Research Associate in Immunology (Imperial College London)

Job summary We are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to study immune cell biology using state-of-the-art microscopy and other techniques, funded by the Medical Research Council. The project will be based in Prof. Dan Davis’s lab in Imperial College London, South Kensington, to study fundamental aspects of molecular recognition by human Natural Killer cells (and T cells), using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy as well as molecular and cell... Job listing information Reference NAT01560 Date posted 20 October 2023 Closing date 30 November 2023 Key information about the role Location South Kensington Campus - On site only Position type Full time, fixed term Salary £45,593 – £53,630 plus benefits Department Department of Life Sciences Category Researcher / Non Clinical Researcher Job description Job summary We are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to study immune cell biology using state-of-the-art microscopy and other techniques, funded by the Medical Research Council. The project will be based in Prof. Dan Davis’s lab in Imperial College London, South Kensington, to study fundamental aspects of molecular recognition by human Natural Killer cells (and T cells), using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy as well as molecular and cell biology techniques. Advances in technology are helping us understand the immune system as never before, and to develop medicines which boost the system to fight cancer better, to dampen it to combat the symptoms of auto-immune disease, and to help develop better vaccines. Activating and inhibitory receptors on the surface of immune cells are critical determinants of immune activity. The level of each receptor and its ligand, and how well they bind, are primary determinants of disease outcomes. However, advances in microscopy are now revealing a host of other factors which control immune responses. This includes protrusions from immune cells which contact other cells, a complex nanoscale organisation of activating and inhibitory receptors, clusters of proteins secreted by immune cells to kill diseased cells, and novel mechanisms by which immune cells can detach from one target cell to attack again. Understanding immunity on a nanoscale is a major new frontier and will lead to completely new ideas for medicine. This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-equipped multidisciplinary team of around 10 other researchers, including postdocs and PhD students, collectively studying immune cell biology in health and disease, on a nanoscale. You should have a PhD or equivalent level of professional qualification and experience. Some experience in immune cell biology or advanced microscopy or imaging analysis, will be essential. But plenty of expertise and advice will be on hand to help with skills you don’t currently have. Duties and responsibilities You will be required to help produce independent and original research as part of a team of postdocs, students and technicians. The project will involve using microscopy to image signal transduction and integration from activating and inhibitory receptors on human immune cells. This will be compared in settings of health and disease. The post involves a high degree of teamwork and interdisciplinary research as well as daily interactions with other members of the lab and other allied scientists within Imperial College and elsewhere as appropriate. Essential requirements You must have a PhD (or be about to hold a PhD) in biology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field. Experience with human immune cell biology or high-level microscopy is strongly desired. You must have excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as basic knowledge of immunology, cell biology or microscopy. You must also be able to develop and apply new concepts, work with minimal supervision and have a creative approach to problem-solving. The ideal candidate will have the passion and drive to tackle and overcome scientific problems. Further information This is a full-time, fixed term for 3 years, via a new program grant funded by the Medical Research Council (UK). You will be based at South Kensington Campus. The expected contract dates are from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 (with some flexibility over precise start date). Please note that any candidate who has not been yet awarded their PhD, will be appointed as a Research Assistant. For informal enquiries please contact Professor Daniel Davis (d.davis@imperial.ac.uk) 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/ Documents Job Description Research Associate.pdf If you apply for this position please say you saw it on Bioloxy

Job summary

We are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to study immune cell biology using state-of-the-art microscopy and other techniques, funded by the Medical Research Council. The project will be based in Prof. Dan Davis’s lab in Imperial College London, South Kensington, to study fundamental aspects of molecular recognition by human Natural Killer cells (and T cells), using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy as well as molecular and cell...

Job listing information

Reference NAT01560
Date posted 20 October 2023
Closing date 30 November 2023

Key information about the role

Location South Kensington Campus - On site only

Position type Full time, fixed term
Salary £45,593 – £53,630 plus benefits

Department Department of Life Sciences
Category Researcher / Non Clinical Researcher

Job description

Job summary

We are seeking to recruit a Research Associate to study immune cell biology using state-of-the-art microscopy and other techniques, funded by the Medical Research Council.

The project will be based in Prof. Dan Davis’s lab in Imperial College London, South Kensington, to study fundamental aspects of molecular recognition by human Natural Killer cells (and T cells), using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy as well as molecular and cell biology techniques.

Advances in technology are helping us understand the immune system as never before, and to develop medicines which boost the system to fight cancer better, to dampen it to combat the symptoms of auto-immune disease, and to help develop better vaccines. Activating and inhibitory receptors on the surface of immune cells are critical determinants of immune activity. The level of each receptor and its ligand, and how well they bind, are primary determinants of disease outcomes. However, advances in microscopy are now revealing a host of other factors which control immune responses. This includes protrusions from immune cells which contact other cells, a complex nanoscale organisation of activating and inhibitory receptors, clusters of proteins secreted by immune cells to kill diseased cells, and novel mechanisms by which immune cells can detach from one target cell to attack again. Understanding immunity on a nanoscale is a major new frontier and will lead to completely new ideas for medicine.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a well-equipped multidisciplinary team of around 10 other researchers, including postdocs and PhD students, collectively studying immune cell biology in health and disease, on a nanoscale. You should have a PhD or equivalent level of professional qualification and experience. Some experience in immune cell biology or advanced microscopy or imaging analysis, will be essential. But plenty of expertise and advice will be on hand to help with skills you don’t currently have.

Duties and responsibilities

You will be required to help produce independent and original research as part of a team of postdocs, students and technicians. The project will involve using microscopy to image signal transduction and integration from activating and inhibitory receptors on human immune cells. This will be compared in settings of health and disease. The post involves a high degree of teamwork and interdisciplinary research as well as daily interactions with other members of the lab and other allied scientists within Imperial College and elsewhere as appropriate.

Essential requirements

You must have a PhD (or be about to hold a PhD) in biology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field. Experience with human immune cell biology or high-level microscopy is strongly desired. You must have excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as basic knowledge of immunology, cell biology or microscopy. You must also be able to develop and apply new concepts, work with minimal supervision and have a creative approach to problem-solving. The ideal candidate will have the passion and drive to tackle and overcome scientific problems.

Further information

This is a full-time, fixed term for 3 years, via a new program grant funded by the Medical Research Council (UK). You will be based at South Kensington Campus. The expected contract dates are from 01 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 (with some flexibility over precise start date).

Please note that any candidate who has not been yet awarded their PhD, will be appointed as a Research Assistant.

For informal enquiries please contact Professor Daniel Davis (d.davis@imperial.ac.uk)

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/