Post Doctoral Research Associate (Fixed Term)

University of Cambridge - Department of Pharmacology

Location: Cambridge

Salary: £33,002 to £46,049 per annum

Hours: Full Time

Contract Type: Fixed-Term/Contract

Placed On: 9th September 2025

Closes: 30th September 2025

Job Ref: PL47149

We seek to recruit a highly enthusiastic and motivated full-time Postdoctoral Research Associate to work on a British Heart Foundation-funded translational project in the Wilson group in the Department of Pharmacology (https://www.phar.cam.ac.uk/research/Wilson), based at the Gurdon Institute. The goal of this project is to optimise a novel, transformative cardiac regenerative therapeutic.

After a heart attack, there is an irreversible loss of cardiac tissue with ensuing heart failure. The Wilson group has pioneered the use of a novel RNA therapeutic to coax cardiomyocyte proliferation and recover cardiac function in the infarcted heart. Our strong in vitro and in vivo studies indicate a realistic potential to repair and remuscularise a damaged adult heart. This project will design and test mRNA sequence structures to enable optimal therapeutic outcomes and pioneer a transformative cardiac regeneration therapy to eventually eradicate heart failure and its complications.

The successful applicants will develop and test novel RNA-based therapeutics in vitro and in vivo. The candidates will be experienced in cardiovascular research and have experience in molecular and cellular biological techniques, including bacterial cloning, mRNA synthesis, tissue culture, including ES cells and differentiation, histological expertise and microscopic image analysis. Experience in, or a willingness to learn, in vivo biology is essential and holding a Home Office Personal Licence is desirable.

The project is a translational milestone-driven project, and key responsibilities include managing research activities and generating high-quality data. You will be expected to present your data and update the project team monthly. You will be expected to work collaboratively with our external partners. You will be expected to take a lead in your area of research and contribute intellectually to the direction of the research project.

Candidates should hold (or be close to completing) a PhD ideally with proven hands-on lab experience. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant with promotion to Research Associate on attainment of PhD.

Candidates should be highly motivated and productive with an enthusiastic approach to science. You will have exceptional organisational skills. You will be skilled at presenting your data, verbally and in writing. You should be committed to collaborative and interdisciplinary research and be able to work both independently and as part of a research team.

Fixed term for 12 months in the first instance, but further funding is available for 18 months and dependent upon successful accomplishment of milestones.

Applications are particularly welcome from women, black and minority ethnic candidates.

Please ensure that you upload your Curriculum Vitae (CV) including a publication list and a covering letter in the Upload section of the online portal. Please also include names and contact details (e-mail and phone number) of two referees. Any other unsolicited documents will not be considered.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, click the 'Apply' button above.

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Catherine Wilson chw39@cam.ac.uk.

For enquiries about the online application process, please contact the HR Team, hr@phar.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference PL47149 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.