Fixed-term

About the role Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research fellow position in the Systems Neurodevelopment laboratory headed by Dr Varun Sreenivasan at the University of Sussex. The successful candidate will work on an exciting research project at the interface of developmental neurobiology and circuits neuroscience. They will integrate in-vivo whole cell recordings during postnatal development with optogenetics, viral tracing and behavioural filming to study how developmental expansion of motor cortex into non-motor regions will rewire sensorimotor circuits. About you You will have either completed or submitted a PhD in neuroscience. You will have previous experience in carrying out either in-vivo electrophysiology or two-photon imaging, optogenetics and behaviour in mice. You will be confident in handling the relevant data and be competent in programming on either MATLAB or Python. You will also be enthusiastic about building and troubleshooting your experimental rig. You will have the skills to manage your own workload and at times, support other colleagues in their research. You will clearly communicate your research and progress to internal and external audiences. About our School In the School of Life Sciences we strive to understand the mechanisms that drive biological and chemical processes and to develop innovative and diverse approaches to enhance human health, technology and the environment. We undertake multidisciplinary research, teaching and engagement across a wide range of subjects, from Chemistry through Cellular and Molecular Biosciences to Conservation Biology. The School comprises five Departments: Biochemistry & Biomedicine, Genome Damage and Stability Centre, Neuroscience, Ecology & Evolution and Chemistry. We also house the Sussex Drug Discovery Centre which works to deliver the bench-to-bedside translation of our discoveries. The breadth and depth of our cutting-edge research and innovative teaching practice is delivered by a diverse community who work across boundaries to deliver excellence, engage with real world problems and produce impact. We pride ourselves on our world-leading research and have a strong research economy, with approximately 50% of our income stemming from research and an active grant portfolio of over £50 million. We host or form part of three University Centres of Excellence: the Genome Damage and Stability Centre, Sussex Neuroscience and Sussex Sustainability Research Programme. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, 90.6 % of our Biological Sciences outputs and 84.8% of our Chemistry outputs were rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. We are proud that in both areas, 100% of our Impact cases were rated as world-leading or internationally excellent. The School is committed to the University’s core values of kindness, integrity, inclusion, collaboration and courage. We believe that equality, diversity and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and aim to provide a friendly and supportive environment for all who work, study and visit the School of Life Sciences. Please find further information regarding the School of Life Sciences on our website. The School of Life Sciences is proud to hold a Silver Athena Swan Award. Why work here Our university is situated off the A27, next to the beautiful South Downs where you will enjoy everything that our 150-acre campus has to offer. We are accessible by public transport; Falmer train station is a five-minute walk to campus and several bus stops are located within campus. We also have dedicated cycling paths and encourage our staff to use these with our offering of a cycle to work scheme. Sussex is a renowned, multi-accredited, research-led International University and this is only possible because of the people that work here. Whether you are a member of Faculty, part of a Professional Services team or a Student, it’s our people that make us great and we want you to be part of that. Find out more about our reward and benefits package. Find out about our equality, diversity and inclusion. Further Key Information Please contact Dr Varun Sreenivasan at v.sreenivasan@sussex.ac.uk for informal enquiries. Further details on the lab can be found at https://www.sysneurodevlab.org/ The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex. The University of Sussex values the diversity of its staff and students, and we welcome applicants from all backgrounds. Eligibility Visa Sponsorship Queries: This role has been assigned an eligible SOC code and meets the salary requirements for Skilled Worker Sponsorship if full time and appointed at Grade 7.4. Please consult our Skilled Worker Visa information page for further information about Visa Sponsorship. Please note that this position may be subject to ATAS clearance if you require visa sponsorship. The University requires that work undertaken for the University is performed in the UK. Apply Now

