Advanced Research Assistant

 We are seeking an enthusiastic advanced research assistant to perform high throughput, transcription factor-driven differentiation screens in human pluripotent stem cells to expand the range of disease-relevant cell types and subpopulations that can be efficiently generated in-vitro. You will have the opportunity to employ cutting edge genome engineering technologies to perform combinatorial CRISPRa and cDNA overexpression screens, and complex readouts such as high throughput droplet-based single cell multiomics (10x) and flow cytometry to characterise the resulting cells. You will work in the function of human DNA and its variation group led by Leopold Parts , in collaboration with Bayraktar and Teichmann groups that focus on computational analysis and the genome editing and cellular R&D team led by Dr Andrew Bassett. 

The Wellcome Sanger Institute is at the forefront of single cell technologies with projects such as the human cell atlas (https://www.humancellatlas.org/ ) aiming to identify and create reference maps of every cell type in the human body, atlases that will be critical for analysing the effectiveness of cellular models. The Cellular Genetics programme focusses on the development of computational tools for disentangling gene regulation, tools that are necessary for designing transcription factor (TF)-driven differentiation protocols. Projects such as the human induced pluripotent stem cell initiative (HipSci, https://www.hipsci.org/ ) and the high throughput gene editing facilities at the institute have also been instrumental in developing human induced pluripotent stem cell systems to model and screen for genes involved in disease.

You will be involved 1) in implementing complex molecular biology protocols such as Golden Gate/Gibson assembly cloning of TF libraries, 2) in developing and performing human pluripotent stem cell differentiation protocols, and 3) in generating single cell multimodal readout to characterise resulting cells. These technologies will enable generation of pure and functional lineages of cells, with the aim of better understanding the genetic underpinnings of disease, understanding cellular differentiation and developing tools with high therapeutic potential.

Please apply with your CV and a Cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria set out above and in the job description.

We will consider secondment opportunities for this role, please seek your current line manager's approval before submitting your application.