Research Associate in Brain Vascular Epigenomics Dementia Research Institute

About the role

Postdoctoral Research Associate in brain vascular epigenomics, funded by the Michael Uren Foundation, based at Imperial College London.

Launched in 2017, the UK DRI stands as a beacon of scientific innovation, representing an unprecedented 300 million investment in dementia research - the largest of its kind in UK history. The purpose of the UK DRI is to transform the outlook for people living with or at risk of neurodegenerative conditions through research.

This role is part of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, located in the Department of Brain Sciences.

• Generate and analyse large-scale epigenomic and multi-omics datasets from human vascular and immune cell types isolated from post-mortem brain tissue, to identify signalling pathways and transcription factors dysregulated in small vessel disease and dementia.
• Contribute to the functional interpretation of noncoding disease risk variants linked to vascular dysfunction, guiding the identification of genetically supported therapeutic targets.
• Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary research team, including computational scientists and experimentalists, within the UK DRI and with external collaborators.

• Demonstrable hands-on experience in (epi) genomics techniques such as CUT&Tag, ChIP-seq, or ATAC-seq, ideally in the brain.
• A strong foundational understanding of neuroscience, or a closely related discipline, with knowledge of gene regulatory mechanisms and an appreciation of how epigenomics can be used to interpret genetic variation.
• Experience with nuclei isolation and/or fluorescence-activated nuclei sorting (FANS) or FACS, preferably from brain or human tissue.
• Experience with R or Python and familiarity with bioinformatics pipelines would be advantageous but is not essential.

• Access to a range of cutting-edge technologies.
• An inclusive and collegial working environment with the opportunity to mentor, supervise and teach students.
• Strong national links through the UK DRI with attendance at its annual scientific meeting 'Connectome'.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
• Grow your career: gain access to Imperial's sector-leading dedicated career support for researchers as well as opportunities for promotion and progression.
• Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days off a year and generous pension schemes).
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

This is a Full time, fixed term role based at our White City Campus.