Post Doctoral Research Associate

About the role

This project will investigate pathogenic B cell responses and aims to identify therapeutic targets in immunobullous skin disease with wider application to other IgG4 mediated autoimmune diseases.

Flow and mass cytometry will be used to deeply phenotype antigen specific B cells and antibody secreting cells in blood and skin from patients with pemphigus vulgaris. Single cell RNA sequencing will then be performed on antigen specific cells using the 10x genomics platform.  This will yield large datasets and the postholder will perform computational analyses of single cell genomic and mass cytometry data. An analysis of B cell clones will also be performed.

Antibody specificity and pathogenicity of B cell clones will then be tested by PIPE cloning and ELISA. Immunohistochemistry will be used to validate the expression of disease associated targets within the skin. In vitro cell culture and cell stimulation assays will also be used to validate disease associated pathways.

The postholder will assist in project management, help with supervision of PhD students and junior staff, contribute to writing of reports, grant applications, new patent applications, writing up, submission, and revision of manuscripts for publication in appropriate scientific journals. Research findings will need to be presented at internal and external scientific meetings.

The role requires effective work in collaboration with the other researchers appointed in the programme to specific deliverables and to strict deadlines. The postholder must interact effectively with external commercial and academic partners to present data on a weekly basis and additionally when required.

The postholder will be required to record, analyse and write up the results of experiments, to present your work in laboratory meetings and to external collaborators, prepare reports for other partners and contribute to preparation of manuscripts, grant applications and new patent applications as required.

This is full-time post (35 hours per week) and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31st March 2028

About You

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

• PhD awarded in Immunology, Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology, or equivalent of PhD in Immunology, Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology, Cancer Immunology *
• BSc in Molecular Biology, Immunology, Biophysics, Biochemistry or related subject
• Trained to use multiparameter flow cytometry
• Trained to isolate and purify lymphocytes from blood and by tissue digest
• Experience of cell culture and in vitro cell stimulation assays
• Organised, highly motivated, focused towards high quality deliverables and able to meet strict deadlines. Excellent team player able to work as part of an interdisciplinary team, and ability to take initiative in problem solving and working independently

Desirable criteria

• Mass cytometry including data analysis
• Single cell RNA sequencing using the 10x genomics platform including data analysis
• Immunohistochemistry
• Quantitative PCR
• Bioinformatics including the detection and analysis of B cell clonal data

*Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6. 

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