Research Fellow - Department of Cardiovascular Sciences Grade 7

Position Details

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health

Location:

University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822. As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £42,254

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to November 2029

Closing date: 13th September 2026

The successful candidate will join an internationally recognised Cardiovascular Immunology research team to work on a 3-year project grant funded by the British Heart Foundation investigating mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque instability. The successful candidate will create and contribute to the creation of knowledge by undertaking a specified range of activities within this specific research project, which aims to characterise the roles of natural killer (NK) cell receptors expressed by CD4+CD28null T cells in atherosclerotic plaque instability.

They will use multiparameter immunophenotyping, functional T-cell assays, spatial transcriptomics and multiplex proteomics on human coronary atherosclerotic plaque tissues to explore the roles of NK cell receptors in the cytolytic and effector function of CD4+CD28null T cells. This work will provide novel insights into the roles of CD4+CD28null T cells in atherosclerotic plaque instability and reveal novel targets for plaque stabilising therapeutic strategies.

The Cardiovascular Immunology team (led by Dr Ingrid Dumitriu) is embedded in the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences (CVS), which is part of the School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health at the University of Birmingham. This CVS Department and University of Birmingham will provide access to state-of-the-art research laboratories and facilities (including flow cytometry, imaging and microscopy, Birmingham Tissue Analytics and Genomics Birmingham) as well as comprehensive training programmes.

• Characterise the expression of NK cell receptors in CD4+CD28null T cells in patient with acute coronary syndrome (ACS)
• Investigate the roles of NK cell receptors in the function of CD4+CD28null T cells
• Prepare coronary artery tissue samples for spatial transcriptomics (Cos Mx 6K) and multiplex proteomics (immunofluorescence imaging with Lunaphore/COMET)
• Analyse the spatial transcriptomics and multiplex immunofluorescence imaging data
• Work within specified research grants and projects related to immune cell-mediated mechanisms in atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and contribute to writing bids
• Operate within area of specialism (immunology, transcriptomics and cell biology)
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results in a clear and concise manner, contributing to the field’s body of knowledge
• Contribute to generating funding by contributing to the writing of grant proposals and funding applications to secure resources for ongoing and future research
• Disseminate research findings to specialist and lay audiences (including writing scientific publications)
• Contribute to the public understanding and visibility of the discipline through publications, presentations and outreach activities
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Perform experiments using flow cytometry of blood samples from patients to characterise NK cell receptors and functional markers in CD4+CD28null T cells
• Isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells and CD4+ T cells; carry out T cell functional assays (e.g. cytolytic function, migration, cytokine production, etc.); test the effect of antagonistic and agonistic antibodies and small molecule inhibitors to modulate NK cell receptors on CD4+CD28null T cells and assess changes in function of this cell subset
• Set up…