"Research Technician - Cell Adhesion Signals"

Job reference: BMH-026518

Salary: £30,487-£34,980 per annum depending on experience

Faculty/Organisational Unit: Biology, Medicine Health

Location: Oxford Road

Employment type: Fixed Term

Division/Team: Division of Cell Matrix Biology and Regenerative Medicine

Hours Per Week: Full Time (1 FTE)

Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 23/08/2024

Contract Duration: Fixed Term for 19 months

School/Directorate: School of Biological Sciences

We are looking for an enthusiastic new member for our laboratory who would will work on the following project:

In the body, epithelial cells interact with their neighbouring cells through cell to cell adhesion sites called desmosomes. These desmosomes are also important for normal development, where they stabilise developing tissues. Aberrant function of desmosomes causes diseases such as sudden heart failure, defective wound healing, cancer spread and certain blistering diseases of the skin and oral cavity.

The project is multidisciplinary and aims to understand the mechanisms of how desmosomes are regulated. To reach our goal, we use cutting edge fluorescence microscopy, biochemistry (mass spec, western blotting, immunoprecipitations) and molecular biology techniques (cloning, mutagenesis, knockdown). Ultimately, the knowledge gained from this project may lead to important changes in how we currently envisage cell-cell adhesion regulation and their contribution to health and disease.

The successful candidate will be member of the Ballestrem lab (www.ballestremlab.com) and guided by mainly one postdoc and the PI. The lab currently consists of 2 postdocs and 4 PhD students who all work on different aspects of cell adhesion mechanisms. The lab is adjacent to the collaborators’ labs of David Garrod and Martin Humphries. The Ballestrem lab is embedded in the Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research in Manchester (http://www.wellcome-matrix.org) in the Michael Smith Building which provides a friendly and scientifically outstanding research environment. 

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

Our University is positive about flexible working – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies.

Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to People.Recruitment@manchester.ac.uk.

Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Rebekah Higgins

Email: Rebekah.higgins@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: People.recruitment@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support:

https://jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.