Research Fellow Full-time

Research Fellow

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled and motivated postdoctoral fellow to join the group of Dr. Conor McCann to investigate human pluripotent stem cell derived (hPSC)-derived enteric nervous system (ENS) progenitors as a possible treatment for Hirschsprung Disease. This post is funded via the MRC Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) as part of a high impact collaborative project between the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (McCann and De Coppi groups), University of Sheffield (Tsakiridis group; Department of Biomedical Science), Queens University Belfast (Lamrock Lab). The post-holder will be based in the Gut Development and Repair Group at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, led by Dr. Conor McCann, at UCL GOS ICH. The group is made up of 6 researchers with a primary focus in understanding the development and consequences of childhood gut disorders. There will be opportunity for the post holder to develop their own interests within the scope of the project. We will also support the development of fellowship applications. This post-doctorate research post is for 3 years, in the first instance, funded by the MRC DPFS. The postholder will undertake and lead laboratory-based research to support the preclinical development of a novel stem cell therapy for Hirschsprung disease. Working within the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and in close collaboration with partners at the University of Sheffield, the researcher will evaluate the functional efficacy, biodistribution, safety and immunogenicity of clinical-grade human pluripotent stem cell-derived enteric nervous system progenitors. Preliminary results from the collaborative group has provided evidence to support the use of hPSC-derived ENS progenitors as a promising platform for the development of cellular and regenerative medicine therapies (Jevans B, Cooper F, Fatieieva Y, Gogolou A, Kang YN, Restuadi R, Moulding D, Vanden Berghe P, Adameyko I, Thapar N, Andrews PW, De Coppi P, Tsakiridis A, McCann CJ. Human enteric nervous system progenitor transplantation improves functional responses in Hirschsprung disease patient-derived tissue. Gut. 2024 Aug 8;73(9):1441-1453. Paper link) The postholder will be responsible for conducting complex ex vivo and in vivo studies, including transplantation of stem cell-derived progenitors into human patient-derived intestinal tissue and animal models of enteric neuropathy, followed by assessment of cellular engraftment, differentiation, integration and restoration of gastrointestinal function. The role will involve the application of advanced techniques including organotypic tissue culture, cell transplantation, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, physiological assays (including organ bath contractility studies), image analysis and molecular characterisation. The researcher will contribute to the generation of critical preclinical data required for regulatory advancement towards first-in-human clinical trials, maintaining rigorous experimental records, analysing and interpreting data, preparing reports and publications, and presenting findings to collaborators, stakeholders and funding bodies. The postholder will also support the management of human tissue studies, ensure compliance with relevant ethical and regulatory frameworks, and contribute to the supervision and training of students and junior staff within the laboratory. Ultimately, the role will play a key part in advancing a first-in-class regenerative medicine approach aimed at restoring enteric nervous system function and improving outcomes for children affected by Hirschsprung disease. The salary offered is £46,261 – £49,943 per annum.