Research Fellow

The Institute of Ophthalmology is committed to a multi-disciplinary research portfolio that furthers an understanding of the eye and visual system linked with clinical investigations targeted to specific problems in the prevention and treatment of eye disease. The combination of the Institute’s research resource with the resources of Moorfields Eye Hospital, which has the largest ophthalmic patient population in the Western World, opens the way for advances at the forefront of vision research and provides an unparalleled setting for research and training in Ophthalmology.

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are the commonest cause of blindness amongst working age adults. There are over 360 causative genes, but for the majority of patients, no treatments are available. Professor Mariya Moosajee and her team are working to advance our understanding of IRDs by generating human disease models using induced pluripotent stem cell technology to derive patient retinal organoids. These can be studied to identify disease pathophysiology and to test new treatments.

Working in close collaboration with Professor Mariya Moosajee, the Post Doctoral Fellow will focus on the development of non-viral approaches, using mRNA and non-viral gene therapy, as potential treatment options for two genes of interest MYO7A and GUCY2D-retinopathy. The Post Doctoral Fellow will use a range of techniques to facilitate the group’s work, including: stem cell culture, generation of iPSC colonies and differentiation into target retinal cells, histology, electron and confocal microscopy, molecular biology such as western blots, and immunocytochemistry.

Additional skills may be required for testing in vivo models, and necessary training will be provided where necessary. Candidates with a PhD is essential, experience in the aforementioned techniques, and who are bright, independent and highly motivated, but willing and able to work effectively as part of a collaborative team are encouraged to apply.

The candidate must be a good communicator, both in lay and scientific terms, with strong writing skills. They must be competent with literature searches, published papers, and have background understanding of genetic eye disease. The candidate should be organised, hardworking and enjoy writing.

Working with some of the greatest intellects in the world, UCL also offers a generous pension scheme and holiday allowance, plus closure and bank holidays as well as enhanced parental pay and more. Visit  to find out more.

£39,148 to £40,148. Grade 7