Research Fellow UCL

Vacancy Reference Number

B02-06427

Closing Date

20 Feb 2024

Salary

£42,099–£50,585

Address

UK DRI at UCL, Queen Square On site (> 80% of working time)

Duration

The post is available from 01 April 2024 and funded by a UK DRI/LifeArc translation award to 31 December 2026 in the first instance.

About the job

Dementia is the greatest 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 supporting research to fill the major knowledge gap in our basic understanding of the diseases that cause dementia.

Research from UK DRI at UCL covers the journey from the patient to the laboratory and back to the patient with improved diagnosis, biomarkers and candidate therapies put to the test. Led by Professor Karen Duff, UK DRI Centre Director, the team addresses the key unanswered mechanistic questions that link genetic and lifecourse factors to dysfunction in molecular pathways, in cells and in neural systems during the progression of the dementias. This work will be enhanced by clinical resource to link lab work to the clinic.

The main interest of the Fluid Biomarker Laboratory is fluid biomarkers pertaining to neurodegenerative diseases and their measurement. We have a suite of immunoassay platforms and the expertise to advise our collaborators what biomarkers they should be looking at and how. We also take on new assay development projects – using homebrew to make previously unavailable assays on super-sensitive platforms.

You will develop SIMOA assays for amyloid-beta, tau, alpha-synuclein and TDP-43 aggregates and ASC specks. You will also establish the best combination of biomarkers for diagnosis of AD and DLB following changes after TBI, using retrospective clinical samples including presymptomatic samples. In addition, you will establish if morphological measurement by super-resolution imaging is needed, which will influence whether the use of SIMOA or SIMPULL platform is required in future phases of the study.

Essential Criteria 

You will have, or be about to obtain, a PhD in a relevant discipline, along with experience of immunoassay development and validation. Experience of working with biological fluids is also a requirement, as is an understanding and interest in neurodegenerative diseases and the mission of the UK DRI. Experience developing assays using Quanterix SIMOA is desirable.

This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

Contact information

To apply visit here.

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Dr Amanda Heslegrave (a.heslegrave@ucl.ac.uk).