King's College London

About us

The Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience at King's College London is looking for a passionate individual with experience in stem cell culture and strong communication skills to fill a research assistant position. This role is part of a Discovery Network Award funded by the My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which aims to find drug targets for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

The successful candidate will join Dr Jemeen Sreedharan's research group and will be supervised by project co-lead Dr Ravindra Prajapati.  Dr Sreedharan’s group studies the causes of ALS and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) using in vitro and in vivo models, advanced genetic editing, and cutting-edge Omics techniques.

Dr Sreedharan's lab is part of the Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, which supports innovative research with state-of-the-art technology and offers exceptional opportunities to collaborate with leading scientists in neurodegenerative diseases. The Department is located in the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute at the Denmark Hill Campus of King’s College London.

About the role

This is a collaborative project involving multiple laboratories and it aims to find drug targets for ALS and FTD. We will create a nearly complete allelic series of iPSC lines with TDP-43 mutations. This will use a newly developed parental cell line with attP landing pads. We will then turn these iPSC lines into motor neurons and study them using transcriptomics, proteomics, immunocytochemistry, and electrophysiology. This comprehensive approach will help us understand how TDP-43 mutations lead to neurodegeneration.

This is a full-time position (1 FTE; 35 hours per week: Responsibilities will encompass some tasks associated with project management at 0.2 FTE approx. and 0.8 FTE as Research Assistant). T

The post is offered as a fixed-term contract for 18 months with potential for a short extension.

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information

About you

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience:

Essential criteria

1. A BSc or higher academic degree in molecular and cell biology, neuroscience, or a closely related field
2. Minimum 6 months hands-on experience in the culture and differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)Proficiency in the operation of state-of-the-art microscopy techniques including confocal and high content microscopy
3. Ability to critically evaluate scientific literature, assess experimental designs, protocols, and interpret research findings
4. Demonstrated proficiency in time management and organizational skills enabling efficient project execution
5. Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, including delivering technical presentations
6. A strong commitment to maintaining comprehensive and precise research documentation, with a demonstrated capacity for both independent and collaborative work within a research team

Desirable criteria

1. Proficient in advanced molecular biology methodologies including western blotting, RT-qPCR, and molecular cloning techniques
2. Extensive experience in histological analysis and immunocytochemistry
3. Proficiency in statistical analysis coupled with familiarity in using biocomputational tools for comprehensive data interpretation
4. Demonstrated capacity for organizing meetings and coordinating small laboratory-based events

Downloading a copy of our Job Description

Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the next page after you click “Apply Now”. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.

Further information

We pride ourselves on being inclusive and welcoming. We embrace diversity and want everyone to feel that they belong and are connected to others in our community.

We are committed to working with our staff and unions on these and other issues, to continue to support our people and to develop a diverse and inclusive culture at King's.

As part of this commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and through this appointment process, it is our aim to develop candidate pools that include applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the advert. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.

To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ‘How we Recruit’  pages.

  This post is subject to an Occupational Health clearance.