The UK DRI HQ team is recruiting a Digital Projects Manager to lead on the set-up, piloting, on-boarding, roll-out, troubleshooting and change of digital infrastructure applications to enable scientific research and collaboration across the UK DRI and its six host institutions. This will include supporting and advocating the adoption of these tools by their users, and helping define, configure and modify the applications to be fit for purpose. As the key point of integration and accountability for ensuring the projects’ success the role holder will need to work closely with service provider partners and internal teams of scientists across the UK DRI. Although the role will be mainly based in the UK DRI HQ it will involve regular travel across the UK to the UK DRI centres. You’ll have demonstrable project management experience, exceptional stakeholder management skills and experience of successfully managing change. A contemporary understanding of biomedical neuroscience and dementia research along with an understanding of and interest in the mission and research of the UK DRI is essential. You’ll have previous experience of working with scientific research teams on digital/IT issues and be proficient in tools such as Slack, Active Directory, Confluence, Dropbox for Business, Figshare, Github, AWS S3 and Office 365. Some familiarity with data analysis/development tools such as Jupyter/Python would be desirable. Ref: 1850792, Closing date: 12 January
Apply to centreA collaborative approach is critical to meet the intellectual and technological demands of dementia research. To facilitate this the UK DRI has established cross-centre “themes” focused on specific research areas within dementia research. Each thematic group brings multidisciplinary expertise from across the seven UK DRI centres to explore crucial questions, develop new technologies, explore experimental and therapeutic approaches, and share and make better use of data and data analytics. To support this work, the UK DRI HQ team is searching for a new Research Theme Project Manager. The appointee will support two research themes, driving the Themes’ activity and working closely with the Themes’ Scientific Leads to coordinate communication and knowledge sharing between researchers across the seven centres, as well as the Headquarters team and the wider thematic communities. You will manage the Theme budgets along with logistics on behalf of the Theme membership, organising meetings, workshops and events, and establishing strong working relationships between researchers across the whole UK DRI. You’ll have experience in formal project management in a science or technical environment, utilising communications channels to target information to the right audience and independently organising and managing events. An excellent contemporary understanding of biomedical neuroscience and dementia research along with an understanding of and interest in the mission and research of the UK DRI is essential. Excellent interpersonal, communication and time management skills are critical to the role, as is an ability to forge strong working relationships with internal and external colleagues and stakeholders. We are looking to recruit a Project Manager for the Neuroinflammation and Vascular Dementia Themes, however we aim to make more than one appointment so candidates with expertise in a field relevant to dementia are encouraged to apply. Ref: 1850793, Closing date: 5 January
Apply to centreThe Wiseman research group at the UK DRI at UCL are looking for a PhD student to join an Alzheimer’s Society funded project to understand how Alzheimer’s disease associated neuroinflammation is altered in Down Syndrome. This is a fully funded PhD studentship commencing 28 September 2020. You will build hypotheses, design experiments and generate and analyse data to understand the early development of dementia in people with Down Syndrome, with a specific focus on neuroinflammation and changes to microglial biology; using both animal models and studies using human post-mortem brain material. You’ll interact and collaborate with other members of the Wiseman research group, the UK DRI and the wider national and international research communities to facilitate research breakthroughs in the areas of Trisomy21 and Alzheimer’s disease. Moreover, you will benefit from the advice and support of Alzheimer’s Society Network volunteers. We are looking for a creative and proactive thinker who has an interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms that cause dementia in the context of Down syndrome. An interest in neuroscience and an undergraduate degree in the Life Sciences (2.1 or above) are required. Closing date: 7 February
Apply to centreThe UK DRI at Cambridge is accepting applications for a postdoctoral research associate to join the team of Dr Gabriel Balmus for a new project to explore the role of DNA Damage in Huntington's Disease. Funded by CHDI Foundation, this project will be a collaboration between the Balmus Lab at the UK DRI in Cambridge and Prof Sarah Tabrizi's Lab at the UK DRI at UCL. Huntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by unstable expansion of a CAG triple nucleotide repeat in the coding region of the HTT gene. Currently there is no treatment that can slow or stop disease initiation or progression, thus there is an unmet need for research aimed at discovering disease modifiers prospective to become used in therapy. Large HD population studies have recently uncovered that the expansion of repeats is strongly modified by a set of factors involved in repairing DNA damage, thus critical for genome maintenance. The role is aimed at exploring using CRISPR/Cas9 across the whole class of known DNA damage and/or DNA repair response genes and their impact on repeat expansion or contraction in human induced pluripotent cell lines derived from HD patients as well as established mouse embryonic stem cell HD models. Education to PhD level in a relevant subject is required. Knowledge of techniques in cell and molecular biology is essential, although training in all relevant techniques will be provided. Knowledge of the DNA Damage Response field is highly desirable. Ref: ZE21678, Closing date: 5 January
