Research Associate in Circadian Biology – UK Dementia Research Institute

Job description
Job summary

The Brancaccio Lab invites applications from talented, highly motivated and ambitious postdoctoral scientists to lead one or more projects investigating the molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms driving circadian dysfunction in the pre-clinical stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

The projects involve using cutting-edge techniques, such as in vivo/ ex vivo viral transductions, real-time live imaging of circadian gene expression and neuronal and glial metabolic function in brain slices and in vivo, assessment of circadian and cognitive behaviour in mouse models of AD, RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics.

The key objectives are:

• Investigating the role of circadian misalignment of glial and neuronal activities in AD pathogenesis
• Investigating microglial clock function in aging and neurodegeneration
• Exploring the role of circadian de-synchronisation in aging and neurodegenerative processes

These roles are part of the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London , located in the Department of Brain Sciences .  Postdocs in the UK DRI at Imperial enjoy excellent career development opportunities with:

• Access to a range of cutting-edge technologies, i.e., real-time live imaging for circadian gene expression and neuronal and glial metabolic function, automated behavioural testing, single cell/nuclei transcriptomics, Imaging Mass Cytometry and computational modelling.
• An inclusive and collegial working environment.
• Strong national links through the UK DRI with attendance at its annual scientific meeting ‘Connectome’.
• Support from the Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre (PFDC ) and Imperial and UK DRI ECR Communities
• The opportunity to mentor, supervise and teach students

Duties and responsibilities

As a Research Associate in the UK DRI, you will build on your existing skills and experience to address major components of this project independently by:

• Designing and performing experiments
• Developing technical advances
• Performing data analysis
• Presenting research findings
• Writing up manuscripts to be submitted to peer-review journals

You will be willing to work outside of normal working hours (including weekends) as needed for experimental design.

All researchers in the group maintain highly organised and accurate records of experimental work and contribute to the smooth running of the lab and facilities, acting collegiately with other scientists, clinicians, technicians and students.

You will have the opportunity to assist in the supervision of project students and undertake appropriate scientific and professional training.

Essential requirements

• Research Associate: Hold a PhD (or equivalent) in Neuroscience or a closely related discipline
• Research Assistant: Near completion of a PhD (or equivalent) in Neuroscience or a closely related discipline
• Experience of one or more laboratory techniques including light microscopy and molecular biology (e.g., immunofluorescence on brain tissue, cloning, qPCR, cell culture) is essential.
• Practical experience of single cell RNAseq, RNA scope, spatial transcriptomic techniques (e.g., GeoMX) and/or viral vector design and in vivo stereotaxic surgery, in vivo imaging, would be highly desirable.

Further information

This is a Full Time and Fixed Term post for 1 year based at the Hammersmith and White City Campuses.

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £38,194 – £41,388 per annum.

Please contact Dr Marco Brancaccio M.Brancaccio@Imperial.ac.uk for further discussion about the projects and roles.

The College is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA),which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/

The College believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes where their use is shown to be necessary for developing new treatments and making medical advances. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in the College’s care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/research-and-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-integrity/animal-research / 

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