Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the work of Dr Yu Hsuan Carol Yang. The PDRA will take a leading role in projects focused on understanding how the crosstalk between the nervous system and the endocrine pancreas impacts glucose homeostasis in health and disease. This Medical Research Council (MRC) funded post is available from 1^st May 2025 on a fixed-term basis until 30^th April 2028. The Yang lab is part of the vibrant Living Systems Institute and Exeter Centre of Excellence for Diabetes Research. The candidate will be working very closely with members of the Yang lab (including the principal investigator, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students) and our collaborative partners.

The successful applicant will be investigating how specific neural signalling fine-tunes the function of the endocrine pancreas and the impact of disrupting this signalling axis on diabetes pathogenesis. The PDRA will lead on projects funded by the MRC, conduct experiments with live zebrafish and human pancreas tissues, and present findings at international conferences. Relevant skills required for completing the research projects include zebrafish handling, CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, molecular biology, whole-mount staining, in vivo microscopy, 4D image analysis, and RNA-Seq transcriptomic analysis. The candidate will have access to a supportive environment to advance their professional development and the opportunity to learn the relevant skills to complement their current skillset in a multidisciplinary institute.

About you

The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.

Applicants will possess a relevant PhD (or nearing completion) or possess an equivalent qualification/experience in a related field of study and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes.

The successful applicant will be trained in cell biology or related discipline with experience in at least two of the following: zebrafish handling, molecular biology, confocal imaging and image analysis, and/or transcriptomic data analysis. You will be working at our multi-disciplinary Living Systems Institute and will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities.

Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.

What we can offer you

• Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines to produce internationally exciting research;
• Support teams that understand the University wide research and teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly
• An Innovation directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development
• Our Exeter Academic initiative supporting high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career
• A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), Paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy
• A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon

Further information

For further information please contact Yu Hsuan Carol Yang, e-mail Y.C.Yang@exeter.ac.uk.

The closing date for completed applications is 30^th April 2025.  Interviews are expected to take place soon after.

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