Apply to centreThe De Strooper lab, based in the UK DRI at UCL, is now seeking an enthusiastic and motivated data management and high-performance computing specialist to join the team. Researchers in the De Strooper lab deal with large amounts of complex data that need to be processed, analysed, stored, and visualised. Your job will be close to the (data) heart of the lab; you will handle and guide this dataflow by ensuring that analysis on local and HPC hardware goes smoothly, software is installed, data is backed up and can be easily retrieved. An exciting aspect of this position will revolve around presentation and visualisation of data in interactive web applications, both for internal and external purposes. Data is critical to the mission of the UK DRI and you will play an important role in our lab’s effort towards a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. You’ll have software or website development experience in Python and be able to work with high performance and cloud computing, including workflow development and data management, organisation and analysis. You’ll have experience of Linux system administration, strong problem-solving abilities, a good understanding of the mission of the UK DRI and great interpersonal and relationship building skills in a research context. Knowledge of or interest in bioinformatics, genomics or transcriptomics would be desirable, as would a working knowledge of statistics and the R language. Ref: 1848021, Closing date: 5 January
Apply to centreThe UK DRI at UCL is looking for a highly motivated and qualified Research Fellow to join the Sala Frigerio research group. The post holder will analyse human brain tissue using single cell (RNA and DNA) sequencing and spatially-resolved transcriptomic methods. You will be responsible for the design and analysis of single cell sequencing experiments, and for the development and implementation of new sequencing methods. The successful candidate will have a PhD in an appropriate discipline (e.g. Neurobiology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational biology). Applicants must have experience in analysing next generation and single cell (RNA and DNA) sequencing data and knowledge of scientific programming (R, Python and Unix). Experience in single cell (RNA and DNA) library preparation methods and long read sequencing (Nanopore and/or PacBio) library preparation and data analysis is desirable. Ref: 1848114, Closing date: 10 December
Apply to centreThe UK DRI at Cambridge is welcoming applications for a 3-year fully-funded PhD position, available through the Alzheimer's Society scheme, under the supervision of Dr Edward Avezov commencing 1 April 2020. The student will be based in the UK DRI, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Clifford Allbutt Building, at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Dr Avezov's research group is an interdisciplinary team studying organelle biology in neuronal cell function and neurodegeneration. The project aims to identify the components of the intrinsic cellular machineries for handling aggregation-prone proteins, and characterise circumstances in which these machineries are activated, with the view to identifying new therapeutic targets to ameliorate/prevent the aggregation load in neuronal cells (associated with neurodegenerative diseases). The project stems from in-house developed technology enabling detection of failures in the protein-folding quality control system with high space-time resolution, and its ability to visualise the existence of the aggregation-resolving activity in live cells. Student will develop the experimental models for monitoring protein quality control and aggregation in live iPSC-derived neurons, and analyse the activity of the intrinsic systems applying a range of biochemical, molecular biology and advanced light imaging techniques. Along with molecular biology/biochemistry, the work will involve training in light microscopy techniques such as Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging, super-resolution microscopy and single particle tracking using state of the art optics and software. Students will gain experience working with live cell nanoscopy, single molecule imaging, genetically encoded biosensors, and iPSc-neuronal cell models/gene editing. Students from disciplines other than biological sciences, who have a numeric aptitude and a strong interest in developing those skills are welcome to apply (an academic background in mathematics, statistics, or computer science would be of interest). Ref: ZE21632, Closing date: 14 January
Apply to centreWith support from the Edmond J. Safra Foundation and in conjunction with the UK DRI at Imperial and the UK DRI Centre for Care Research and Technology, we are looking to appoint a new Research Fellow. We are seeking a researcher ready to take the first steps towards setting up an independent research programme. We intend to appoint a Fellow to address a broader range of interests in bioinformatics (including, e.g. specialisations in systems/computational neuroscience, ‘omics or population studies), translational molecular cell studies or advanced neuroimaging specifically for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. A research programme will be developed and managed by the Fellow with supportive mentorship from Professor Paul Matthews, Head of the UK DRI at Imperial, Professor David Sharp, Head of the UK DRI Centre for Care and Technology or Professor Paola Piccini, Head of the Centre for Neuroinflammation and Neurodegeneration. The goal of the Fellowship is to prepare Fellows to make the transition from a traditional post-doctoral post to becoming an independent investigator. You hold A PhD or equivalent higher research degree in a relevant field plus post-doctoral or equivalent additional research training. A previous research and publication record with evidence of potential for international excellence and leadership in the chosen area of science is also necessary. Ref: MED01244, Closing date: 8 January
