Post-Doctoral Researcher School of Pharmacy/ APC Microbiome Ireland

2 Years, fixed-term, whole-time post

Position summary

Postdoctoral Researcher positions in circular RNA therapeutics - Laboratory for smart drug delivery technologies at the School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Ireland

Position summary: We are looking for an exceptionally enthusiastic, creative, and driven Postdoctoral Researcher with a passion for interdisciplinary science and a desire to apply their unique talents to high-impact work aimed at improving human health, to join the laboratory of Dr. Piotr S. Kowalski at the School of Pharmacy at UCC. Dr. Kowalski’s research spans multiple disciplines and will allow candidates to develop their skills in a variety of areas, including circular RNA engineering, RNA delivery, nanomaterials design, and gene therapy.

The current project is supported by an European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant and focuses on elucidating the therapeutic potential of the new class of RNAs with a unique closed-loop structure, called circular RNAs, to tackle unmet medical challenges such as sepsis. This project aims to expand the toolbox of therapeutic RNAs and develop cutting-edge circular RNA tolls for the regulation of gene and protein expression to treat multiple organ failure during sepsis, which is responsible for 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. It will also develop methods to deliver circRNAs inside the relevant cells in the lungs and kidneys. Successful candidates will work in a cross-disciplinary research team and lead the work on developing novel approaches to design and evaluation of circular RNA tolls for therapeutic regulation of gene and protein expression, interacting closely with a group of collaborators supporting our work, comprised of RNA biologists, vascular biologists, immunologists, and clinical scientists.

UCC is an accredited research organisation and as such can form hosting agreements with third country nationals (and non-EEA nationals) for the purpose of conducting research in the University.

• Candidates with a Ph.D. degree in biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, synthetic biology, biopharmaceutical sciences, biomedical engineering or a related field are highly encouraged to apply.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas will be desirable:  RNA biology, nucleic acid delivery, structural prediction and modeling, analysis of nucleic acid and protein interactions, analysis of RNA structure, bioinformatics, molecular cloning, nucleic acid purification using chromatography, and animal work.
• Evidence of peer-reviewed publications in international scientific journals
• Prior practical laboratory experience and the capability to work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to contribute in a multidisciplinary team setting
• Excellent oral/written communication skills
• Availability to start in Spring/Summer 2024 will be an advantage  

About Dr. Piotr S. Kowalski (PI):  I am a biochemist by training with a passion for interdisciplinary biomedical research and entrepreneurship. I have completed my scientific training in five different countries, including Poland (Jagiellonian University), the Netherlands (Groningen University), and USA (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). I have 12 years of mentoring, teaching, and leadership experience both in academic and industrial settings. My current work resulted in over twenty published research articles, the invention of four patents on drug delivery technologies, and the creation of a Cambridge-based biotech startup. For more information please refer to: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piotr-kowalski-2715957b/ and http://research.ucc.ie/profiles/C019/[email protected]

About the University College Cork: UCC is a leading Irish university with an international reputation in innovation, and entrepreneurship. It is ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide based on the quality of its research outputs and peer esteem indicators and was the first University to be named The Sunday Times University of the Year for two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). UCC has a vibrant research community of almost 3,500 postgraduate students and over 250 postdoctoral researchers, across all the major academic disciplines. UCC has active postdoctoral associations and programs that aim to provide support for all aspects of a postdoc’s career, including professional development training and everyday work. UCC is the host and partner of leading Irish research centers, including APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre and Tyndall National Institute providing the access to state-of-the-art research expertise and core facilities.  School of Pharmacy was ranked in the top 100 (66th) in the QS World Rankings by Subject in 2022 and is a part of the College of Medicine and Health, a very interactive environment with multidisciplinary academic teams providing plenty of opportunities to network with world-class scientists and clinicians. UCC is an accredited research organisation and as such can form hosting agreements with third country nationals (and non-EEA nationals) for the purpose of conducting research in the University.

Post Duration: 2 Years

Salary: €42,781 - €49,177p.a. (IUA PD1 Salary Scale)

Project: CIRCLE: Synthetic Circular RNA therapeutics for prevention of sepsis-associated organ failure

For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Piotr Kowalski, PhD, School of Pharmacy, Email: [email protected]. Please include “Postdoc in circRNA therapeutics” in the subject line of your email.

Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to [email protected], quoting the job-title and project name.

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 22nd March 2024.

No late applications will be accepted.

UCC is committed to creating and fully embracing an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated.  As a University we strive to create a workplace that reflects the diversity of our student population where people from a wide variety of backgrounds learn from one another, share ideas, and work collaboratively. UCC is committed to being an employer that recognises the value of diversity amongst its staff.  We encourage applicants to consult our policies at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/policies/ and initiatives at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/implementation/ and we welcome applications from everyone, including those who are underrepresented in the protected characteristics set out in our Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER