Clinical Research Associate (Fixed Term) Full-time NEW

Clinical Research Associate (Post-Doctoral), Full-Time (1.0 FTE)

This is a unique opportunity to carry out a period of clinical postdoctoral research focused on developing and validating new treatments and biomarkers for mitochondrial disorders, as part of a new national rare disease centre funded by LifeArc and MDUK. The post is specifically aimed at practicing clinicians with a PhD and relevant specialty training, who have extensive prior clinical and research experience with neuromuscular or neurogenetic conditions.

The Cambridge Clinical Mitochondrial Research Group (MitoCAMB) studies the genetic basis, clinical presentation and molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial diseases and other rare inherited neurodegenerative/neuromuscular disorders. Our research group is embedded within the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge. We develop new and effective treatments for affected patients through investigator-led experimental medicine studies, novel gene therapy approaches, and early phase clinical trials.

The group was recently awarded a £7.5 million LifeArc Translational Rare Disease Centres Award for the next 5 years with our partners at UCL, the University of Newcastle, the Lily Foundation and MDUK. Together, we have established a national platform to translate novel treatment strategies and biomarkers into clinical trials. This platform will improve mitochondrial disease diagnosis nation-wide, connecting patient groups, knowledge and infrastructure to accelerate the clinical translation of new treatments. We have an extensive pre-clinical discovery science programme focussed on understanding the genetic basis of undiagnosed mitochondrial and neurogenetic disorders. Our laboratory research is translational, generating new insights that we develop for clinical impact through MitoCAMB.

We are recruiting a Clinical Research Associate under the supervision of Professor Patrick Chinnery, Professor Rita Horvath and Dr Jelle van den Ameele. The post-holder will support and drive several ongoing and new academic-led and commercial studies and clinical trials in mitochondrial and neurodegenerative diseases. They will receive extensive support, supervision and training where required, but will be expected to have a high level of independence and enthusiasm to proactively take responsibility for ongoing and new clinical studies. This will also give them the opportunity to develop clinical, laboratory and computational skills that would underpin their own emerging research programme. The post-holder will have the opportunity to participate in the mitochondrial/neurogenetics NHS clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital and additional NHS services and on-call rotas.

An Honorary Clinical Contract will be sought from CUH NHS Foundation Trust, for which a DBS check will be required.

The post is available for 2 years with the potential to convert to a 4 year ACL. The successful applicant must have a PhD and have completed general medical training, hold MRCP or equivalent, and preferably be a registered medical practitioner permitted to practise in the UK or be willing to work towards this. We encourage applications from any medical specialty and from any career grade, but clear evidence of prior clinical and research interest in neuromuscular or neurogenetic conditions is desirable.