Research Assistant in Motor Neuron Disease

The Oxford Motor Neuron Disease (MND, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS) Centre requires an enthusiastic research assistant for the opportunity to develop their expertise in Motor Neurone Disease (MND, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, and the related disorder frontotemporal dementia, FTD) through their engagement with an established = internationally-leading programme of neuroscience research led by Professor Martin Turner, Professor Kevin Talbot and Dr Alexander Thompson.

 

This post would be very suitable for a bioscience graduate who is considering going on to study for a doctorate in neuroscience. It requires excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

 

The post holder will be responsible for supporting all aspects of the Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) laboratory set up for the measurement of trial participant blood samples that underpins a major new UK drug screening platform in MND, the ‘EXPErimental Route To Success in ALS’ (EXPERTS-ALS, www.experts-als.uk).

 

A major rate-limiting step in therapeutic advancement for ALS is the capacity to deliver Phase 3 randomised controlled trials at pace for a growing pool of drugs. Through multiple cohort studies, blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) level has been established as an objective correlate of the individual rate of disability progression in ALS.

 

EXPERTS-ALS is a randomised, open-label, multi-arm study that will prioritise groups of candidate drugs by their ability to lower NfL levels in relatively small groups of ALS patients over up to 6 months per drug. It involves 11 MND centres around the UK. The Sheffield CTRU has general trial management oversight. A separate ground-breaking experimental medicine programme will enable the analysis of samples generated from participants for the development of novel biomarkers.

 

The EXPERTS-ALS platform hinges on the robust and high-throughput NfL measurement using the SIMOA HDX instrument (Quanterix) which is run by a post-doctoral scientist and this post holder. The analysis of human samples collected as part of this clinical trial must comply with the Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 and will provide the primary endpoint data that will dictate the outcome of each clinical trial arm. The post holder will work alongside the post-doctoral scientist, Clinical Research Project Manager, with oversight from an independent Quality Assurance Consultant and an existing Senior Clinical Project Manager to ensure that the data generated is documented and reported in compliance with GCLP and the applicable regulatory requirements.

 

The post offers the opportunity to become proficient in biofluid sample processing, analytical techniques such as ELISA, experience of working within a Quality Management System of a GCLP laboratory and to gain experience in neurodegeneration research as it relates to MND. As such the post would be very suitable for a bioscience graduate who is considering going on to study for a doctorate in neuroscience. The post requires excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.

 

The post-holder will join a wider vibrant team of more than 30 people in the Oxford MND Centre who are involved in a range of basic science and patient-based research, plus those involved in the clinical care of those living with MND. It is an opportunity to be closely involved in driving one of the most significant global advances in drug screening in MND and biofluid biomarker development more widely.

 

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