Postdoctoral Fellow

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow specialising in immunology to study the role of immune cells in tissue regeneration. As a model of regeneration, we will use the endometrium, the mucosal layer of the uterus that undergoes cyclical shedding and regeneration in response to fluctuating hormone levels.  This position is fixed-term until 31 August 2028.
** About the research:
** Immune cells play an active role in regenerative processes, for example by providing growth factors and other signals that support tissue growth. One of the most striking examples of efficient regeneration is the endometrium, which is shed and regenerated every month without scarring. This process is most evident during menstruation, the phase of the menstrual cycle in which the endometrium is shed and rapidly rebuilt.

Despite its importance, the causal contribution of immune cells to regeneration, both in general and within the endometrium, remains poorly understood. This gap in knowledge limits our understanding of common gynaecological conditions such as Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB), a debilitating disorder characterised by excessive blood  this project, we will adopt an integrative, cutting-edge genomics approach to investigate the role of immune cells in endometrial regeneration in both health and disease.

We will examine how immune cell function is altered in HMB using advanced genomic profiling applied to both endometrial tissue and menstrual fluid. Deep learning models will be used to predict cellular, molecular, and genetic associations with HMB, enabling the identification of causal pathways, patient stratification, and the development of novel diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies. A key component of the project is the use of in vitro systems, including organoid–immune cell co-cultures established in the lab, to validate findings and mechanistically dissect the contribution of immune cells to endometrial regeneration.
** What you'll be doing:
** In this role, you will lead investigations into the role of immune cells in regeneration, with a primary focus on the endometrium. The position is part of a large, collaborative project funded by Wellcome LEAP, which aims to profile menstrual fluid, the microbiome, and endometrial tissue using a range of transcriptomic technologies to identify novel biomarkers and treatments for HMB.

You will work with single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to enable discovery-driven research, alongside organoid-based models for functional validation. The overarching goal is to define the molecular mechanisms by which immune cells regulate endometrial regeneration in both health and disease.

You will join the  and take scientific leadership in profiling menstrual fluid and endometrial samples from individuals experiencing HMB, as well as in establishing patient-derived in vitro models. Your work will integrate computational analyses of single-cell and spatial genomics data with mechanistic experimentation in vitro. Your responsibilities will include: (1) Interpreting and biologically contextualising complex genomic datasets, with a focus on immune cell populations, (2) Designing and performing functional and mechanistic assays, (3)  Presenting findings to academic and clinical collaborators, (4) Contributing to the strategic and scientific direction of the project.
** Key publications of the team:
*** Lorenzi V, Icoresi-Mazzeo C, Cassie C, Yayon N, Ruiz-Morales ER, Sancho-Serra C, Colligan R, Wong FCK, Marečková M, Tuck E, Roberts K, Li T, Jacques MA, Ashcroft J, He X, Crespo B, Cakir B, Murray S, Gu Y, Predeus AV, Prete M, Kelava I, Barker R, Garcia-Alonso L, Marioni JC, Vento-Tormo R. “ Nature. 2025 Dec 17.
* Marečková, Magda, Luz Garcia-Alonso, Marie Moullet, Valentina Lorenzi, Robert Petryszak, Carmen Sancho-Serra, Agnes Oszlanczi, et al. 2024. “An Integrated Single-Cell Reference Atlas of the Human Endometrium.” Nature Genetics 56 (9): 1925–37.
* Arutyunyan A, Roberts K, Troulé K, Wong FCK, Sheridan MA, Kats I, Garcia-Alonso L, Velten B, Hoo R, Ruiz-Morales ER, Sancho-Serra C, Shilts J, Handfield LF, Marconato L, Tuck E, Gardner L, Mazzeo CI, Li Q, Kelava…