The UK DRI at UCL is looking for a highly motivated and qualified Research Fellow or Senior Research Fellow to join Dr Marc Busche's lab (buschelab.com), which employs molecular, optical, electrophysiological and behavioural methods to reveal the cellular and circuit determinants of the devastating learning and memory impairments observed in individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and related dementing illnesses. The post holder will work independently on a high impact, state-of-the-art project in a stimulating and social international research environment, undertaking world-class science under the guidance of a leader in Alzheimer’s pathophysiology. The successful candidate will have (or be working towards) a PhD or equivalent in Neuroscience or a neuroscience-related or quantitative discipline. Applicants must have experience with in vivo patch-clamp electrophysiology and/or two-photon microscopy in rodent brains, a strong statistical analysis background, and programming and coding ability (e.g., MATLAB, Python), especially with regards to analysing the electrophysiological and imaging data. Applicants who are motivated to develop careers as independent investigators are especially encouraged to apply. Ref: 1844237, Closing date: 18 December
APPLY TO CENTREThe UK DRI at Cardiff is seeking a passionate, hard working, and creative Research Associate to join the lab of Prof Vincent Dion. The Dion lab has recently developed a novel method to contract expanded CAG/CTG repeats using the CRISPR/Cas9 nickase, thereby correcting the mutation that causes 14 different diseases. The goal of this project is to test whether this gene editing approach is applicable to myotonic dystrophy in vivo and to assess the extent of off-target mutations caused by this treatment in induced pluripotent stem cells. The work will have important implications to the design of novel therapeutic avenues for this group of debilitating neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. You have expertise in molecular biology, tissue culture, including induced pluripotent stem cells, and/or CRISPR technology. Experience of high-throughput sequencing and its analysis is highly desirable. You have a postgraduate degree at PhD level (or nearing completion) in genetics, neuroscience, molecular biology or a related subject area, and established expertise and relevant experience within the fields of molecular biology and tissue culture and/or CRISPR/Cas9. Ref: 8505BR, Closing date: 11 December
Apply to centreThe UK DRI at Imperial is seeking an outstanding Research Associate interested in taking on a challenging role with considerable scope for independent scientific achievement and personal growth. The fellowship programme of Dr Marco Brancaccio is focused on defining the mechanisms driving circadian dysfunction in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Sleep and circadian disturbances have been recently associated with the earliest preclinical manifestations of AD, in both humans and animal models of the disease. We will investigate the molecular, cellular and circuit mechanisms underlying this association, the genetic and environmental factors driving circadian dysfunction and their specific role in the AD pathogenic cascade. The long-term goal of this project is the development of novel therapeutic approaches aimed at recruiting circadian clocks in the brain for the prevention/ early intervention of AD. A PhD (or being in the final stages of completion) in neuroscience, biological sciences or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience is required. Knowledge of in vivo/ in vitro microscopy and imaging software and of research methods and statistical procedures is also needed. Practical experience in viral vector design and production (AAVs, LVs), IPSCs cultures, next generation RNA sequencing and other -OMICS techniques, live imaging, stereotaxic surgery and mouse behaviour (cognitive tests, sleep and circadian function) will be considered as an advantage. Experience in circadian and sleep research is also an advantage, but it is not strictly required. Ref: MED01436, Closing date: 5 January
Apply to centreThe UK DRI at UCL are looking to appoint a new Group Leader (Senior/Principal Fellow), who will lead an internationally competitive research programme, relevant to the area of neurodegeneration, with the ultimate aim of improving human health. You will receive extensive support from the UK DRI, including up to £1.5 million start-up funding over a five-year period, appointment based on the MRC tenure-track route, access to shared equipment and technology across a national institute and membership of a community of world-leading scientists. You are also entitled to the full range of UCL staff benefits and development opportunities. You will have substantial postdoctoral experience, a proven track record of internationally competitive scientific research relevant to the UK DRI and a commitment to, appreciation and understanding of the mission of the UK DRI. You’ll be experienced in planning and developing projects or programmes of research and have a wide knowledge of techniques and methodologies related to research in neurodegeneration. You’ll propose an exciting and innovative programme of research that demonstrably interfaces and compliments the UK DRI’s current portfolio and science strategy, and evidence that you have the potential to lead, inspire and develop a research group into an excellent team. Rolling deadline.
Apply to centreUK DRI Fellows will lead an internationally competitive research programme with up to £1.5m in funding support, relevant to the area of neurodegeneration, with the ultimate aim of improving human health. You will draw on the knowledge and expertise of other colleagues both within and outside of the UK DRI through collaborative inputs and team working. Use reference: 046510 on Edinburgh vacancy page. Rolling Deadline.
Apply to centreUK DRI Professors will direct internationally competitive research with up to £3m programme support, relevant to the area of neurodegeneration, with the ultimate aim of improving human health. You will draw on the knowledge and expertise of other colleagues both within and outside of the UK DRI through collaborative inputs and team working. Use reference: 046501 on Edinburgh vacancy page. Rolling deadline.
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