Ref Number
B02-11129
Professional Expertise
Research and Research Support
Department
School of Life & Medical Sciences (B02)
Location
London
Working Pattern
Full time
Salary
See advert text
Contract Type
Fixed-term
Working Type
On site
Available for Secondment
No
Closing Date
07-Sept-2026
Our mission is to maximise and advocate for the holistic health of all children, young people and the adults they will become, through world-class research, education and public engagement. The UCL GOS ICH, together with its clinical partner Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, forms the largest concentration of children’s health research outside North America. The 2024-29 GOS ICH strategy focuses on its five scientific programmes. GOS ICH’s activities include active engagement with children and families, to ensure that our work is relevant and appropriate to their needs. GOS ICH generates the funding for our research by setting out our proposals in high quality applications to public, charitable and industrial funding bodies and disseminates the results of our research by publication in the medical and scientific literature, to clinicians, policy makers and the wider public. The Institute offers world-class education and training across a wide range of teaching and life learning programmes which address the needs of students and professional groups who are interested in and undertaking work relevant to child health. GOS ICH holds an Athena SWAN Charter Gold Award. Please only attach relevant documents to your application (qualifications, cover letters, supporting statements) and avoid attaching large files e.g. research papers, thesis, publications etc.
We have an exciting opportunity for a highly skilled and motivated postdoctoral fellow to join the group of Dr. Conor McCann to investigate human pluripotent stem cell derived (hPSC)-derived enteric nervous system (ENS) progenitors as a possible treatment for Hirschsprung Disease. This post is funded via the MRC Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) as part of a high impact collaborative project between the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health (McCann and De Coppi groups), University of Sheffield (Tsakiridis group; Department of Biomedical Science), Queens University Belfast (Lamrock Lab). The post-holder will be based in the Gut Development and Repair Group at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, led by Dr. Conor McCann, at UCL GOS ICH. The group is made up of 6 researchers with a primary focus in understanding the development and consequences of childhood gut disorders. There will be opportunity for the post holder to develop their own interests within the scope of the project. We will also support the development of fellowship applications. This post-doctorate research post is for 3 years, in the first instance, funded by the MRC DPFS. The postholder will undertake and lead laboratory-based research to support the preclinical development of a novel stem cell therapy for Hirschsprung disease. Working within the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and in close collaboration with partners at the University of Sheffield, the researcher will evaluate the functional efficacy, biodistribution, safety and immunogenicity of clinical-grade human pluripotent stem cell-derived enteric nervous system progenitors. Preliminary results from the collaborative group has provided evidence to support the use of hPSC-derived ENS progenitors as a promising platform for the development of cellular and regenerative medicine therapies (Jevans B, Cooper F, Fatieieva Y, Gogolou A, Kang YN, Restuadi R, Moulding D, Vanden Berghe P, Adameyko I, Thapar N, Andrews PW, De Coppi P, Tsakiridis A, McCann CJ. Human enteric nervous system progenitor transplantation improves functional responses in Hirschsprung disease patient-derived tissue. Gut. 2024 Aug 8;73(9):1441-1453. Paper link) The postholder will be responsible for conducting complex ex vivo and in vivo studies, including transplantation of stem cell-derived progenitors into human patient-derived intestinal tissue and animal models of enteric neuropathy, followed by assessment of cellular engraftment, differentiation, integration and restoration of gastrointestinal function. The role will involve the application of advanced techniques including organotypic tissue culture, cell transplantation, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, physiological assays (including organ bath contractility studies), image analysis and molecular characterisation. The researcher will contribute to the generation of critical preclinical data required for regulatory advancement towards first-in-human clinical trials, maintaining rigorous experimental records, analysing and interpreting data, preparing reports and publications, and presenting findings to collaborators, stakeholders and funding bodies. The postholder will also support the management of human tissue studies, ensure compliance with relevant ethical and regulatory frameworks, and contribute to the supervision and training of students and junior staff within the laboratory. Ultimately, the role will play a key part in advancing a first-in-class regenerative medicine approach aimed at restoring enteric nervous system function and improving outcomes for children affected by Hirschsprung disease. The salary offered is £46,261 - £49,943 per annum.
You will hold a PhD degree in experimental biology, anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, or a relevant subject area and have evidence of first author scientific publication/s in an international, peer reviewed journal/s. You will also possess research experience in enteric nervous system models/enteric nervous system stem cell biology/Hirschsprung Disease and evidenced experience in stem cell culture and ex vivo and/or in vivo transplantation techniques including Home Office PiL accreditation or equivalent. Strong communication skills are essential, with the ability to present complex scientific findings clearly to both specialist and non-specialist audiences. You will be a collaborative researcher, able to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders including academic colleagues, data providers, external partners and members of the public, while also demonstrating initiative, self-motivation and a commitment to high standards in research and the UCL Ways of Working.
As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below: 41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days) Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE) Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan On-Site nursery On-site gym Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service Discounted medical insurance
As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women. You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here : https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusion/
