Research Associate, Research Scientist, Biomedical Science

King’s College London (King’s) is a world-leading Russell Group research institution. The work will be undertaken in the Centre for Host-Microbiome interactions, which is an integral component of the King's Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences in collaboration with Prof. Julian Naglik and Dr Miraz Rahman in the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. Both Principal Investigators are recognised as world leaders in their respective fields of host-pathogen interactions and medicinal chemistry.

Candida albicans is a fungal pathogen that can cause severe morbidity and life-threatening infections.

C. albicans possesses several virulence factors that promote disease including the ability to form hyphae and secrete the toxin candidalysin.

The postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in validating and developing small molecule inhibitors that block the activity of candidalysin, which drives epithelial damage and mucosal inflammation. The position will combine fungal pathogenesis, epithelial cell biology, inhibitor screening, safety profiling and in vivo infection models to identify candidates with therapeutic potential.

The researcher will perform mechanistic in vitro studies using oral and vaginal epithelial models, to assess whether candidate compounds prevent candidalysin-induced cytolysis, calcium influx, epithelial signalling and inflammatory mediator production. They will contribute to compound profiling across multiple assay platforms, including LDH release, cytokine/alarmin measurement, epithelial viability and safety counter screens. The role will also involve testing activity against candidalysin variants from clinically relevant Candida strains and species, helping to define breadth of protection.

In parallel, the researcher will support compound prioritisation using predefined potency, selectivity and Go/No-Go criteria, integrating data from biophysical, electrophysiological and cellular assays. They will also utilise murine models of oropharyngeal and vaginal candidiasis, assessing fungal burden, tissue invasion, epithelial damage, inflammation and immune-cell recruitment.

Overall, this position is suited to a researcher with expertise in fungal infection biology, epithelial host responses and translational antimicrobial development, who can work across multidisciplinary experimental platforms to advance anti-candidalysin therapeutics toward preclinical validation.

The researcher will be funded by the BBSRC and based in the laboratories of Dr Julian Naglik at King’s College London, where they will produce independent, original research within the group.

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract for 3 years.

£46,189 per annum including London Weighting Allowance