MRC/ BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies Postdoctoral Research Associate - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

MRC/BHF CoRE in Advanced Cardiac Therapies Postdoctoral Research Associate - Strand, London, WC2R 2LS

About us

The advertised posts are within the activities of the recently established MRC/BHF Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) in Advanced Cardiac Therapies (REACT). The Centre aims to develop the first therapies to stimulate heart repair and regeneration in patients with heart failure. REACT is a joint initiative of King’s College London (Prof Mauro Giacca), University of Oxford (Prof Paul Riley) and University of Edinburgh (Prof Andrew Baker).

About the role

Applications are invited for the following posts:

King\\\'s College London

Post 1 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), King’s College London. Subject of research: To investigate the molecular mechanisms that regulate proliferation of post-natal cardiomyocytes. Through a combination of targeted molecular biology investigations and unbiased high throughput screenings, the post-holder will dissect the pathways that block proliferation of cardiomyocytes after birth and develop RNA-based strategies to overcome this restrain. Work will include experimentation in primary cardiomyocytes from rodents, cardiomyocytes from human iPS cells, living myocardial slices from rat and human hearts, and in mice in vivo.

Post 2 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), King’s College London. Subject of research: To develop RNA-based interventions that target cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in animal models. Activities will include the development of lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-based methods for the delivery of microRNAs and mRNAs to the heart, in the context of applications aimed to stimulate cardiac regeneration. We seek to appoint an individual with a strong background in LNP production and characterisation and the capacity to adapt this knowledge towards the development of cardiac-specific interventions. Work will include experimentation in primary cardiomyocytes and in the heart in mice.

Post 3 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), King’s College London. Subject of research: To develop and test RNA-based interventions for cardiac regeneration after cardiac damage in animal models. In particular, the post-holder will assess efficacy and pharmacological properties of novel lipid nanoparticles carrying pro-regenerative RNAs in small (mice) and large (pigs) animal models of myocardial infarction using methods that permit the visualisation of cardiac regeneration in vivo. An essential part of the project is to coordinate and take part in the development of clinically applicable routes for cardiac administration upon cardiac catheterisation in large animals.

Post 4 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences (SCMMS), King’s College London. Subject of research: To explore the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in RNA-based therapies for heart disease. The project will focus on: investigating how lncRNAs regulate cardiomyocyte proliferation and cardiac regeneration; developing innovative strategies to modulate newly identified lncRNAs to promote heart regeneration following myocardial infarction in mice; characterizing the molecular mechanisms of lncRNA action through transcriptomic and proteomic analyses; and assessing the therapeutic potential of human orthologs of identified lncRNAs in human cells and tissues.

University of Oxford

Post 5 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Radcliffe Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Oxford. Subject of research: to re-programme immune cells as part of a larger programme to develop novel therapeutics (viral vector and / or extracellular vesicle-based) for myocardial regeneration.  Key project goals are to develop and to deploy novel gene/cell-based therapeutics to restore cell-specific expression of particular genes, at an appropriate time point, location and in a relevant cell type, with the intention of re-creating a microenvironment that will promote cardiomyocyte proliferation and consequent healthy myocardial regeneration.

Post 6 - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Medicines Discovery (CMD), Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM), University of Oxford. Subject of research: To explore the surface proteome in heart-specific cell lines and primary cardiac tissue using state-of-the-art proteomics techniques. The project will utilize disease model systems to characterize unique cell surface signatures for cardiomyocytes, coronary endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. By focusing on unique cell-specific receptors, outcomes will inform the development of targeted drug delivery strategies utilizing RNA therapeutics. This research will contribute to a deeper understanding of myocardial regeneration, neoangiogenesis, immunomodulation, and anti-fibrosis at the molecular level, with spatial resolution.

University of Edinburgh

Post 7 - Postdoctoral Research Associate in Bioinformatics at the Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh. Subject of research: To analyse multimodal omics data in cardiovascular remodelling to create bespoke gene therapy vectors and evaluate their efficacy. The post-holder will support strategic research planning, design, implementation and management of projects related to development of novel gene therapy vectors for cardiac applications and assess therapeutic gain in models of cardiac disease (myocardial infarction and heart failure).

These are immediately available full time posts, which are offered as a 2-year initial contract, with possibility of extension.