Postdoctoral Project Research Scientist

Location: The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London Short summary The Francis Crick Institute is recruiting a lab-based Postdoctoral Project Research Scientist to work on development of a molecular diagnostics assay for early detection of colorectal cancer. The successful candidate will join the laboratory of Dr J-P Vincent (https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/labs/jean-paul-vincent) and perform work in collaboration with, primarily the Structural Biology, Science Technology Platform(s) (https://www.crick.ac.uk/research/platforms-and-facilities/structural-biology) at the Francis Crick Institute. The position is fully funded by the Chris Banton Foundation aiming at translating basic research findings into real-life applications such as diagnostics. The project is part of a collaboration with Prof. Owen Samson, CRUK Scotland, (https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/our-research/researchers/professor-owen-sansom).  SUMMARY Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a life-threatening disease that is treatable if detected early. In the course of our basic research programme, we found a secreted protein that is highly expressed in colorectal tumours, but not in healthy intestine.  We generated antibodies that detect this protein with high specificity and sensitivity and established that they could be used for the development of a diagnostic assay. We are now seeking to develop this assay in patient samples, and thus demonstrate its potential for commercialisation. This post will be funded by a Chris Banton Foundation grant, which commits to supporting this work to commercialisation, if milestones are met. It will enable the successful candidate to join an exciting diagnostics development project at an early stage. Key Responsibilities These include but are not limited to: To develop assays for the detection of a specific protein in human and murine tissues/blood samples. To test the predictive power of these assays for diagnostic purposes. To act as the de facto project manager, liaising with collaborator, tissue banks, and Crick service providers. To present results at internal meetings, conferences and, ultimately, to funders and investors. About us The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and disease. Its work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases. An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL, Imperial College London and King’s College London. The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under in one building in Europe. The Francis Crick Institute will be world-class with a strong national role. Its distinctive vision for excellence includes commitments to collaboration; developing emerging talent and exporting it the rest of the UK; public engagement; and helping turn discoveries into treatments as quickly as possible to improve lives and strengthen the economy.  If you are interested in applying for this role, please apply via our website. The closing date for applications is 21.01.2024 All offers of employment are subject to successful security screening and continuous eligibility to work in the United Kingdom.