Overview

Research Assistant – Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us:

King’s College London is one of the world’s leading research-intensive universities. The Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience is internationally recognised for research that improves the understanding, prevention and treatment of mental illness.
 
This post sits within the Department of Psychosis Studies and the King’s British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence. It will support a research programme that brings together expertise in psychiatry, cardiovascular medicine, cell biology, imaging and multi-omics to understand the cardiac effects of the antipsychotic clozapine and identify approaches that could make this highly effective treatment safer. 

About the role: 

We are seeking a motivated Research Assistant to deliver the preclinical work package of an interdisciplinary programme investigating the cardiac effects of clozapine and whether co-administration of tirzepatide can prevent or reverse cardiac dysfunction.
 
Working with Dr Anna Zoccarato, Dr Adam Nabeebaccus, Dr Toby Pillinger and collaborators across the programme, the postholder will use human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts, conditioned-media experiments and human engineered heart tissue to investigate direct and fibroblast-mediated mechanisms of clozapine-associated cardiotoxicity. The work will compare clozapine and its principal metabolite, norclozapine, with amisulpride and will examine the preventive and restorative effects of tirzepatide.
 
The role will involve mammalian cell culture, controlled drug-exposure experiments and assessment of cellular viability, inflammation, cell-death signalling, mitochondrial function, bioenergetics, fibrosis, oxidative stress and contractile function. Techniques will include MTT assays, ELISA, western blotting, quantitative PCR, histological and fluorescence-based assays, Seahorse extracellular flux analysis and functional assessment of engineered heart tissue using the CUORE platform.
 
The postholder will optimise and troubleshoot experimental methods, maintain rigorous laboratory and data records, analyse and interpret quantitative results, and contribute to presentations, reports and peer-reviewed publications. They will also work with the wider research team to interpret the preclinical findings alongside clinical, immune, metabolic and proteomic data.
 
This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 12 months. 
 
Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information. 

About you: 

To be successful in this role, we are looking for candidates to have the following skills and experience: 
 
Essential criteria
  1. An MSc, or equivalent experience, in cardiovascular biology, cell biology, biomedical sciences, pharmacology or a closely related discipline.
  2. Substantial practical experience of mammalian cell culture and the ability to work aseptically and independently in a laboratory environment.
  3. Experience of relevant cellular and molecular techniques, such as viability assays, ELISA, western blotting, quantitative PCR, fluorescence imaging or histological staining.
  4. An understanding of robust experimental design, appropriate controls, technical replication and basic statistical analysis.
  5. The ability to manage, analyse, interpret and present quantitative experimental data using appropriate software.
  6. Excellent organisational, record-keeping and communication skills, with the ability to deliver work to agreed timelines.
  7. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain scientific findings clearly and contribute to reports, presentations or publications.
  8. The ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team and to troubleshoot experimental problems constructively.
 
Desirable criteria
  1. Experience with human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes or cardiac fibroblasts.
  2. Experience of engineered heart tissue or other three-dimensional cardiac models, including measurement of contractile function.
  3. Experience of Seahorse extracellular flux analysis or other assays of mitochondrial function and cellular bioenergetics.
  4. Knowledge or experience of cardiac inflammation, fibrosis, drug-induced cardiotoxicity, antipsychotic pharmacology or incretin-based treatments.
  5. Experience of conditioned-media or co-culture experiments and preparing research outputs for presentation or publication. 
 
Downloading a copy of our Job Description
 
Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.
 
 

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