Summary The gut wall contains specialised immune structures called Gut-Associated Lymphoid Tissues (GALT), which protect us from harmful bacteria. In Crohn’s disease (CD), however, GALT become dysregulated, forming microscopic ulcers that precede widespread inflammation throughout the gut.  Crohn’s disease affects around half a million people in the UK, causing debilitating symptoms and posing one of the most stubborn challenges in modern gastroenterology. Despite their central role in disease initiation, remarkably little is known about what drives GALT to become overactive. This project will investigate the very earliest immune events at these sites, characterising how the mucosal immune system and the gut microbiome interact within GALT to trigger and propagate inflammation. The goal is to identify specific cellular or molecular targets that could form the basis of a new generation of therapies. Project overview This project is focused on basic biology of GALT in CD. You will work with clinical samples from Crohn’s disease patients, applying cutting-edge spatial, imaging, and immunological techniques to map immune cell behaviour within the gut wall in unprecedented detail. Mouse models of intestinal inflammation will complement this work, providing mechanistic insight into key findings from the human tissue studies. Methods Immunofluorescence microscopy: visualising immune cell populations and their spatial organisation within gut tissue Spatial transcriptomics: profiling gene expression across tissue sections to understand how immune responses vary across microenvironments Spectral flow cytometry: deep phenotyping of immune cell populations from clinical samples Bioinformatics: integrating and interpreting complex multi-dimensional datasets Microbiology: characterising microbial communities associated with GALT sites Training and career development You will be based in the School of Infection & Immunity (SII) at the University of Glasgow, a world-leading research environment with outstanding infrastructure for mucosal immunology, spatial biology, and clinical research translation. Over the course of your PhD, you will receive: Hands-on training in all techniques listed above, with dedicated support from experienced postdoctoral researchers Bioinformatics training tailored to the analysis of spatial and single-cell datasets Opportunities to present your work at national and international conferences Engagement with clinical collaborators, giving you exposure to translational and patient-facing research Mentorship focused on your longer-term career goals, whether in academia, industry, or beyond Support from a large network of highly collaborative immunologists and clinicians within the School of Infection & Immunity and the wider Glasgow research community Who We Are Looking For We are looking for a curious, motivated scientist who is excited by the challenge of understanding human disease. Essential: A first-class or upper second-class honours degree (or international equivalent) in immunology, biochemistry, biomedical science, or a related discipline A strong interest in mucosal immunology and host-microbiome interactions Desirable: Laboratory experience in immunofluorescence microscopy, flow cytometry, bioinformatics, or cell culture Familiarity with analysis of high-dimensional or imaging datasets Funding Notes UK tuition fees covered, total £15,906. Stipend for full PhD: total £77,676. Apply Now

Project Description We are inviting applications for a fully funded cross-disciplinary industrial partnership project. Successful candidates will work with researchers in animal nutrition and veterinary medicine and a leading animal nutrition company (Volac Milk Replacers). Calves fed higher milk replacer rations during the preweaning period have been shown to have: ·      Greater disease resistance ·      Better growth rates to weaning These benefits (higher growth rates), obtained before weaning, result in improved production (increased milk yield) and improved efficiency (reduced time to first calving). Feeding higher volumes of milk replacer pre-weaning could therefore be a successful strategy to meet industry average daily gain targets for Holstein dairy calves of 0.7 to 0.8 kg per day which are currently not met on many farms. Meeting growth rate targets in replacement heifer calves will have long-term benefits for farm profitability and sustainability, and improved efficiency will lead to lower carbon footprint per litre of milk. It remains to be determined if there is a long-term welfare, economic, and production benefit to feeding calves sufficient milk volume to exceed industry target weaning weight. Despite existing published literature, critical knowledge gaps remain: 1.      Are calves fed a higher volume of milk replacer solids more likely to be healthier in the preweaning period? 2.      Are calves fed a higher volume of milk replacer solids more likely to exceed ADG targets of 0.7 to 0.8 kg per day? 3.      What is the impact of increased milk replacer volume on starter intake and rumen development at weaning? 4.      Are calves fed a higher volume of milk replacer solids more likely to be more productive in terms of earlier conception and higher milk production in first lactation? 5.      Using life cycle analysis, what are the cost benefits in terms of economics and environmental impacts of feeding a higher volume of milk solids on milk production? The candidate will benefit from working with an interdisciplinary team and will gain training and skills from a wide range of expertise provided by the supervisors. Animal handling will include monitoring of health scores, bodyweights, fertility and production parameters. The student will gain experience in collecting farm field data, as well as laboratory experience and data analysis skills. The team have extensive experience with academic and industry led extension messaging and knowledge exchange events with farmers and veterinarians. The student would be actively encouraged to participate in knowledge exchange meetings with these groups both with the university and with Volac Milk Replacers. Additionally, they will contribute to publications and enhance communication through workshops, public engagement and conferences. The student will spend a