Postdoctoral Fellow

Location: The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London

About us…  

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. 

To learn more about the Crick, click here.

About the role… 

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow interested in combining interdisciplinary approaches with excellent tractability of the zebrafish heart to study a long-standing problem – how organ form and function emerge during development. Some of the fundamental questions we seek to address include:

Feedback between mechanics, cell fate dynamics, and geometry driving tissue patterning. How 3D topological meshworks are shaped, constrained, and canalized. How nuclear integrity is sustained in a developing beating heart. Morphogenesis and Mechanics of organ scaling and regeneration. Bioelectricity of Morphogenesis.

The suitable candidate will utilize advanced microscopic techniques, image analysis, genetic manipulations, biophysical approaches, and collaborate with theoreticians to address these questions. The specific details and aims of the project will be driven by the candidate’s interest and training. Candidates with a strong background in advanced imaging approaches, image analysis techniques, tissue morphogenesis/mechanics are encouraged to apply. 

What you will be doing…  

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Crick, you will:  

The overarching goal of our lab is to study how functional organs are built to sustain life during embryonic development. This is a long-standing problem in biology with significant implications for tissue engineering and birth defects. To solve this fundamental problem, we use a well-suited model system, the developing zebrafish heart, as it is amenable to state-of-the-art optical, biophysical, and genetic manipulations. We take a systems biology approach by integrating tools from tissue mechanics, developmental genetics, transcriptomics, biophysics, and predictive theoretical modelling. 

About you…  

You will bring… 

• PhD in developmental biology/biophysics/ cell biology or in the final stages of PhD submission.
• Strong expertise in advanced confocal and/or light sheet imaging.
• Strong expertise in quantitative image analysis approaches.
• Excellent molecular biology skills.
• Strong interest and experience in using interdisciplinary approaches in their research program.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills. 

To see the complete job description click here.

To see more about team/Group Leader click here. 

About Working at the Crick… 

Our values  

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. 
• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. 
• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. 

At the Crick, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. If you need assistance with your application, please contact weronika.kucala@crick.ac.uk 

To read more about our EDI approach, click here.   

What will you receive?  

We value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development. You can find out more about what we offer here.

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