Research Fellow in Bioinformatics

Updated: over 2 years ago
Location: Ireland,
Job Type: FullTime
Deadline: 13 Sep 2021

Post Summary

Contract type: Fixed term – 3 years 3 months

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin is seeking a highly motivated and experienced bioinformatician to work on a prestigious multinational inter-disciplinary epigenomics project. This project initiative ‘Social Circumstances and Epigenomics Promoting Health in Three Countries’ saw researchers from the United States, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland collaborate to submit a single, joint “tri-partite” proposal to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award will strengthen international research to examine how social circumstances and life challenges impact the epigenome and health in later years and is supported by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Health Research Board (HRB).

This unique collaboration will examine social, economic, health and epigenomic data from three national studies of ageing in the family of Health and Retirement studies - the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the Northern Ireland Cohort for the Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NICOLA), and The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TILDA).

The successful candidate will be expected to lead on the development of analysis pipelines for the epigenomic data generated from DNA samples profiled using Illumina EPIC 850k arrays for the TILDA component of this study. This will include: contributing to study design and DNA sample selection; producing longitudinal DNA methylation (DNAm) datasets; performing epigenome-wide association studies and generating existing an novel epigenetic clocks using cross-sectional and longitudinal epigenomic data coupled with extensive data on socio-economic factors and age-related health outcomes. The successful candidate will also have the unique opportunity to collaborate closely with world leading researchers in ageing and epigenomic research from the United States, Northern Ireland, and Trinity College Dublin.  This position provides an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated individual with proven experience in the analysis and interpretation of epigenomic and health data, and a track record of academic research output evidenced by peer-reviewed publications. The successful candidate will report directly to Dr Aisling O’Halloran and Prof Cathal McCrory, co-investigators on the award.

The main aims of the project are:

  • Produce longitudinal DNA methylation (DNAm) data on a representative, population-based sample of adults in the United States, RoI and NI over age 50.
  • Compare associations of indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) and DNAm profiles and changes in those profiles (ΔDNAm) using harmonized data in the US, RoI and NI.
  • Assess how exposures to social adversity and potential buffering/resilience factors are

associated with DNAm profiles and ΔDNAm in the US, RoI and NI. 

  • Examine the extent to which DNAm profiles and ΔDNAm predict later life health and mortality in three countries.

Informal enquiries about this post should be made toDr. Aisling O’Halloran at[email protected] Further details of the post and a full job description can be found on jobs.tcd.ie . Applicants should submit a full Curriculum Vitae and cover letter to include the names and contact details of 3 referees (including email addresses), to Keith Brennan at [email protected]



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