proportion of their time (approximately 8 weeks) on secondment with the industrial partner. During secondment, the student will shadow and be trained by key employees in skills relating to dietary manufacturing and animal nutrition, including product development, formulation processing and manufacturing; nutritional rationing and dietary assessment (on–farm) and quality assurance We are looking for an enthusiastic, dynamic individual with good communication skills. Candidates should have a background in agriculture, veterinary medicine or animal nutrition, and should have experience working with farm animal species. This is a fantastic opportunity to make real word impact in animal nutrition. The project focuses on knowledge gaps around feeding calves milk replacer and future productivity. Project start dates: Earliest Start Date: 31/08/2026 – Latest Start Date: 31/10/2026 Funding Notes Stipend: Year 1 £22,383.00, year 2 £23,003.00, year 3 £23,641.00 and year 4 £12,648.50. Bench Fees: Year 1 £5,151.00, year 2 £5,301.00, year 3 £5,454.00 and year 4 £2,806.00. Apply Now

Project description Mesothelioma is an asbestos-driven cancer, with limited treatment options and a median survival of 12-18 months. Areas of Scotland have the highest global incidence of the disease, reflecting historical utilisation of asbestos in heavy industries. Detailed molecular characterisation of multiple global cohorts has revealed highly prevalent loss of function events in tumour suppressor genes (e.g. BAP1, CDKN2A, NF2) but few protein altering mutations in activating oncogenes. This genomic landscape, which has been defined using late-stage tumour samples, correlates poorly with the rapidly progressive illness experienced by most patients. This project will apply state-of-the-art computational pipelines to a unique collection of paired pre-tumour and tumour biopsies collected from patients as they transitioned in real-time from a pre-mesothelioma precursor state to early-stage invasive mesothelioma. This rare bioresource has been collected by the CRUK-funded PREDICT-Meso International Accelerator Network, which is led by Blyth (University of Glasgow/CRUKSI) and currently comprises >170 investigators from 98 institutions in 17 countries. The primary vehicle for the assembly of this cohort has been the Meso-ORIGINS study, which has recruited >500 patients since 2022, with the target number of 600 patients expected to be reached by August 2026. PREDICT-Meso resources have been used to generate Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and bulk RNASeq, which will be the primary datasets used for this project, in addition to multiple other ‘omic layers, detailed clinical information and imaging materials. These datasets have been curated and stored in the bespoke PREDICT-Meso Database, supported by the CRUK Scotland Centre Data Science & Data Management team, with analysis via established variant calling and gene expression pipelines in the Semple Lab, based in the Institute of Genetics in Cancer (University of Edinburgh). This project will allow deep exploration of exciting preliminary results generated by Semple et al, regarding previously unidentified drivers of mesothelioma evolution. These data generated using uniform, state-of-the-art re-analysis of publicly available mesothelioma datasets, align well with outcomes from other PREDICT-Meso investigators regarding therapeutic targeting of cellular pathways downstream from these drivers. These data include results from high-throughput drug screening, experiments in genetically engineered mouse models and early phase human trials. The outcomes of this project are therefore expected to play an important role in the design of clinical trials testing a new therapeutic strategy for mesothelioma. PREDICT-Meso is committed to training of the next generation of mesothelioma researchers and currently supports 14 other PhD studentships in related areas providing a unique training environment. This non-clinical PhD project will run in parallel to other projects in aligned disciplines and alongside clinical PhD projects, ensuring comprehensive training in cancer sciences. The project will also be supported by a dedicated project manager via PREDICT-Meso, and the CRUK Scotland Centre Data Science & Data Management team. The student will gain experience in the primary processing of WES data using high performance computing, including sequence QC, alignment and established somatic variant calling pipelines. This will underpin statistical meta-analyses (using R) of mutation co-occurrence and exclusivity at multiple scales, from short nucleotide variants to large structural variants. Variants will be tested for evidence of selection 1, 2 to identify driver variant candidates, and for association with clinical and histopathological variables. Whole genome duplication and aneuploidies will be predicted using established algorithms 3. Primary processing of RNA-seq data will quantify gene expression and establish significantly differentially expressed genes. All variant data and expression data will be integrated and compared to a large, in-house genomic-transcriptomic atlas constructed using uniform processing of WES/WGS/RNA-seq data from previously published mesothelioma studies. Patterns of variation across multiple samples from the same patient will be used to infer dominant evolutionary trajectories during mesothelioma evolution 3. Important Notice In order for us to process your application, you must upload the completed EDI application form. Funding Notes The CRUK Scotland Centre studentships are for 4 years and provide an annual tax-free stipend of £22,500 + 1.75% indexation in Year 2,3&4, university tuition fees and a consumables budget. Apply Now

