Research Fellow – Bioinformatics – Computational Biologist Full-time

Research Fellow – Bioinformatics – Computational Biologist

We are seeking a collaborative and self-motivated computational post-doctoral fellow to work on cancer cachexia in a vibrant and highly collegiate environment. The candidate will be expected to make use of computational bioinformatics and biostatistics techniques to investigate the biological correlates of cancer cachexia by analysing existing genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data from multi-region matched primary and metastatic tumours, as well as plasma mass spectrometry metabolomics and tumour microenvironment studies. The successful candidate will be part of the collaborative and international CANCAN Cancer Grand Challenge Team.

Prof. Mariam Jamal-Hanjani is Principal Investigator of the TRACERx study at UCL, Chief Investigator of the PEACE study and a co-PI within the international CANCAN Cancer Grand Challenge Team. The Jamal-Hanjani Lab is a multi-disciplinary group of passionate and determined individuals who will provide the successful candidate with a stimulating and conducive environment to participate and grow as a scientist.

The research in the lab is conducted in close collaboration with local and international scientists and clinicians, especially across the TRACERx and PEACE consortia and the CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence. These collaborative environments will provide the successful candidate with opportunities to learn from a large network of talented professionals.

The candidate will leverage many omic datasets in the study of cancer cachexia derived from the national TRACERx lung cancer study and will be based within the UCL Cancer Institute. The laboratories are extremely well equipped, with an attractive collegiate working environment. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Thoracic Oncology department at UCLH, laboratories at both the Francis Crick Institute and UCL Cancer Institute, together with team members of the CANCAN Cancer Grand Challenge. The successful candidate will join a successful multi-disciplinary team of cancer evolutionary biologists and lung cancer translational research clinicians where all stages of novel cancer treatment, from design of therapeutics, through pre-clinical imaging, to application in the clinic are achievable.

The position will be available for 12 months in the first instance with the possibility of extension depending on funding availability. Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B, with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

Applications should include a CV and a Cover Letter: In the Cover Letter please provide evidence of the essential and desirable criteria in the Person Specification part of the Job Description. (By including a Cover Letter, you can leave blank the 'Why you have applied for this role' field in the application form, which is limited in the number of characters it will allow.)

The successful candidate must have:

• Postdoctoral qualification (PhD obtained not pending) and previous postdoctoral experience
• Evidence of independence and original contributions to research
• Previous experience with DNA and RNA sequencing data
• Evidence of publications and ability to write scientifically
• Good knowledge of statistics
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Previous experience in evolutionary biology, collaboration with clinicians and wet lab scientists, and experience with cancer metabolism are desirable but not essential.

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

To find out more, please visit UCL Rewards and Benefits.

As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world's talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.