​UK DRI at UCL

• Specialisms at UCL
• Mechanistic understanding of dysfunction in cells and neural systems
• Gene expression and biological pathways in single cells related to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease
• New biomarkers to monitor disease progression
• Deficits in axonal transport in early neurodegeneration
• Wnt signalling in synapses to discover new targets for future dementia therapies

• Read more about UCL

  Research from UK DRI at UCL will cover the journey from the patient to the laboratory and back to the patient with improved diagnosis, biomarkers and candidate therapies to put to the test. Led by Professor Bart de Strooper, UK DRI Director, the team will address the key unanswered mechanistic questions that link genetic and lifecourse factors to dysfunction in molecular pathways, in cells and in neural systems during the progression of the dementias. This work will be enhanced by clinical resource to link lab work to the clinic.

  UK DRI at UCL will examine changes in gene expression and biological pathways in single cells to get a detailed picture of the changes happening during the initiation and development of Alzheimer’s disease. The UCL team will also develop new biomarkers to monitor disease progression. Programmes of work will look specifically at deficits in axonal transport as a very early step in neurodegeneration and at the role of the Wnt signaling pathway in the maintenance and function of synapses to see whether it is a promising target for future dementia therapies.

  Location: UK DRI at UCL will initially be located in a refurbished space within the Cruciform building, within UCL’s Bloomsbury campus. This location is near to Alzheimer's Research UK's UCL Drug Discovery Institute, the MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cellular Biology, the MRC Prion Unit, the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre for Neural Circuits and Behaviour, and genetic facilities. 

Apply for latest jobs at UCL

• Research Fellow, UK DRI at UCL - Wiseman Lab

  Applications are invited for a Research Fellow in the lab of Dr Frances Wiseman. The post is within the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology although it is based entirely at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL. People with Down Syndrome (DS) are at much greater risk of developing early onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) than the general population. In this Alzheimer’s Research UK funded project we will test if cysteine cathepsins have a major and therapeutically tractable role in AD in DS due to their ability to; 1) alter APP/Aß processing, 2) affect cell death and 3) modulate neuroinflammation. The successful candidate will build hypotheses, design experiments and generate and analyse data, and will have the opportunity to utilise the breadth and depth of expertise and technologies available across the UK DRI. Ref: 1814245, Closing date: 25 July

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• Senior Research Technician in Next Generation Long-Read Sequencing, UK DRI at UCL - Hardy lab

  Applications are invited for a Senior Research Technician in the lab of Prof John Hardy, co-line managed by Prof Henry Houlden. The post is within the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology although it is based entirely at the UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL. The successful candidate will provide senior technical support to run the Next Generation Sequencing Long-Read Sequencing (NG-LRS) machines and the NGS Illumina machines based in the lab, working closely with researchers in cutting edge research areas that will lead to important discoveries and publications. Depending on the person profile, there is the opportunity to do a part-time postgraduate degree such as a PhD. The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to utilise the breadth and depth of expertise and technologies available across the collaborating groups, and the UK DRI at UCL. Ref: 1813721, Closing date: 12 July

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• PhD in Neuroimmunology, UK DRI at UCL - Hong Lab

  Applications are invited for a fully-funded PhD studentship in the group of Dr Soyon Hong, UK DRI at UCL, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, to start 1 Oct 2019. Microglia are active participants in brain wiring – sculpting and refining neural circuits and influencing synaptic development and function. Microglia mediate synapse pruning via complement signalling (C1q, CR3/C3) in the developing brain and when this process is reactivated in the adult brain, synapses are lost. Complement components are induced during normal ageing but the molecular mechanisms that govern how and which synapses are targeted are poorly understood. Understanding what regulates complement signalling in the adult brain is crucial to learning how microglia and neurons communicate with each other to maintain proper brain function. This studentship will aim to provide mechanistic insight into local signals that regulate microglia-synapse pruning to aid foundational knowledge of brain physiology. Applicants who have or expect to obtain a 1st or upper 2nd class honours degree in biochemistry, molecular biology, neuroscience, biomedical sciences or related disciplines. Closing date: 5 July

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