Computational Biology Research Associate (Fixed Term)

The Simons group at the Wellcome/CRUK Gurdon Institute and the Dumitrascu group at the Department of Computer Science and Technology are seeking a Research Associate in Computational Biology.

Alongside wet lab work using transgenic mouse and organoid studies, the Simons lab makes use of analytical and computational approaches to study mechanisms of cell fate in developing and adult tissues (http://www.simons.group.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/ ). Current interests include the transcriptional and epigenetic factors that drive injury-induced cellular reprogramming, and how these programmes are subverted during tumour development. The Dumitrascu group develops statistical and computational methods at the intersection of genomics and machine learning (https://computational-morphogenomics-group.github.io/ ). The current focus of the group lies in the integration of multi-omic, mechanical and morphological measurements to understand the spatio-temporal organisation of cellular aggregates in developmental contexts. The group also tackles challenges in pattern formation with a focus on active learning and experimental design, physics informed machine learning and explainability. The Simons and Dumitrascu groups have multiple collaborations with partners in the UK and overseas. The post will also provide an opportunity to strengthen interactions with the Marioni group, which studies the molecular mechanisms of cell fate in early development as well as in ageing and cancer (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/research-beta/marioni/ ).

With experience in the development of statistical and computational methods, you will play a key role in analysing single-cell transcriptomics and multi-omics data (which may include scRNA-seq, scATAC-seq and/or spatial transcriptomics data) across a range of projects. As well as performing computational genomics analyses, you will also make use of functional data to develop mechanistic insights using statistical modelling-based methods and/or computational approaches. Although you will work alongside experimental colleagues, you will play a central role in data analysis and integration, and your contributions will be acknowledged accordingly. You will also have the opportunity to develop computational pipelines.

You will have a strong background in statistical and computational biology, prior experience in the analysis of high-throughput genomic and transcriptomic data and may have experience in the deployment of machine learning analysis pipelines. Prior experience in the analysis of single-cell data would be an advantage. You should also have a PhD in a relevant subject, a sound understanding of molecular biology, and a strong publication track-record in computational biology or computer science. You will be expected to be able to work independently and interact well in a dynamic multidisciplinary team environment.

The Simons lab is located in the Gurdon Institute, a centre of developmental biology and cancer research in Cambridge. The Institute provides a stimulating environment that promotes collaborative and interdisciplinary research. Its postdoc association encourages scientific and social interactions and provides career development and teaching opportunities. As a member of the Simons lab, you will also be affiliated with the Departments of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. As a member of the Dumitrascu group, you will be affiliated with the Department of Computer Science and Technology and the Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery (https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/accelerate ), an initiative bringing together scientists and machine learning experts. You will also be affiliated with the Herbert and Florence Institute for Cancer Dynamics and the Statistics Department at Columbia University.