Research Assistant in Protein Biochemistry and Nanomedicine

Job description

This research-focused role will be to support a Medical Research Council (MRC) Gap Fund project for designing novel multifunctional nanomedicines using ferritin nanocage. This project aims to develop new antiviral therapeutic candidates within one year. The key objectives of the project are to design new nanocage candidates, characterize them, and test their potential antiviral activity. The project will include fundamental studies to characterise and create antiviral nanocages. The antiviral activity of nanocages will be tested in collaboration with Prof Marc Sutton at UKHSA.

We are looking to employ a motivated and passionate individual with a degree in biochemistry/cell biology or related fields and prior experience in immunology, virology, protein biochemistry, cell biology and/or molecular biology. The post holder should have excellent skills in recording laboratory activities and data, organization, communication, and teamwork. The project requires collaboration with groups in the United Kingdom and across Europe.

The post holder will be responsible for planning and carrying experiments to design and produce multiple proteins, their characterization, and their test using in vivo cell culture assays. The post holder will receive trainings with different techniques as required and will be responsible to Dr Kourosh Ebrahimi. Our research group is multinational and very dynamic. We welcome individuals from all cultures and backgrounds. For more information about Kourosh lab please visit  https://www.kouroshlab-kcl.com/ .

The post holder can become a member of the European COST Action (FeSImmChemNET) ( Home vacanciesin.eu Fesimmchemnet (fesimmchemnet-cost.com) ) led by Ebrahimi’s lab and there may be a possibility for short-term scientific mission visits (2-3 months) to a laboratory of collaborator in Europe.

About the Faculty

The Faculty of Life Science & Medicine at King’s College London is one of Europe’s largest centres for biomedical research and teaching. The School’s academic expertise is globally acclaimed in a wide range of basic and applied sciences, continuing a rich legacy of pioneering King’s scientists. Many of the research groups were top rated in the last HEFCE Research Assessment Exercise.

The Faculty’s students enjoy unrivalled learning opportunities, supported by strong partnerships with industry and healthcare organisations. At both undergraduate and postgraduate level, students benefit from the School’s first-class facilities and those of its partners, including the world-renowned partner NHS Trusts.

As the academic partner of choice for some of the world’s leading businesses the Faculty of Life Science & Medicine is shaping the future of healthcare through its membership of the government’s Global Medical Excellence Cluster and its award-winning spin out companies.

The Faculty is based at the Guy’s (London Bridge) and Waterloo Campuses. The two campuses are located in close proximity to each other on the vibrant South Bank. The facilities for teaching and research at the Guy’s and Waterloo Campuses have been greatly enhanced since 1998 through a capital investment programme of approximately £200 million, which has provided state-of-the-art laboratories and a high-quality learning environment.

Within the Faculty, research divisions provide the focus for the organisation of research activity while teaching is delivered by discipline-based departments.

The Waterloo Campus provides the home for the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, the Analytical and Environmental Sciences Division, the Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division, and the Vascular Biology section of the Cardiovascular Division. Some aspects of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science activity are located on the Guy’s Campus. Teaching is organised by the Departments of Pharmacy & Forensic Science, Nutrition and Dietetics. Specialist facilities include SRIF-funded Genomics and Mass Spectrometry centres, a radioisotope suite, cell culture facilities, a Biological Services Unit, a metabolic unit for human feeding studies and high-quality library and IT provision. There are excellent analytical facilities including ultracentrifuge, NMR spectroscopy, HPLC, GC, GC/NIMS, GC/EIMS, GC/MS-MS, LC/MS-MS, ICP-OES and ICP-mass spectrometry equipment (see also http://www.kcl.ac.uk/ms-facility ).

About the Institute of Pharmaceutical Science

From molecules to medicine

The Institute of Pharmaceutical Science (IPS) is concerned with gaining a detailed understanding of the human pathological state and employing this knowledge to discover, design, develop and deliver drugs to the patient with a view to managing disease. It provides the multidisciplinary approach required to contribute to the overall development of pharmacologically active compounds from their earliest stages of conception at the bench through their presentation as medicines, to the analysis of their use within the community. IPS is one of the largest divisions in the health schools and is currently organised in five groups: Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Chemical Biology, Drug Delivery, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Clinical Practice and Medication Use. There is a vibrant PhD programme with more than 100 students, and a comprehensive suite of postgraduate taught programmes.

In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, based on ‘power’, a factor taking into account the quality of the research output and the number of researchers assessed, King’s College London was ranked first in the UK out of the 83 universities that made returns in Unit of Assessment 3, to which IPS contributed.

The Institute of Pharmaceutical Science has strong links with many of the other research divisions at King’s College London and consequently has developed a critically important central role in the total research effort of the College. Staff have a substantial number of collaborations at a local, national and international level. Following the accreditation of King’s Health Partners, our Academic Health Sciences Centre, IPS joined three NHS trust pharmacy departments (Guy’s and St Thomas’, King’s College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts) and the Guys Drugs Research Unit to form the Pharmaceutical Sciences Clinical Academic Group. The aim is to cement the collaboration between staff in the Institute and the NHS Trusts and achieve excellence in service provision, research, and in education and training.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract for 12 months until 31 July 2025.

This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent.

Key responsibilities

• Research and scholarship. Carry out experiments, analyse data, attend research progress meetings, help and support preparing manuscripts, collaborate with other lab members, contribute to other projects in the lab.
• Project management. Contribute to the management and planning of weekly experiments and research objective.
• Supervision of Bachelor students.
• Contribution to general lab duties. This includes weekly general lab cleaning, daily safety checks, and taking care of instruments/facilities

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

A Degree in biochemistry / cell biology

Excellent skills in recording experimental plan and data.

Excellent interpersonal and networking skills

Excellent communication skills

Eager to learn and apply new techniques

Ability to quickly learn new skills and work independently.

Time and resource management

Ability to collaborate with different research groups

Attention to details

Desirable criteria

Research experience in immunology

Research experience in cancer

Further information

This post is subject to Occupational Health clearance.