Area
Life Sciences
Location
University Park
Salary
£31,387 to £46,485 per annum, depending on skills and experience (minimum £35608 with relevant PhD).
Closing Date
Monday 15 June 2026
Reference
MED459826
Applications are invited for a Research Associate/Fellow position to work on a project investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms of meiosis in the malaria parasite Plasmodium. The project is funded through a BBSRC UKRI Frontier Science award entitled “Meiosis in Plasmodium: how does it work?”.
The post holder will be based in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nottingham (Medical School, Queen’s Medical Centre, UK) and will work under the supervision of Dr David Guttery and Prof. Rita Tewari.
This project aims to address a fundamental gap in our understanding of how meiosis operates in Plasmodium, a highly divergent eukaryote responsible for malaria transmission. The research will focus on parasite development within the mosquito vector, using advanced genetic and cell biological approaches to determine how conserved meiotic regulators control parasite differentiation and transmission. The work will involve conditional gene modulation strategies (including CRISPR-Cas9, DiCre, AID and promoter swap systems) combined with state-of-the-art imaging approaches such as confocal microscopy, expansion microscopy and immunofluorescence to generate mechanistic insight into parasite biology.
We are seeking a self-motivated and enthusiastic candidate with a strong interest in parasite biology and cell biology. Applicants must hold a PhD (or be close to completion) in a relevant discipline and have experience in molecular and/or cell biology techniques. Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills are essential. Experience in molecular cloning, genetic manipulation, and advanced imaging approaches (e.g. confocal microscopy) is highly desirable. Experience with expansion microscopy, SIM or related advanced imaging techniques would be advantageous.
The successful candidate will join a collaborative and supportive research environment, contribute to training undergraduate and postgraduate researchers, and disseminate findings through high-quality publications and presentations.
Further information is available in the role profile. To apply for this vacancy please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete your details.
This is a fixed-term, full-time (36.25 hours per week) appointment until 14th April 2027, with the possibility of a 5.5 month extension, subject to funding.
Please contact (David Guttery/Rita Tewari) ([email protected]/ [email protected]) if you have further questions about this role. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.
