Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 year in the first instance. Applications are invited for a Research Assistant (RA) position to work on the development and applications of microfluidic platforms for studying protein aggregation and phase separation of immune factors. The RA will work under the supervision of Dr Gea Cereghetti in the group of Professor Tuomas Knowles in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. The aim of this interdisciplinary project is to develop novel tools for the analysis and exploitation of protein phase behavior and aggregation processes in complex biological systems, with a particular focus on proteins involved in innate immunity. Phase-separating and aggregating proteins play critical roles in cellular signalling and disease mechanisms; understanding their regulation and exploiting their properties has significant implications both for fundamental cellular biology and biomedical applications. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of innovative microfluidic platforms that enable high-throughput analysis of these processes and support the development of next-generation therapeutics. A central focus of this work is to investigate the functional properties of phase-separating immune factors and their potential exploitation for biomedical applications. The RA will employ a wide range of techniques, including genetic engineering (plasmid design, cloning, and transformation), microscopy methods (fluorescence, confocal, and live-cell imaging), protein expression and characterization (ELISA, Western blotting, and aggregation assays), as well as bacterial and mammalian cell culture. The candidate will integrate these approaches with microfluidic techniques to develop a quantitative, high-throughput platform for studying aggregation and phase separation dynamics. Prior experience with microfluidics, cell culture, or protein characterization is advantageous but not required. Applicants will be expected to work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment and interact effectively with a team of scientists whose expertise spans molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics. Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online. Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV), a covering letter and include a publications list in the upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents that have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application. Informal inquiries can be directed to Dr. Gea Cereghetti at gssc3cam.ac.uk. Please quote reference MA44539 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy. The Department holds an Athena SWAN silver award for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine. The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. Further information Further information Apply online