Research Associate

About us 

The Neves lab is an enthusiastic, collaborative, interdisciplinary, & dynamic team with a positive working culture that delivers excellent research. Our work focuses on studying cellular interactions in the gut using organoid models to develop new therapeutic approaches to promote and restore intestinal health. We are based at the Centre for Host-Microbiome Interactions at King’s College London in central London, just steps away from London Bridge station.

About the role

IBD is a highly debilitating gastrointestinal disease for which there is currently a lack of effective treatments available. We aim to use type-3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) as a therapeutic agent to resolve the inflammation driving the disease and to restore a healthy gut environment. This will be done using the ability of ILC3 to promote protective intestinal barrier functions and T cell responses. Our technology, involving intestinal organoids, allows for the generation of large numbers of these protective ILC3 specific for the intestine (Jowett et al., Cell Reports 2022). Here, we will increase the capacity of our technology and augment the protective functions of intestinal ILC3 to bring this potential new therapeutic tool closer to clinical translation.

The project involves co-culture of ILC precursors with human induced pluripotent derived intestinal organoids (hIPSC), and characterization of the mature ILCs generated within these cultures.

The postdoctoral research associate is expected to develop the project, to maintain accurate records of performed experiments, to analyze and summarize research results, to write reports and manuscripts, to prioritize work and meet deadlines, to join in research group and departmental activities, and to contribute to their positive and inclusive research culture.

This is a full-time, and you will be offered a fixed-term contract until 28.02.2026.

About you

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

Essential criteria

• PhD awarded in immunology or related areas, or PhD in the same subjects near completion (pending results)* 
• Knowledge and relevant laboratorial experience in immunology (preference lymphocytes), including experience with flow cytometry. 
• Knowledge and relevant laboratorial experience in cell culture. 
• Very good organizational skills and meticulous at work with strong work ethic and good research practice. 
• Good communication skills, orally and in writing, along with strong interpersonal skills. 
• Good track record with previous experience in contributing to the preparation of manuscripts and/or grant applications

Desirable criteria

• Experience working with organoids, in particular hIPSC-derived intestinal organoids. 
• Evidence of initiative, resilience, proactivity and productivity with high motivation and ability to persevere. 
• Experience in analysis of scRNAseq data using R. 
• Experience in working with human blood samples. 
• Previous experience in supervising/teaching students. 

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

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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