Applications are invited for six Post-Doctoral Research Associate positions based in the new Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence (MRC CoRE) in Exposome Immunology, hosted jointly by the universities of Manchester and Oxford. The CoRE will leverage cutting edge computational approaches, novel experimental models, and experimental medicine studies to uncover how pollutants and infections interact with our genes to cause and exacerbate chronic inflammatory diseases.
The successful PDRAs will form the foundation of our centre, working on six complementary projects that form our initial research portfolio. As such, the research will be highly collaborative in nature, with the post-holders often working across research groups to follow new leads and generate preliminary data that can underpin subsequent grant applications and high impact publications. Depending on progress of their individual projects, researchers may be required to transfer their focus to other emerging priorities within the centre. Successful applicants will have (or be about to obtain) a PhD in biological science, and confidence in a range of immunological techniques.
Project Title: Defining Acute and Chronic Mucosal Responses to Pollution Exposure
The lung is the first line of encounter to inhaled exposures. As such, this mucosal barrier contains an exquisitely tailored immune-surveillance network that ensures effective defence while also safeguarding pulmonary function. This layered network includes both immune and non-immune cells that co-ordinate a balanced response to a range of exposures. However, continuous challenge by exposome factors can promote development of chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) within this tissue, as well as systemically. Thus, defining the cellular networks that underpin responses to the exposome would be critical to develop new therapeutic strategies to prevent and restore lung health.
In this project, the PDRA will define how components of the lung immuno-surveillance network respond to encounter with distinct exposures, ascertaining how tissue perturbations promote and/or amplify CIDs. Using pre-clinical animal models, the PDRA will dissect convergent and divergent pathways induced in response to varied environmental exposures. Leveraging MRC centre expertise and support the PDRA will follow a holistic program of unbiased research, combining single-cell RNA-sequencing, spatial transcriptomic and other imaging technologies alongside flow cytometry to decode exposome signatures. This approach will reveal fundamental pathways (shared and/or distinct) by which exposome factors cues are sensed and propagated, remodel the lung immune environment and impact CID pathology.
What you will get in return:
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.
Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.
Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.
Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:
Name: Joanne Konkel
Email: joanne.konkel@manchester.ac.uk
General enquiries:
Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk
Technical support:
https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home
This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.
Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria
