"Postdoctoral Research Scientist - Clinical feasibility study of a rapid, point-of-care urinary test for detecting intravascular haemolysis"

Postdoctoral Research Scientist

Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, Sherrington Building, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PT

Contract & job type: Fixed-term for 12 months

About us:

At the Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics (DPAG) we undertake discovery science where we reassemble physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue and systems level of organization. In so doing we provide a bridge to translational medicine, and interface between physical and life sciences. We are committed not only to innovative research and the highest standard of teaching, but also to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment.

Overview of the role:

Red blood cells (RBCs) circulate through every vascularised tissue and encounter mechanical, chemical, metabolic, infective and immunological stresses. With limited repair capacity, RBCs can accumulate damage to the point of rupture (“intravascular haemolysis”), a sentinel of diverse disease triggers that affect ~300,000 people in the UK and millions globally. Yet current tests require blood sampling, trained staff and laboratory assays, making frequent monitoring impractical, particularly in low-resource settings. There is an unmet need for a low-cost test that detects a haemolysis marker in easily accessible fluids such as urine. We discovered that carbonic anhydrase 1 (CA1)—a small protein abundant and specific to RBCs—is released and excreted in urine during intravascular haemolysis. Building on this biomarker, we developed a lateral-flow device (LFD) that eliminates blood draws, expensive equipment and specialist training. It addresses limitations of existing blood markers (bilirubin: delayed and indirect; haptoglobin: baseline calibration; LDH: complex assays; blood haemoglobin: lacks specificity; free haemoglobin: low sensitivity). Our innovation enables rapid, frequent testing in clinic and at home.

We are seeking a research assistant to join a project that will assess device feasibility in sickle cell disease, a population with a high haemolysis burden and a recognised diagnostic gap. We will recruit fifty adults for longitudinal testing across home, clinic and hospital settings; manufacture three sensitivity-tuned LFD designs; and compare results with laboratory CA1 assays and blood markers. The project will define clinical utility, refine device specifications, inform regulatory requirements, map cost-effective NHS use cases, and prepare for large-scale testing. The ideal candidate will have a strong laboratory background in biomedical or life sciences, excellent organisational skills, and a keen interest in translational research at the interface of physiology, haematology and diagnostics. The researcher will play a central role in day-to-day delivery of the study, from handling patient samples and assays to data analysis and liaison with clinical and industry partners, and be closely involved in technology development, regulatory evidence preparation, and ethics. Work will be supervised by Pawel Swietach (DPAG) and Noemi Roy (Oxford University Hospitals), in close coordination with our industrial partner, Camtech Innovations who manufacture the LFDs.

Key responsibilities:

• Supporting the delivery of a clinical feasibility study of a rapid, point-of-care urinary test for intravascular haemolysis in adults with sickle cell disease.
• Ensuring all approvals are in place and updated and amended in a timely manner.
• Issuing LFD kits to participants and coordinating logistics for home, clinic and hospital-based testing.
• Collecting and processing urine samples obtained in clinical settings, including temporary storage and tracking under approved protocols.
• Performing laboratory assays on urine samples (e.g. CA1 assays, urinalysis strip testing) and ensuring high-quality, reproducible data.
• Receiving and processing LFD images (e.g. T/C line quantification), compiling readouts and integrating them with laboratory and clinical data.
• Curating and maintaining anonymised datasets in accordance with GCP and data governance requirements (secure servers, audit trails, role-based access).
• Liaising closely with Camtech Innovations on device performance, design refinements (including sensitivity-tuned variants and nappy-insert concepts), and documentation.
• Contributing to risk and quality management activities (e.g. QC checks, stability assessments, lot traceability, documentation for the technical file).
• Assisting in the organisation of patient and public involvement (PPI) and feedback sessions.
• Contributing to data analysis, interpretation and preparation of results for reports, regulatory planning, conference presentations and manuscripts.
• Participating in regular project meetings with academic, clinical and industry partners and contributing to the overall coordination of the 12-month workplan
• Contributing to day-to-day running of the laboratory, and supporting a safe and clean work place.

Selection criteria:

Essential:

• Hold, or be close to completion of, a PhD/DPhil in a relevant discipline such as physiology, biomedical sciences, haematology, biochemistry, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrable experience of working in a biomedical research laboratory, including handling human or biological samples and performing quantitative assays.
• Strong practical skills in basic wet-lab techniques (e.g. ELISA/biochemical assays, use of urinalysis strips or similar diagnostic tests).
• Experience in data handling and analysis (e.g. spreadsheets and statistical or graphing software) and careful data curation/documentation.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, maintain accurate records and work to defined timelines and milestones.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team spanning academia, NHS clinics and industry.
• A careful, methodical approach and commitment to high standards of research integrity, data governance and Good Clinical Practice.
• Commitment to engaging with, and promoting awareness of, equality, diversity and inclusion and embedding these into your work.

Desirable

• Experience with point-of-care diagnostics, lateral flow devices, or similar translational technologies.
• Previous involvement in clinical research, feasibility studies or NHS-embedded projects.
• Familiarity with haematology, sickle cell disease, anaemia, or related areas.
• Experience working with industrial collaborators or under quality-management systems (e.g. ISO 13485, ISO 9001)

What we offer:

Your wellbeing at work matters, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle and electric car loan schemes
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans

While this is a full-time role, we welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working or other flexible working arrangements.

How to apply:

Please provide a supporting statement outlining how you meet the selection criteria along with your CV, and the details of two referees as part of your online application. The closing date for applications is 12 noon on 05/01/2026. Interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing 19/01/2026, and will be held by MS Teams. Applications are particularly welcome from women, black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford.

Informal enquiries about the role may be directed to the DPAG HR Team: hr@dpag.ox.ac.uk