UK DRI Research Fellow

at  Kings College London

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Job id: 084845. Salary: £51,974 - £53,350 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.
Posted: 20 February 2024. Closing date: 25 February 2024.
Business unit: IoPPN. Department: Basic & Clinical Neuroscience.
Contact details: Dr Marc-David Ruepp. marc-david.ruepp@kcl.ac.uk
Location: Wohl Building, Denmark Hill Campus. Category: Research.
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Job description
Dementia is the greatest 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.
We are a globally leading multidisciplinary research institute of 850 staff investigating the spectrum of neurodegenerative disorders causing dementia, with laboratory-based research groups located at University College London, the University of Cambridge, Cardiff University, Edinburgh University, Imperial College London and King’s College London.
Dementia is the biggest health challenge of our century – currently affecting fifty million people worldwide, projected to triple by 2050, with huge financial, emotional and social impact on people directly affected, their carers, families and the community. Dementia is a symptom of several neurodegenerative disorders, with Alzheimer’s disease accounting for about 60% of cases. To date there is no way to prevent or even slow the rate of progression of neurodegeneration.
Centre context
King’s
Researchers at the UK DRI at King’s use innovative approaches to explore the biological mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative diseases. Their goal is to defeat dementia by uncovering vital new knowledge that will lead to the design of smarter diagnostics and effective treatments. The team aim to understand the fundamental biological processes involved in dementia at a molecular level – and to use that knowledge to design new ways to diagnose and treat disease more precisely.
To this end, Dr Marc-David Ruepp’s group (https://ukdri.ac.uk/team/marc-david-ruepp) is seeking to appoint a Research Fellow for a collaborative project with the group of Prof Pietro Fratta (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/research/our-departments/neuromuscular-diseases/dr-p-fratta ) in the context of a pre-clinical work package for a gene therapy approach using modified snRNAs for splicing correction in ALS/FTD.
The successful candidate should have significant laboratory experience in RNA Biology, molecular biology, stem cell culture and neuronal differentiation. The role involves significant work in molecular cloning, induced pluripotent stem cell culture and neuronal differentiation along with phenotyping and analysis of changes in gene expression by RT-PCR and qPCR.
You will join a multidisciplinary team on the Denmark Hill Campus with a leading role in:
Designing and performing experiments
Developing technical advances
Performing data analysis
Presenting the results
Writing up manuscripts to be submitted to peer-review journals
You will be a dynamic, motivated and creative scientist with attention to detail and timelines. You will also be given opportunities to work closely with other scientists across the UK DRI and in external universities and you will be given opportunities to explore your own and other novel ideas, train in new methods and develop new competencies. You will also be supported to attend scientific meetings to present work, subject to progress and budgets.
This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for two 2 years with the option to be extended for an additional year
This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent
Key responsibilities
To take initiative in the planning of research
To actively participate in the research programme of the Group
To work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research team
To plan and conduct scientific work, with appropriate supervision
To conduct data analysis
To ensure the validity and reliability of data at all times
To maintain highly organised, accurate and complete records of all experimental work using electronic notebook and version control systems
To present findings in regular group meetings to the PI and colleagues
To prepare and present reports
To provide guidance to staff and students, providing supervision as required
To attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary
To publish in high quality journals and to present data at national and international meetings
To participate in Group/Centre research meetings and internal seminars
To contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s/Centre’s laboratories and, facilities with other scientists, clinicians, technicians, and students within the laboratories
To comply with the local safety practices and to attend courses on safety when appropriate
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
Essential criteria
1. Hold a PhD in Molecular Biology or Biochemistry or a closely related discipline.
2. Practical experience within a research environment and publication in relevant and refereed journals in the context of RNA metabolism and neurobiology/degeneration
3. Knowledge of neurodegeneration.
4. Practical experience in a broad range of standard laboratory techniques including light microscopy and molecular biology (e.g., immunofluorescence on brain tissue, cloning, qPCR, cell culture)
5. Practical experience in the following:
Lentiviral vector production
Stem cell culture and neuronal differentiation
Neuronal phenotyping (neurite tracking and neurite outgrowth assays)
RNA-Seq including cDNA library preparation
Live cell microscopy
High throughput microscopy
6. Practical experience in coding in R and Python
7. Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature
8. Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publication
9. Willingness to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and cooperative
Desirable criteria
1. Experience working with primary cells and tissues
2. Experience in episomal reprogramming
3. Experience with flow cytometr

Please refer the Job description for details