Full-time, fixed term until 28/02/2029
We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to join Dr Filipa Simões’s group on a BBSRC-funded collaborative project as part of consortium (CellTalkHDD) of investigators from the University of Cambridge (Professor Sanjay Sinha- consortium lead PI; Dr Richard Tyser; Professor Sarah Teichman) and University of Oxford (Professor Paul Riley), studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of human heart development.
The ideal candidate will be strongly motivated with a highly enthusiastic approach to science and good organisational, verbal, communication and interpersonal skills. They must be able to work both independently and part of a research team. Ideally, they will have experience in cardiovascular research and/or working with the zebrafish model. Experience of hPSC-derived in vitro models, 2D and/or 3D and experience in imaging, including use of confocal and lightsheet microscopy, would be beneficial.
This is a full-time position where experimental work will be performed at the IDRM, however there is possibility for some analytical work to be completed remotely.
Key responsibilities:
- Manage your own academic research and administrative activities. This involves small scale project management, co-ordinating multiple aspects of work, meeting deadlines and supporting interactions with other CellTalkHDD consortia members and research collaborators
- Carry out collaborative projects with colleagues in Oxford and Cambridge and in partner institutions and research groups
- Adapt existing and develop new scientific techniques and experimental protocols. The successful applicant must be familiar with or have the capacity to become quickly familiar with basic cell and molecular biology techniques, genomics, tissue histology, embryology and fluorescence imaging approaches
- Leverage human developmental heart cell atlas data generated across the consortium to further engineer in vitro 3D cardiac organoid model systems using human ES and iPS cells
- Carry out multimodal single cell and spatial transcriptomics experiments on zebrafish embryos and newly-engineered cardiac organoids, subsequent in situ validation and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing of key regulators
Selection criteria:
- Hold, or be close to completion of, a PhD/DPhil or equivalent in a relevant area of research
- Must have laboratory experience in molecular/cellular biology and/or genomics relevant to the project described above
- Must have the ability to contribute significant intellectual input to the progress and direction of the research project and to take the lead in some areas
Interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing 16th June 2025, and will be face to face wherever possible but with the option to interview via Microsoft Teams if required. For further information on the post, please contact Dr Filipa Simões: filipa.simoes@idrm.ox.ac.uk.
Applications are particularly welcome from women, black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford.
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We, as a Department and Community, will be considerate and welcoming of all people, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic background. We acknowledge societal inequalities and how these impact us, and those around us, personally and professionally. Our policies, practices and Respectful Behaviours Framework underpin this commitment.
£38,674 to £43,171 per annum