There is a clinical need to improve detection and therapeutic intervention in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Preferably both goals should be targeted at the early stages of disease to maximise successful clinical outcomes. It is therefore essential that we study hepatocyte clonal dynamics to better understand how oncogenic-mutant-clones expand and progress to cancerous lesions. The PhD project aims to identify the key signalling pathways that promote oncogenic growth and selection of pro-cancerous clones. Using an in situ CRISPR/Cas9 screen, the project will combine clonal barcoding with functional genomics. Enabling the identification of key plasma membrane receptors that stimulate the growth of mutant-clones in a pre-cancerous, diseased tissue environment. HCC is strongly linked to social deprivation and the associated poor diet that occurs in that setting. To encompass this feature into the disease model the project will also include the use of a high fat and sugar diet to simulate tumourigenesis in an inflamed and steatotic liver. By focusing the screen on genes that encode cell surface proteins the project aims to identify targets that are pharmacologically accessible and have greater potential for therapeutic translation. To further accelerate translation of the screening results to the clinic, gene hits will be prioritised by aligning them to patient single cell and spatial transcriptomic data sets. This will ensure identified genes and pathways are specific to human HCC. Further emphasis will be placed on the availability of small molecule inhibitors or other therapeutic agents that can target key hits. Follow up work using in vitro assays and in vivo preclinical models of HCC will validate gene hits and explore methods to target them in the clinic. Working closely with the clinicians in the CRUK Scotland Centre out comes from this project will direct new strategies in the detection and treatment of HCC. Techniques/model systems Pre-clinical modelling of disease using genetically engineered mouse models. Spatial and single cell transcriptomic assays and analysis In vivo gene editing using CRISPR/Cas9 technology Ex vivo tissue slice culture Cancer organoid lines Training Specific laboratory training for the techniques listed above in addition to bioinformatic and computational training for analysis of large data sets. Furthermore, the University of Glasgow post-graduate research programme and the CRUK Scotland Centre doctoral training programme both provide excellent training in more generic research skills such as scientific writing and communication and public engagement. The PhD candidate will also have access to mentoring schemes and career support to build their network and explore various career paths. Important Notice In order for us to process your application, you must upload the completed EDI application form. Funding Notes The CRUK Scotland Centre studentships are for 4 years and provide an annual tax-free stipend of £22,500 + 1.75% indexation in Year 2,3&4, university tuition fees and a consumables budget. Apply Now

Project description There are 7500 new ovarian cancer cases in the UK per year making it the 6th most common cancer in females. Although ovarian cancer survival is improving, 5-year survival rates remain poor (42.6%). High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) is the most common and lethal form of ovarian cancer. It is characterised by almost ubiquitous TP53 aberrations, cell-cycle defects, huge copy number change and genomic instability. We recently demonstrated two pathways to genomic diversity in HGSOC (1). One (approximately 50% of patients) is through homologous recombination deficiency (HRD); these tumours largely respond to platinum/PARP inhibitors. The other group of cancers is characterised by whole genome duplication (WGD) and is associated with chromothripsis, extrachromosomal DNA harbouring oncogenes, mitochondrial DNA mutations and CCNE1 amplification; these tumours are less likely to benefit from platinum/PARPi therapy and therefore understanding and developing effective therapies for this HGSOC sub-group is a major unmet need. Genetically engineered mouse models of selected types of HGSOC have already been developed. To date they represent BRCA1/2 driven, HRD, HGSOC reasonably well however no model exists that recapitulates the structural genomic diversity seen in the poorest prognostic HGSOC sub-groups. In this project we therefore plan to develop novel, patient-relevant models of WGD HGSOC. Activation of mutational events seen in WGD HGSOC such as ecDNA-Myc, CCNE1 and mitochondrial mutations will be recapitulated in mouse models which will then be fully characterised to ensure that they are representative of the corresponding sub-type in humans, from a pathology, molecular and disease spectrum angle. Then after understanding the model and disease progression, we will use these realistic models to test rational treatments in an effort to identify new, more effective treatment strategies for this poor prognostic sub-group of patients. The student will work in Professor Blyth’s group which is world leading in the development of mouse models of cancer and attached to the MRC National Mouse Genetics Network. The student will also be supported by Professor Semple from University of Edinburgh who is a bioinformation with expertise in structurally diverse cancers (mesothelioma and ovarian cancer) and Professor Patricia Roxburgh who has expertise in treatment of