Dementia is the biggest health challenge of our century.
To date there is no way to prevent it or even slow its progression, and there is an urgent need to fill the knowledge gap in our basic understanding of the diseases that cause it.
The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) is the biggest UK initiative driving forward research to fill this gap.
The UK DRI at Imperial brings together researchers from diverse backgrounds with fresh perspectives, drawing on the university’s unique strengths, resources and focus on science, engineering, medicine and business. The team recognises that the challenges of dementia demand new concepts, new approaches and a diverse range of new research tools and directions. Their holistic approach views the ageing brain in the context of the ageing body, not in isolation.
As an Edmond and Lily Safra Research Fellow, you will be based in the Department of Brain Sciences and aligned with the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial, one of seven centres of excellence embedded in major UK universities. You will have the opportunity to establish your group co-located with the majority of our research teams: across the two west London research campuses: Hammersmith and White City, the major new campus designed to bring together scientific researchers, corporate partners, entrepreneurs and the local community to co-exist and co-create on an unprecedented scale.
You will belong to a cohort of up to five Fellows recruited during the 2023-24 academic year. The Fellowships may be held for 3 years in the first instance. You may spend up to 12 months visiting other research institutions and/ or in industry, the maximum time spent at any one institution or company being 6 months. Research space will be provided at Imperial, consistent with needs, along with a non-renewable research start-up fund of £30,000. You will have access to specific additional support for specialised equipment that they might need. Additional funds may also be available on a project-by-project basis from other internal funds, including e.g., those of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre or the UKRI Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) scheme administered by the College.
These are research focused roles with opportunities to develop a broad range of related skills relevant to success in an academic career. These will include formal mechanisms for Early Career Researcher development and opportunities to teach and examine courses to all levels: undergraduate, master’s and higher research degrees, through lectures, seminars, course work, tutorials, and personal supervision.
Duties and responsibilities
Essential requirements
We are creating a 2023/24 cohort with the appoint of up to five Edmond J. Safra Research Fellows. Applications will be considered throughout the year until the positions are filled. If you are curious about the opportunity, please do get in touch to discuss further. We expect interviews will be held periodically throughout the year. Imperial is one of the UK’s most international universities. We welcome – and encourage – applications from Parkinson’s disease scientists from traditionally under-represented groups.
For further information and to apply, please visit this link: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/jobs/description/MED03955/edmond-and-lily-safra-research-fellow-uk-dementia-research-institute
Applicants are encouraged to contact Prof Paul Matthews for an informal discussion about the role: pa-pmm@imperial.ac.uk
