Research Technician

Job title:

Research Technician

Company

University College London

Job description

About usWe are looking to appoint a Research Technician at the Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, to join the MacDonald Laboratory. This role is to support a research project entitled “Genetic dysregulation in glial cells as a driver of neurodegeneration in retinal ageing”. This project is funded by the BBSRC and will be based in the Institute of Ophthalmology at the University College London. This project will explore how genetic dysregulation in glial cells called Muller glia change in the ageing retina to potentially drive age-related neurodegeneration in the retina.This post offers an exciting opportunity to join a research group lead by Dr. Ryan MacDonald focused on understanding the ageing and disease of the retina. This project uses the killifish retina to approach longstanding problems in neuroscience by studying age-related genetic dysregulation in the rapidly ageing killifish.The MacDonald group consists of a diverse and including group of scientists with postdocs, PhD students and MSc students. For further information on the MacDonald lab group please see:http://zebrafishucl.org/macdonald-labAbout the roleSalary: UCL Grade 5 Sp16-18 (£31,163 – £32,469 per annum, including London Allowance).Duration: The post is funded until 31/08/2026 in the first instanceThe overarching research aim of our laboratory is to understand how a healthy eye is built and maintained throughout life. More specifically, we are interested in how glial cells, the major support cells in the nervous system, are patterned and shaped during development to support neurons. We are also interested in what happens when the intricate glia-neuronal relationship breaks down due to increasing age or disease.The MacDonald lab use both zebrafish and killifish as model organisms to explore retina development and ageing. We use genetic engineering (cloning, transgenesis, CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis), multiplex cellular labelling techniques (immunofluorescence, in situ), high resolution imaging (confocal, 2-photon, spinning disk), computational analysis to explore fundamentals of glial biology.The main duties of the post holder will be to provide technical support on day-to-day laboratory duties, such as: preparation of stocks and reagents, routine molecular biology and maintenance of databases. Additional duties include zebrafish and killifish colony management, retina histology (e.g. sectioning, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization) and in vivo high-resolution imaging. The post holder is expected to learn new techniques/skills on the job.About youSuccessful candidate will have a science degree, such as Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology or any related subject although other candidates with appropriate experience will also be considered.Previous experience of working in a relevant field of biological research, particularly neuroscience or developmental biology is desirable as is experience in zebrafish husbandry.What we offerWorking with some of the greatest intellects in the world, UCL also offers a generous pension scheme and holiday allowance, plus closure and bank holidays as well as enhanced parental pay and more. Visit to find out more.Application ProcessIf you have any queries regarding the vacancy please contact Dr Ryan MacDonald (email: ryan.macdonald@ucl.ac.uk). If you have any queries regarding the application process please email: ioo.hr@ucl.ac.uk.A job description and person specification can be accessed at the bottom of this page.To apply for the vacancy please click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below.Please ensure you attach your CV and highest academic qualification. In addition, please ensure you provide a personal statement outlining how you meet the criteria to support your application.Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and InclusionAs London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.Our department holds an Athena SWAN Silver award, in recognition of our commitment and demonstrable impact in advancing gender equality.Available documents

Expected salary

£31163 – 32469 per year

Location

North West London

Job date

Sat, 11 Jan 2025 02:20:12 GMT

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