Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to work on cardio-immunology within King’s Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine and the BHF Centre of Excellence. Myocardial infarction (MI) is the commonest cause of heart failure and there is compelling evidence implicating excessive inflammation as a key contributor. Clonal haematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is where individuals acquire mutations in blood cells without apparent blood disease, and these mutations promote inflammation. CHIP confers a 4-fold increased risk of ischaemic heart disease and 3-fold increased risk of death from heart failure. This inter-disciplinary project aims to investigate CHIP-mediated effects on ventricular remodelling and heart failure after MI.

This project will use in vivo models and state-of-the-art in vivo cardiac imaging. These studies will provide invaluable knowledge on the role of CHIP in cardiac recovery after MI. We aim to identify and target novel signalling pathways and regulators of inflammation that we can translate to the bedside to alleviate progression to heart failure.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract of up to 26 months depending on available start date. This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities
- Perform murine in vivo experiments, including MI.
- Perform xenotransplant and adoptive transfer experiments using genetically altered (including immune deficient) mice.
- Perform in vivo imaging, including echocardiography and cardiac MRI.
- Perform multicolour flow cytometry on primary human and engrafted haematopoietic cells including cell sorting.
- Genotype primary human and engrafted haematopoietic cells for CHIP mutations.
- Work closely with Animal Facility staff to ensure high standards of animal welfare are met, and compliance with personal and project license conditions.
- Present data at regular group meetings.
- Use specialist scientific equipment in a laboratory environment.
- Support the training of undergraduate and postgraduate project students.
- Interact scientifically with other members of the group, departmental colleagues, and collaborators. Represent the research group at external meetings/seminars.
- Facilitate collaboration and networking which engages and supports the activities of the project.
- Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for journal publication.
- Plan own day-to-day research and administrative activities within the framework of the agreed research objectives and milestones.
- The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post._

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1. PhD in relevant biological sciences project.

2. Hold a personal animal licence (PIL)

3. Have experience and/or expertise in cardiovascular science, inflammation, immunology and/or leucocyte biology.

4. Have expertise and/or experience with in vivo murine models.

5. Be familiar with routine molecular biology protocols, including DNA isolation, PCR, RT-PCR, cell culture and treatment, cell fractionation, flow cytometry, ELISA, and functional assays.

6. Possess scientific integrity and understanding of the importance of study design, power calculations and statistical analysis.

7. Commitment to continuing personal and professional development.

8. Good written presentation skills, communication skills (written & verbal), and IT skills.

9. Ability to work independently and integrate with colleagues, work as part of a team, and undertake a share of group tasks.

10. Able to carry out know/learnt techniques unsupervised, and flexible/able to change in current professional context.

11. Proven ability to manage own research and administrative activities efficiently, prioritise, meet targets and deadlines, and keep clear and well organised laboratory notes and records.

12. Have experience in contributing to publications/presentations.

Desirable criteria

13. Experience of relevant in vivo models, including myocardial infarction, xenotransplantation and IV/IP injections.

14. Experience of wet lab workflows for bulk and single cell RNA sequencing.

15. Experience of flow cytometry cell sorting.

16. Have experience of independently managing a discrete area of a research project.

Further information

Planned interview dates: Early-mid March.