ABOUT US

The Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy is focused on advancing the understanding and treatment of neurological disease, particularly epilepsy, but also other neurological disorders.
Within the Department of Epilepsy, the Jepson laboratory utilises fruit fly (Drosophila) models to study the cellular basis of neurological phenotypes in an array of neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders, including dystonia, epilepsy, neuropathies, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Jepson laboratory is also interested in using Drosophila to study the molecular underpinnings of sleep and circadian rhythms.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Using Drosophila as an in vivo model, the Jepson laboratory has recently investigated how loss-of-function mutations in the cell cycle transcriptional suppressor Rbf/RBL2 cause a wide spectrum of neurological phenotypes as part of an early-onset progressive neurodevelopmental disorder (Aughey et al., (2025) Brain).
These studies, alongside unpublished follow-up investigations, have revealed an unexpected role for this cell cycle protein in promoting circadian rhythms by acting in post-mitotic (non-dividing) neurons – a phenotype strikingly analogous to sleep perturbations exhibited by human patients carrying RBL2 mutations.
We have now obtained funding to further define the mechanisms by which Rbf acts in Drosophila clock neurons to regulate circadian rhythmicity. This will involve performing behavioural genetic experiments to quantify circadian rhythmicity in various Drosophila strains and helping to perform cell-specific transcriptomic analyses in defined clock neurons to uncover how Rbf modulates the circadian transcriptome.
The post is available from 01 October 2025 and is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council for 18 months in the first instance.
If you need reasonable adjustments or a more accessible format to apply for this job online, or have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Institute of Neurology HR Team (ion.hradmin@ucl.ac.uk).
Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Professor James Jepson (j.jepson@ucl.ac.uk).
A full job description and person specification for this role can be accessed below. To apply, please upload a current CV, complete the online application form, and use the supporting statement section or upload a cover letter to outline how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role. Please do not upload any additional attachments as these will not be considered by the selection panel.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits, some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• On-site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insuranc