Postdoctoral Fellow

Position Overview

Salary for this Role:
From £47,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

Job Title:

Postdoctoral Fellow

Reports to:

James Briscoe

Closing Date: 01/Sept/ GMT

Job Title:

Postdoctoral Fellow – Briscoe Lab

Details of the role:
Reporting to:
James Briscoe, Principal Group Leader

Working pattern:
This is a full-time, fixed term (4 years) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment Salary:
From £47,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience Final date to receive applications: 1st of September 2026 m

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions.

We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

The lab aims to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms that underpin the development of the vertebrate neural tube. In this tissue, secreted molecules form extracellular gradients that regulate the expression of a set of genes, notably transcription factors, which control the identity and proliferation of neural progenitors thereby governing pattern formation and tissue growth. Using a range of molecular, imaging, and modelling approaches that combine single cell resolution dynamic assays of morphogen signalling, cell fate specification, gene regulation and growth the lab investigates how signalling is perceived and interpreted by cells to control gene expression and cell behaviour.

They develop novel tools and approaches to obtain a comprehensive view of neural tube development and to analyse the interdependence between different aspects of pattern formation. For the experimental studies a range of models including mouse and chick embryos and mouse and human embryonic stem cells are used.

for more information about the Briscoe Lab

The project will involve designing and performing experiments using embryonic stem cells differentiation models and mouse, chick and human embryos. The aim is to we investigate the cell fate decision making mechanisms controlling neuronal cell diversity in the spinal cord. This governs cell fate choices by regulating chromatin accessibility and gene expression in neural progenitors. Perturbations will be used to dissect transitions in spinal cord progenitors and the subtype identity of progeny.

Assays of gene regulation, transcription factor activity and chromatin accessibility will define regulatory elements for spatial determinants to direct cell-type specific gene expression. These approaches will define the spatiotemporal integration strategy in which determines the output of a spatial gene regulatory network leading to the temporal and spatial specification of cell type production.

• Design, plan and execute experimental studies using embryonic stem cell differentiation systems and mouse, chick and human embryo models.
• Generate, analyse and interpret molecular, cellular and genomic datasets, including assays of gene regulation, transcription factor activity and chromatin accessibility.
• Maintain accurate experimental records and ensure data are managed and documented to institute standards.
• Develop and apply computational approaches for the analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
• Drive an independent research project investigating…