Location
Hammersmith, London

Hours
Full-time

Salary
£42,694 plus London allowances £5,560 per annum* Additional allowances comprise a £1,000 lump sum settlement allowance plus a yearly Training Allowance of £850 in the first year, paid in monthly instalments. The Training Allowance increases to £1,300 in year two, and £1,800 in the third year.

About the Role
Understanding how chemicals in our environment cause disease has been constrained by a fundamental lack of tools. The Tissue Biology Group is building spatial single-cell genomics technologies and high-throughput screening platforms to reveal, cell by cell, how exposures remodel tissues and drive disease. The group develops new methods for single-cell spatial multiomics, in vitro and in vivo screening, and computational analysis of these data. The postdoctoral scientist will establish the group's exposure screening capability by building screening platforms to assay many exposures in parallel and develop molecular and phenotypic readouts to make those screens informative.

The work follows one of two strands shaped by the candidate's background and interests:
- The in vitro strand: establishing novel screening platforms using organoid, primary cell, or comparable human-relevant culture systems with multiplexed, sequencing-based readouts suitable for testing many compounds and doses in parallel.
- The in vivo strand: establishing novel screening approaches that allow exposures to be assayed in tissue at a scale conventional study designs cannot reach. This requires established hands-on in vivo experience and a UK Home Office personal licence or readiness to obtain one.

This is a method-development post with broad reach. Successful screening platforms will be used by collaborating groups and may have commercialisation potential. The platforms report on mechanisms rather than any single chemical, enabling studies in mutagenesis, ageing, cancer, and drug toxicology.

The role is mixed wet/dry laboratory work, with responsibility for data generation and analysis supported by LMS core facilities. The group offers scope to shape project direction alongside structured mentoring, fostering curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and scientific growth. Members are encouraged to present at international meetings and publish reproducible, well-documented methods.

Key skills include molecular and cell biology experience, experimental screening and/or computational analysis of high-dimensional biological data, programming in R and/or Python, and screen design and analysis. Hands-on in vivo experience and a UK Home Office personal licence are required for the in vivo strand. Experience in organoid culture, toxicology, exposomics, mutagenesis, laboratory automation, and HPC environments are advantageous.

Experience
- Molecular and cell biology experimental experience.
- Experience in experimental screening and/or computational analysis of high-dimensional biological data.
- Programming skills in R and/or Python for sequencing and screening data analysis.
- For in vivo strand: established hands-on in vivo experience and a UK Home Office personal licence or readiness to obtain one.
- Experience in screen design, execution, and analysis is an advantage.
- Experience in organoid or advanced in vitro culture systems, new approach methodologies (NAMs), toxicology, exposomics, mutagenesis, environmental health, laboratory automation, liquid handling, assay miniaturisation, and HPC environments is advantageous.

About you
- Ability to conduct reproducible research with a creative and persistent approach to problem-solving.
- Keen interest in learning new skills across wet and dry laboratory work.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
- Ability to motivate others and work collaboratively as part of a team.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise and work independently.
- Flexible attitude towards work and willingness to undertake necessary training.
- Discipline and regard for confidentiality and security at all times.

Qualifications
- Essential: PhD (or equivalent experience) in molecular or cell biology, genomics, toxicology, computational biology, or a closely related discipline.
- Desirable: First-author publication, preprint, or manuscript in preparation.
- UK Home Office personal licence is desirable, especially for the in vivo strand.