Research Fellow in Cancer Cell Signalling Ref 8403
School/department: School of Life Sciences
Hours: Full time and part time considered up to a maximum of 1FTE
Requests for flexible working options will be considered (subject to business need)
Contract: Fixed term for 1 year (with an option to extend it for another 1 year)
Reference: 8403
Salary: Starting at £34,304 to £40,927 per annum, pro rata if part time
Placed on: 8 April 2022
Closing date: 31 May 2022. Applications must be received by midnight of the closing date.
Expected interview date: Beginning/Middle of June 2022
Expected start date: 1 July 2022
Job description
Project: ‘Elucidating the role of extracellular vesicles in the tumour microenvironment and their use as cancer biomarkers’
A post-doctoral position is available in the laboratory of Georgios Giamas to elucidate the involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer progression, their regulation and their use as potential biomarkers.
EVs are defined as lipid bilayer enclosed vesicles secreted by both normal and cancer cells. Through transfer of proteins, nucleic acids and lipids, they are directly implicated in the constant crosstalk of cancer cells with their tumour microenvironment (TME) exerting complex effects on neighbouring cells. There has been a lot interest in EVs for their potential roles in normal and pathological conditions, while methods for their detection, concentration and analysis have substantially improved the last 5 years. As a result, EVs have gained an increased interest as potential biomarker candidates for diagnosis, disease recurrence and monitoring response to treatment in cancer patients.
Amongst the goals of this project are to: (i) decipher the EVs-mediated reshaping of the tumour microenvironment, (ii) investigate their regulation (e.g. biogenesis, targeting/binding to recipient cells, etc) and (ii) explore the use of EVs-based liquid biopsies for the identification of novel cancer biomarkers (including glioblastoma, breast, etc).
For these aims, a variety of biochemical and molecular/cellular biology techniques will be employed and therefore a solid background in molecular/tumour biology and in the field of EVs is required. The predominant cancer types that will be used as models for this study will be breast and brain tumours (in particular glioblastoma).
Our lab is equipped with the NanoSight NS300 instrument, the ExoView R100 platform as well as a Transmission electron microscope (TEM), allowing for proper detection and characterisation of EVs. We have also obtained blood liquid biopsies of glioblastoma patients from Genomics England (as part of ‘The 100,000 Genomes Project’) and healthy volunteers, as part of investigating the prospective clinical implementation of EVs-based liquid biopsies cancer biomarkers.
The position will be initially reserved for 1 year, with possible extension renewable annually up to 3 years. We are an active research group and provide a stimulating and supportive research environment combining a variety of in vitro and in vivo models / tools. An overview of research within the Giamas lab can be found at: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/lifesci/giamaslab/
The School of Life Sciences is at the forefront of research in the biological sciences in the UK, coming in the top 10 in the REF 2014.
Required qualifications for this position:
- PhD in biochemistry, molecular/cellular biology or equivalent.
- A minimum of one first author publication in a reputable journal.
- Advanced skills in biochemistry, molecular/cellular and cancer biology.
- Commitment to work in a highly competitive field.
- Ability to independently drive a research project and analyse data.
- Fluent in written /spoken English and writing scientific reports/papers.
Informal enquiries to: Prof Georgios Giamas
E-mail: g.giamas@sussex.ac.uk; Tel: +44 1273 873163.
The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds
The School is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and currently holds an Athena SWAN Silver Award. Applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex. The School of Life Sciences welcomes applications to academic posts from candidates who wish to work part-time or as job-sharers.
The University offers various schemes to provide real benefits to parents, these can be found at Family Friendly Policies
Applications should be accompanied by a full CV, a statement of research interests and aspirations (not more than 4 pages), and the names of three academic referees
The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds.
You can find out more about our values and our EDI Strategy, Inclusive Sussex, on our webpages.
Download job description and person specification Ref 8403 [PDF 168.25KB]
The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed from the UK.
Visa Sponsorship Queries:
This role has been assigned an eligible SOC code and meets the salary requirements for Skilled Worker Sponsorship if full time. Please consult our Skilled Worker Visa information page for further information about Visa Sponsorship.
Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship.
How to apply
Download our academic application form [DOC 199.50KB] and Personal Details and Equal Opportunities Form [DOC 119.50KB] and fill in all sections.
Email your completed application, and personal details and equal opportunities form, to lifescirecruitment@sussex.ac.uk
You should attach your application form and all documents to the email in PDF format (we are unable to accept applications as google.docs or .pages) and use the format job reference number / job title / your name in the subject line.
You can also send your application by post to Human Resources Division, Sussex House, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9RH.
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