Postdoctoral Research Associate
This Wellcome funded full-time post is available from 1 August 2026 until 31 July 2028.
The starting salary will be from £34,610 on Grade E, depending on knowledge, skills and experience.
The Role
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
The Faculty wishes to recruit a Postdoctoral Research Associate to support the work of Dr. Sandra Catania and Prof. Elaine Bignell.
The successful applicant will contribute to a multidisciplinary research programme investigating how chromatin regulation shapes transcriptional adaptation in Aspergillus fumigatus. The project will focus on understanding how environmental signals, such as pH and host-associated stresses, drive transcriptional reprogramming and how these responses are coordinated at the level of chromatin.
The post forms part of a new five-centre research consortium led by Principle Investigators from the MRC Centre for Medical Mycology at the University of Exeter (Elaine Bignell and Sandra Catania), the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (Chris Tate), the Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Clinic (Amelia Barber), the University of Dundee (Susan Wylie) and the Scotland’s Rural College (Fiona Fraser). The over-arching hypothesis for the research programme is that successful adaptation to pH shifts in the natural environment primes opportunistic fungi for infectious growth, reducing barriers to infectivity. Through an innovative combination of evolutionary, molecular, chemical, and structural biology approaches this project will investigate how pH and salinity exposures select for heightened infectivity, particularly in rapidly evolving Aspergillus species.
The researcher will combine genome-wide approaches, including ChIP-seq and RNA-seq, to define transcription factor binding, chromatin states, and gene expression programmes associated with stress adaptation and virulence. The post-holder will work as part of the collaborative programme and contribute to the integration of chromatin, transcriptional, and functional data to define mechanisms of fungal adaptation.
About You
The successful applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies.
Applicants will possess a PhD in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, or a related field and be able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in the discipline and of research methods and techniques to work within established research programmes.
Applicant will have Experience with fungal pathogen culture (category 2 at least) and fungal genetics. The applicant will possess a strong interest in chromatin biology and gene regulation, with desirable experience in next-generation sequencing approaches, particularly RNA-seq and/or ChIP-seq, and a willingness to engage with the analysis and interpretation of genome-wide datasets. It is also require experience in adapting and troubleshooting protocols.
The ideal candidate will be comfortable working both independently and as part of a team, with good organisational skills and the ability to communicate complex experimental data clearly to researchers from different disciplines.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
Further information
Please contact Dr Sandra Catania, [email protected]
Transform Your Career and Help Shape a Greener, Healthier, and Fairer Future
Join the University of Exeter, a top 200 Russel Group university (QS & THE World University Rankings 2025), excelling in teaching (triple Gold rating, TEF 2023) and leading groundbreaking research in the beautiful southwest of England.
We are committed to understanding different cultures and perspectives, supporting diverse leadership, and striving for social justice. We encourage applications from all groups underrepresented in our community, including racially minoritised individuals and those with disabilities. Our inclusive, merit based recruitment processes seek to embrace a diverse set of experiences to ensure colleagues feel supported equitably. With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 140 countries, we foster a culture where everyone can thrive.
You can read more about our current accreditations and commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here, including our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant.
What we can offer you:
- Freedom (and the support) to pursue your intellectual interests and to work creatively across disciplines;
- Support teams that understand the University wide teaching goals and partner with our academics accordingly;
- An Innovation, Impact and Business directorate that works closely with our academics providing specialist support for external engagement and development;
- Our Exeter Academic initiative supports high performing academics to achieve their potential and develop their career;
- A multitude of staff benefits including sector leading benefits around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to 6 weeks full pay), and a Fertility Treatment Policy;
- A beautiful campus set in the heart of stunning Devon/Cornwall.
How we can help
If you are considering applying and need support to do so, please get in touch with us at
[email protected]. You can request reasonable adjustments within your application or by contacting us. You can also choose to be considered under our Disability Confident Scheme and find out here how this is managed during our recruitment and onboarding process.
