Research Assistant

Location: St Mary’s Medical School Campus Job summary: We wish to recruit a Research Assistant to work in the research group of Dr Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu (https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/v.sancho-shimizu) Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Virology, Department of Infectious Disease at Imperial College London’s St Mary’s Campus. The successful candidate will join a dynamic group working on genetic predisposition to life-threatening infections. The lab is interested in investigating inborn errors of immunity and aims to use patient based assays for host genetic variants identified from patients presenting with life-threatening infectious diseases (e.g. invasive meningococcal/pneumococcal/ streptococcal/staphylococcal diseases, viral encephalitis, COVID-19/MIS-C). In particular, establishing iPSC-derived cell gene editing protocols and deriving differentiated cell types including airway, neuronal, cerebral organoids for patient-disease-modelling. Duties and responsibilities Set up & carry experiments relevant to PI's research programme Help with all other lab activity as required Maintain up-to-date, accurate and comprehensive laboratory notes Assist, supervise and train other members of the group, including MRes/MSc and PhD students and other research staff in their application in related lab projects. Manage the progress and set goals for achievement of project aims in collaboration with team leaders including the execution of literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and report Prepare reports on results for verbal and multimedia presentations at regular lab meetings, departmental seminars, national and international meetings Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer review journals or book chapters Facilitate collaboration and networking which engages and supports the activities of this research. Identify areas for research, develop new research methods and extend the research portfolio Essential requirements You must hold a BSc in Biology or relevant discipline. Knowledge and experience in human genetics, immunology or infection biology as well as experience in molecular biology, and tissue culture are essential. Knowledge and experience of gene editing, and iPSC/iPSC-derived airway/neuronal/cerebral organoid culture desirable. Knowledge and experience in handing human primary cells desirable. Further Information This is a fulltime, fixed term role for 12 months based at St Mary’s Campus. For informal enquiries please contact Dr Sancho-Shimizu v.sancho-shimizu@imperial.ac.uk. For technical issues when applying online please email sjobs@ic.ac.uk Please complete an online application to be considered.