ovarian cancer and development of new cancer therapeutics, and who will ensure clinical relevance to the project. The student will gain expertise in development and analysis of genetically engineered mouse models of cancer, translational preclinical models, immunohistochemistry, genomics and computational methods to interrogate biological data. They will also access the research training programme provided by the Universities of Glasgow and Edinburgh and actively participate in the ovarian theme of the CRUK Scotland Centre including attending regular joint Edinburgh-Glasgow meetings and presenting their findings internally and externally at conferences. Important Notice In order for us to process your application, you must upload the completed EDI application form. Funding Notes The CRUK Scotland Centre studentships are for 4 years and provide an annual tax-free stipend of £22,500 + 1.75% indexation in Year 2,3&4, university tuition fees and a consumables budget. Apply Now

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer‑related mortality in the UK, accounting for approximately 10% of all cancer deaths. The majority of CRC cases are sporadic and arise from premalignant colorectal polyps, most commonly adenomatous polyps (adenomas) or sessile serrated lesions [1]. CRC development is driven by the progressive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations that enable the transformation of normal colonic epithelium into polyps and, ultimately, invasive carcinoma [2]. The progression from a benign polyp to malignancy typically occurs over 7–15 years, providing a critical window for early detection and intervention. Endoscopic resection of precancerous polyps via polypectomy is highly effective in preventing CRC development [3]. However, despite successful polypectomy, 20–50% of patients go on to develop metachronous polyps [4]. As many of these patients will never progress to further polyps or cancer, universal surveillance colonoscopy is neither clinically appropriate nor sustainable, given procedural risks to patients and the substantial resource burden placed on the NHS. Improving risk stratification following polypectomy is therefore a major unmet clinical need. The INCISE project (INtegrated TeChnologies for Improved Polyp SurveillancE) aims to address this challenge by enhancing risk stratification for metachronous polyp development through the integration of molecular and morphological data beyond conventional histopathological assessment. By identifying and validating novel biomarkers predictive of future polyp risk, INCISE seeks to refine existing surveillance protocols—reducing unnecessary procedures while ensuring high‑risk patients receive appropriately intensive follow‑up. To support this objective, we have established a well‑characterised cohort of 2,642 patients with archival polyp samples available for further molecular profiling, including analysis using state‑of‑the‑art spatial ‘omic and proteomic platforms. By identifying molecular features within a spatial context that are associated with future risk of metachronous polyp development, this project aims to generate a robust risk stratification score to identify patients at increased risk of developing metachronous polyps. This multidisciplinary PhD project will be undertaken in collaboration with the primary supervisors Dr Stephen McSorley (Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, University of Glasgow; specialist in colorectal cancer screening), Professor Joanne Edwards (Professor of Translational Cancer Pathology, University of Glasgow), Dr Hayley Morris (Consultant Pathologist, University of Glasgow; specialist in colorectal pathology) and Dr Philip Dunne (Specialist in Translational Bioinformatics, Queen’s University Belfast). References Strum WB. (2016) Colorectal Adenomas. New England Journal of Medicine. 374(11):1065–75. De Palma FDE, D’argenio V, Pol J, Kroemer G, Maiuri MC, Salvatore F. (2019) The Molecular Hallmarks of the Serrated Pathway in Colorectal Cancer. Cancers (Basel). 11(7). Simon K. (2016) Colorectal cancer development and advances in screening. Clin. Interv. Aging. 11:967–76. Hao Y, et al. (2020) Risk Factors for Recurrent Colorectal Polyps. Gut Liver;14(4): 399-411. 4. Løberg M, et al. (2014) Long-term colorectal-cancer mortality after adenoma removal. N Engl J Med;371(9): 799-807. Aims Using the INCISE cohort and its associated datasets, this project aims to: Identify and validate morphological and molecular features associated with the risk of developing metachronous colorectal polyps Integrate cutting‑edge spatial ‘omic and proteomic technologies—including the Lunaphore COMET and Bruker CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager—to uncover novel biomarkers of risk of metachronous polyps. Develop predictive models to support personalised surveillance strategies following polypectomy Training Outcomes The PhD student will receive comprehensive interdisciplinary training in: The biology of colorectal cancer development and progression Histopathological assessment of colorectal polyps Immunohistochemistry and quantitative tissue analysis The use of advanced spatial ‘omic and proteomic platforms, including Lunaphore COMET and Bruker CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager Statistical and computational analysis of spatial ‘omic and proteomic datasets In addition, the student will contribute to the translational positioning of candidate biomarkers, supporting their evaluation for future clinical utility and impact on colorectal cancer surveillance practice. Funding Notes UK Student fees covered. Apply Now