Research Associate in Circadian Biology UK Dementia Research Institute (Imperial)
Vacancy Reference Number: MED05021
Closing Date: 10 Feb 2025
Salary: £48,056 - £56,345 per annum
Address: UK Dementia Research Institute, Hammersmith Campus - Hybrid
Duration: Full time - Fixed term role
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.
The Brancaccio Lab invites applications from talented, highly motivated and creative postdoctoral scientists to take a leading role in one of the following projects investigating molecular cellular and circuit mechanisms driving circadian dysfunction in pre-clinical models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
What you would be doing:
Project: Leveraging circadian clocks to prevent Alzheimer’s disease
In this project, you will develop new molecular tools modifying circadian pathways to prevent/ delay Alzheimer’s disease. You will perform viral delivery of gene therapy viral vectors, behavioural assessment of sleep-wake cycles and cognition, multiplexed live imaging in brain tissue, combinatorial intersectional genetics, and multivariate statistical analysis of time series to validate new chronotherapeutic interventions in Alzheimer’s disease. Previous knowledge of circadian biology is desirable but not strictly necessary.
What we are looking for:
You will be a motivated and organised researcher, excited by the science we do.
You will hold (or be near completion of) a PhD in neuroscience (or related discipline).
Experience of one or more laboratory techniques including live imaging microscopy and advanced techniques of molecular biology (e.g., cloning, viral vector design, construction and production, CRISPR/Cas9 and/or RNAi functional interference) is essential.
Experience of one or more software packages is essential: MATLAB, ImageJ, SigmaPlot, Prism, R, as is experience in statistical analysis.
Practical experience with RNAseq, RNA scope, and spatial transcriptomic techniques is highly desirable.
Experience with multivariate statistical analysis of (circadian) time series is highly desirable.
If you require any further details on the role please contact: Dr Marco Brancaccio – m.brancaccio@imperial.ac.uk
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