PhD studentship

Vacancy Reference Number

PM11383

Closing Date

15 Mar 2017

Address

Cambridge University

Duration

3 years

Live imaging of mouse peri- and post-implantation morphogenesis

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years.

ImageInLife is a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (MSCA-ITN) funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020 programme and focused on the training of European experts in multilevel bio-imaging, analysis and modelling of vertebrate development and disease. 

In the context of the ImageInLife network, the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience (PDN), University of Cambridge, has a vacancy for one Early Stage Researcher (ESR, PhD student) on the project detailed below. 

Project description: Live imaging of mouse peri- and post-implantation morphogenesis The ESR will work in the group of Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz with Drs Neophytos Christodoulou and Matteo Molè as co-supervisors. The project aims to uncover the morphogenetic events shaping the mouse embryo during implantation development in the synthetic and natural environment. The ESR will use the well-established ex-vivo culture system developed in the host laboratory, in combination with transgenic fluorescent reporter mouse lines and advanced confocal and multiphoton microscopy. Additionally, 4D cell motion and lineage tracking analysis will be performed to characterise how single cell behavior contributes to tissue wide morphogenetic events. 

Applicants should hold a degree in biology, biophysics, or biomedical sciences and must comply with the eligibility criteria and transnational mobility rules for MSCA-ITN: * Early-stage researcher (ESR) will be appointed for three years as Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow. The Fellowship is offered in conjunction with a PhD position in the PDN, University of Cambridge and will be subject to the Fellow satisfying the University's admissions requirements. At the time of recruitment, the ESR shall be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of his/her research career and have not been awarded a doctoral degree. * Full-Time Equivalent Research Experience is measured from the date when the researcher obtained the degree entitling him/her to embark on a doctorate (either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the researcher is recruited or seconded), even if a doctorate was never started or envisaged. * Trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) is an essential requirement of MSCA-ITN. The ESR can be of any nationality. At the time of recruitment by the host organisation, he/she must not have resided or carried out his/her main activity (work, studies, etc) in the country of the host organisation for more than 12 months in the three years immediately before the reference date. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not taken into account.

The ESR will be employed at the host institute by a contract with full social security coverage. He/She will receive a salary of £35,000 per annum augmented by a mobility allowance of £5,600 per annum in line with the EC rules for Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant holders. The ESR will be liable to pay his/her fees (see www.graduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance). The appointment will be made on educational background, research experience, fluency in spoken and written English, and motivation to take part in and contribute to the research and training programme of the ImageInLife consortium. 

Applications, in English, should include a covering letter, CV, detailed academic transcripts and two reference letters, which are all to be submitted through the on-line application system at https://www.imageinlife-application.eu. Additionally, please submit the same application documents by email to Drs Christodoulou (nc480@cam.ac.uk) and Mole (mam238@cam.ac.uk).

ImageInLife strives to recruit between 40-60% female researchers. For more information contact Prof. Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz (mz205@cam.ac.uk). 

The application deadline is 15 March 2017.

To find out more and apply, please visit University of Cambridge website