Post Doctoral Research Associate

About the Role

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct a 2-year study to validate the efficacy of a novel biologic which reduces pain and results in cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritis. The post-holder will conduct the research as part of a team and under the supervision of Professor Francesco Dell’Accio and Dr Suzanne Eldridge. The work involves in vitro assays of chondrogenesis with cell lines and human primary cells, cell culture, transfections, immunostainings, western blotting, reporter assays, in vivo testing including models of osteoarthritis in mice. Professor Dell’Accio will perform the surgery for inducing osteoarthritis in mice and the post-holder will attend to the animal welfare and husbandry, assess pain, process the samples and perform the analysis including OARSI scoring, histomorphometry, histochemistry and immunostainings, including quantification and analysis. The post-holder will be responsible for the delivery of the project, including writing the manuscript(s) and reports and will work as part of a team.

About You

The candidate will have a PhD or be close to holding a PhD in the musculoskeletal field and expertise in the area of osteoarthritis or cartilage regeneration. The candidate will idealy hold a personal licence, and have expertise with working with animals (ideally with skills in pain assessment in mice and with a UK personal licence), cell culture, histology, immunostainings, and basic molecular biology techniques such as western blotting and real-time PCR. The candidate should have good interpersonal and communication skills, and should be an enthusiastic team player

About the Institute

The Blizard Institute was established in 2003 and is one of six Institutes within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, QMUL. The Institute comprises approximately 360 staff based in five academic Centers and one Public Engagement Centre and supports a combined total of c700 postgraduate research and taught students. The Institute aims to deliver excellence in all aspects of research, teaching and clinical service.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.