Research Associate / Senior Research Associate

Postdoc position to study Cell Competition in

Human embryonic and progenitor cells

 A postdoc position is available to study cell competition in human in vitro systems, including human cell lines, progenitor and embryonic stem cells. The positions are available in the lab of Professor Eugenia Piddini (https://piddinilab.org ) with the goal to study the mechanisms of cell competition and how they impact tissue colonisation in health and in diseases like cancer. The lab is located at the University of Bristol, UK, and is funded by the Wellcome Trust and by Cancer Research UK.

Cell competition is a biological process akin to natural selection at the cellular level. Through cell competition, comparably less fit cells are eliminated and replaced by fitter cells and this acts as a quality control mechanism to remove damaged cells from tissues.

The main goals of the Piddini lab are to discover how cells compete and to design cell competition-based therapies in cancer and regenerative medicine. Our aim is to exploit cell competition to contain tissue colonization in cancer and to promote tissue colonisation in cell replacement therapies. Over the past decade our group has identified several pathways that modulate cell competition and implicated their role in tumour growth. We now aim to harness the molecular regulators of cell competition that we have discovered, to control cell competition in the development of novel anti-cancer or regenerative medicine therapies.

We aim to translate our cell competition discoveries into pre-clinically relevant models to develop cell-competition-enhanced cell replacement therapies and strategy to contain tumour growth. Current cells of interest include human embryonic cells and progenitor cells from various tissues, especially neural, hematopoietic and cardiomyocyte progenitors.

If you are a talented and highly motivated individual with expertise in cell biology, CRISPR genomic screening, stem cell biology, stem cell/iPS culture and you have an interest in cell therapy development we want to hear from you. 

We are looking to recruit a talented and highly motivated individual with expertise in cell biology and stem cell and/or developmental biology, molecular biology, signal transduction and imaging, culture of human progenitor and organoid cells from one or more of our tissues of interest e.g. neural, hematopoietic and cardiomyocyte progenitors. Additional experience in one or more of the following is desirable: generation of human iPS cells from primary cells, CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, screening and knock-ins, culture of human retinal pigment epithelial cells or liver progenitor cells, quantitative cell biology and image analysis, next generation sequencing.

Applicants should be highly motivated and have a substantial track record of productivity and international experience. They should have a PhD in a relevant subject area or be close to completion of their degree.

The funds for these posts are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Please contact Professor Eugenia Piddini [email protected] ,  including a CV and a brief statement outlining key areas of expertise and reasons why you would like to join our group.  Potential interview date is 15 April 2024.

We recently launched our strategy  to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.

Postdoc position to study Cell Competition in

Human embryonic and progenitor cells

 A postdoc position is available to study cell competition in human in vitro systems, including human cell lines, progenitor and embryonic stem cells. The positions are available in the lab of Professor Eugenia Piddini (https://piddinilab.org ) with the goal to study the mechanisms of cell competition and how they impact tissue colonisation in health and in diseases like cancer. The lab is located at the University of Bristol, UK, and is funded by the Wellcome Trust and by Cancer Research UK.

Cell competition is a biological process akin to natural selection at the cellular level. Through cell competition, comparably less fit cells are eliminated and replaced by fitter cells and this acts as a quality control mechanism to remove damaged cells from tissues.

The main goals of the Piddini lab are to discover how cells compete and to design cell competition-based therapies in cancer and regenerative medicine. Our aim is to exploit cell competition to contain tissue colonization in cancer and to promote tissue colonisation in cell replacement therapies. Over the past decade our group has identified several pathways that modulate cell competition and implicated their role in tumour growth. We now aim to harness the molecular regulators of cell competition that we have discovered, to control cell competition in the development of novel anti-cancer or regenerative medicine therapies.

We aim to translate our cell competition discoveries into pre-clinically relevant models to develop cell-competition-enhanced cell replacement therapies and strategy to contain tumour growth. Current cells of interest include human embryonic cells and progenitor cells from various tissues, especially neural, hematopoietic and cardiomyocyte progenitors.

If you are a talented and highly motivated individual with expertise in cell biology, CRISPR genomic screening, stem cell biology, stem cell/iPS culture and you have an interest in cell therapy development we want to hear from you. 

We are looking to recruit a talented and highly motivated individual with expertise in cell biology and stem cell and/or developmental biology, molecular biology, signal transduction and imaging, culture of human progenitor and organoid cells from one or more of our tissues of interest e.g. neural, hematopoietic and cardiomyocyte progenitors. Additional experience in one or more of the following is desirable: generation of human iPS cells from primary cells, CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, screening and knock-ins, culture of human retinal pigment epithelial cells or liver progenitor cells, quantitative cell biology and image analysis, next generation sequencing.

Applicants should be highly motivated and have a substantial track record of productivity and international experience. They should have a PhD in a relevant subject area or be close to completion of their degree.

The funds for these posts are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Please contact Professor Eugenia Piddini [email protected] ,  including a CV and a brief statement outlining key areas of expertise and reasons why you would like to join our group.  Potential interview date is 15 April 2024.

We recently launched our strategy  to 2030 tying together our mission, vision and values.

The University of Bristol aims to be a place where everyone feels able to be themselves and do their best in an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We want to attract, develop, and retain individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives – particularly people of colour, LGBT+ and disabled people - because diversity of people and ideas remains integral to our excellence as a global civic institution.