About the role
Imperial College London is a world-leading science-focused institution with the greatest concentration of high-impact research of any major UK university. The Faculty of Engineering, consistently rated among the best in the world, is made up of 10 academic departments, including the Department of Bioengineering. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, Imperial scored #1 across the UK in overall output scores and Bioengineering scored #1 in in its category of Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering.
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer sacs generated from cells that contain distinct surface markers and payload that make them useful in the clinic (i.e. for diagnosis, tumour stratification and therapy monitoring) as well as key regulators of metastasis (i.e. premetastatic niche formation). This project is generously funded by Cancer Research UK Convergent Science Centre (https://www.convergencesciencecentre.ac.uk/) to develop and use microfluidic devices to advance both their clinical utility and our understanding of their role in cancer metastasis.
Clinical utility: Most physical-based separation mechanisms rely on the difference in size between EVs and cellular elements found in blood. While the discrimination of small EVs (sEVs https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-01150-3.
Cancer metastasis: Using microfluidic models of human capillary bifurcations, our group has discovered a new subclass of large extracellular vesicles that are shed from circulating tumour cells under shear in capillary bifurcations (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.17.589880v1.full.pdf). We have named these EVs “shearosomes” since they require shear stress for their biogenesis. Shearosomes exhibited functions characteristic of previously identified EVs including cell-directed internalization by endothelial and immune cells, and intercellular communication abilities such as disruption of endothelial barrier integrity, polarization of monocytes into M2 tumor-promoting macrophages and interactions between endothelial and immune cells. What is not known is the extent that shearosomes reprogram the premetastatic niche and influence metastatic progression. The objective of this aim is to develop and use high throughput microfluidic capillary devices to produce large numbers of these shearosomes from tumour cells. We will then use these shearosomes to investigate the extent and mechanisms by which they form the premetastatic niche in both microfluidic and animal models.
What you would be doing
This is a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary research at the interface of microfluidics, cancer and potentially cancer immunotherapy. The successful candidate will join a dynamic collaborative team of researchers in the Au Lab (www.biomicrotech.science) alongside collaborators at Imperial and the Institute of Cancer Research.
We are seeking a skilled individual who is self-motivated, highly organised and has relevant wet lab experience. The post holder will work with wide range of staff, students, and academics and will have the opportunity to present at leading international conferences. Good communication and team working skills are essential. Cell culture, microfabrication, CAD, molecular biology, and in vivo animal experience is desired, but not required as the post holder will be provided with all relevant training.
Duties and responsibilities
- To take plan and conduct laboratory experiments
- To collaborative effectively within and across research groups, including providing guidance to students and other researchers
- To maintain highly organised and accurate record of experimental work.
- To publish in high quality journals and to present data at national and international conferences
- To contribute to the smooth running of laboratories and facilities
- Assist in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and research assistants as required.
- To communicate regularly with collaborative partners and Bioengineering technicians
- To attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary
- To ensure the validity and reliability of data at all times
- To maintain accurate and complete records of all findings
- To write reports for submission to research sponsors
- To participate in 1:1 meetings, group research meetings and internal seminars.
- To comply with the College, Division, and Unit safety practices and to attend courses on safety when appropriate.
- Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by Head of group as well as Head of Division/Department/Section.
What we are looking for
- PhD in Engineering, Biology, or a closely related discipline, or equivalent research, industrial or commercial experience
- Practical experience within a research environment and/or publication in relevant and refereed journals
- Knowledge of basic research methods and statistical procedures
- Ability to take ownership of and independently drive research projects
- Creative approach to problem-solving challenges in research
- Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of people
- Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and succinctly for publications
- Ability to take ownership of and independently drive research projects
What we can offer you
- The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution
- Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 38 days off a year)
Further information
This is a 24 month, full time, fixed term position, with a possibility of an extension after.
*Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed to as a research assistant, with a salary range of £43,003 – £46,297 per annum.
For informal enquiries about the post please contact Dr Sam Au – s.au@imperial.ac.uk
Committed to equality and valuing diversity. We are also an Athena SWAN Silver Award winner, a Stonewall Diversity Champion, a Disability Confident Employer, and are working in partnership with GIRES to promote respect for trans people
Available documents
Please note that job descriptions are not exhaustive, and you may be asked to take on additional duties that align with the key responsibilities mentioned above.
We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you encounter any technical issues while applying online, please don’t hesitate to email us at support.jobs@imperial.ac.uk. We’re here to help.
About Imperial
Welcome to Imperial, a global top ten university where scientific imagination leads to world-changing impact.
Join us and be part of something bigger. From global health to climate change, AI to business leadership, here at Imperial we navigate some of the world’s toughest challenges. Whatever your role, your contribution will have a lasting impact.
As a member of our vibrant community of 22,000 students and 8,000 staff, you’ll collaborate with passionate minds across nine London campuses and a global network.
This is your chance to help shape the future. We hope you’ll join us at Imperial College London.
Our Culture
We work towards equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination, and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to employing a team that has diverse skills, experiences and abilities. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.
Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate respect, collaboration, excellence, integrity, and innovation.
