

Closing Date: 10th February

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to:

Dr Jonathan Clarke

Email: jhc30@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference SA44712 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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