Salary:
Reserach Assistant £32,546 - £33,482 per annum
Research Associate £35,116 - £45,413 per annum
Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.
Closing Date: 10 July 2025
The Role
We are seeking an experienced Researcher with a background in cancer genomics to implement a next-generation sequencing (NGS) assay for the detection of gene abnormalities in samples from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
You will work as a member of the Leukaemia Research Cytogenomics Group (LRCG) in the Newcastle Translational & Clinical Research Institute at Newcastle University under the guidance of Professor Anthony Moorman and Dr Sarra Ryan. The aim of the project is to determine the prognostic impact of non-canonical genomic abnormalities in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia treated on historic and contemporary treatment protocols. In collaboration with a commercial company, we will develop an NGS assay to screen a cohort of ~1,200 patients using existing samples. You will contribute to the design of the assay and development of the bioinformatic pipelines. In addition, they will lead on the processing of samples, transfer of samples/data to/from the commercial company and performing independent validation tests. You will have both bioinformatic and laboratory experience.
The project is part of the Cancer Research (CRUK) Experimental Medicine Award entitled “BIOINFORM: Biologically informed treatment decisions in acute leukaemia” award to Professor Moorman. The overall aim of the programme is to explore the genomic landscape of acute leukaemia and its association with clinical outcome. All the genomic datasets held by the LRCG are richly annotated with patient demographic, clinical, treatment and outcome; and correlating genetics with clinical features is a major part of our programme of research. You will work closely with internal and external collaborators who are experts in the biology and treatment of childhood and adult leukaemia to leverage our unique datasets to identify biomarkers and help improve the outcome of patients with acute leukaemia.
This is an excellent opportunity join a dynamic translational research group with a track record of improving patient diagnosis and management. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop their research skills, learn new methods/techniques and progress to the next stage of their career. You will have a PhD in a relevant discipline for Research Associate level or hold an honors degree of be close to submission of a PhD for Research Assistant level. Experience in bioinformatics, knowledge of genomics and experience of performing molecular biology techniques is essential.
This appointment is a fixed term post for 3 years.
To apply for the position, we’ll need your CV and a cover letter outlining how you are suitable for the role using evidence to highlight how you meet the essential criteria in the knowledge, skills and experience as listed in the job description.
Informal enquiries are encouraged and can be made to Professor Anthony Moorman [email protected]
Further Information about the Faculty can be found at: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/fms/.
Key Accountabilities
Including (but not limited to):
- Support the investigators in the Leukaemia Research Cytogenomics Group with the design, development and implementation of a NGS assay and associated bioinformatic pipelines to detect a predefined group of gene fusions and mutations in samples from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.
- With the help of senior colleagues, take a leading role in the identification and implementation of suitable methods for validating the results of the NGS assay in a subset of samples.
- Organise the processing and delivery of samples to the commercial provider running the NGS assay and the return of data to the University.
- Build internal and external contacts and participate in networks for the exchange of information and to form relationships for future collaboration.
- Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time, the desire to develop own research objectives and proposals for own funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
- Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations.
- Prepare research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
- Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
- Help with the supervision of final year undergraduate research projects and postgraduate research students and where appropriate PhD students and Research Assistants
- Work with support staff, undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute.
- Contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities.
- Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment.
- Contribute to broader organisational and management processes and to co-ordinate the work of other colleagues where necessary.
- Where necessary, participate in the maintenance of bioinformatic hardware, software and resources (e.g. servers, Cloud computing, archiving).
- Planning and communication of analytical strategies and presentation of results to team members, expert academic user groups and collaborations within and outside of Newcastle University.
The Person
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
• Knowledge and experience of genomics and identifying genetic variation in humans
• Knowledge and experience in bioinformatics and NGS pipeline development
• Knowledge and experience of molecular biology techniques such as DNA extraction and PCR
• Experience with the publication of work in peer reviewed journals and presentation of findings at conferences
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
• Excellent communication skills and ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
Desirable
• Post-doctoral experience working in medical research
• Knowledge of cancer genomics and genetic variation in cancer
• Experience with the preparation of grants for submission to funders
• Experience in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Experience of working in a research environment
Attributes and Behaviour
• Ability to work well as part of a team or collaborators
• Ability to rapidly acquire new skills
• Enthusiastic, well-motivated and hard working
• Good attention to detail
• Commitment to continued professional development
Qualifications
• PhD in a relevant subject eg. bioinformatics and/or molecular biology for Research Associate Level
• Honours degree or close to submission of a PhD in relevant area
Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.
We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.
At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.
In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.
Requisition ID: 28058
