Research Assistant

Queen's University Belfast

About the job:

Professor Valvano, from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, seeks an individual with research experience in fish immunology and fish infection biology. The candidate will contribute technical knowhow in ongoing and planned research to understand the evolution of pathogenesis from marine environments to humans.

Demonstrated research experience on mucin isolation, bacterial adhesion assays and experience in handling fish infection models are essential for this post. The post holder will also perform specialised imaging and molecular microbiology techniques to examine the course of infection in zebrafish and in fish primary macrophages and epithelial cell models.

Applications are invited from individuals with combined expertise in microbial genetics, molecular biology, and cell biology in the context of fish bacterial pathogenesis. Examples include recent research experience in mucin isolation from fish or other animal models, bacteria-cell adhesion assays, cell culture, handling of fastidious Gram-negative pathogens, and confocal microscopy.

About the person:

The successful candidate must have, and your application should clearly demonstrate that you meet the following criteria:

• Degree or equivalent in subject relevant to research activity.
• Relevant laboratory experience to include the following:
  • Handling of fish models and fish cell lines
  • Bacterial adhesion assays and experience in zebrafish or other fish infection models (e.g., seabass)
  • Current experience with infection quantification in cells and confocal fluorescent imaging methods using live or fixed samples, relevant to the project.
  • Current experience with identification by confocal fluorescence microscopy imaging of bacterially-infected cells.
  • Current experience in mucin isolation and handling

To be successful at shortlisting stage, please ensure you clearly evidence in your application how you meet the essential and, where applicable, desirable criteria listed in the Candidate Information document on our website.