Laboratory Research Scientist - Systems Chemical Biology of Infection and Resistance

Location: The Francis Crick Institute, Midland Road, London

Short summary

The Systems Chemical Biology of Infection and Resistance Lab studies how pathogenic bacteria survive and infect, using chemical biology and genetic tools to define new gene targets and their chemical inhibitors. Ultimately, we aim to enable antimicrobial therapies which exploit key weaknesses in the ability of pathogenic bacteria to evolve resistance to antibiotics. Working at the interface of genetics, chemical biology, and machine learning, we discover and use small molecules to precisely disrupt the cellular machinery of pathogenic bacteria and study consequent effects on survival, infection, and evolution.

We primarily study Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), and Klebsiella pneumoniae, the cause of many antibiotic resistant hospital- and community-acquired infections. We use small molecules to complement genetic studies because they are easily applied to disparate cell types and species, precisely perturb specific functions of multifunctional gene products, and directly bridge the gap between implication of genes in disease and new therapeutics.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborating with other lab members on research projects.
• Providing experimental or technical support to other lab members.
• Providing technical expertise for the development, refinement and troubleshooting of relevant methodologies.
• Participating in academic activities, including group meetings and journal clubs, seminars, and scientific meetings.
• Organisation and management of the laboratory, including maintaining laboratory databases, ordering of laboratory supplies, monitoring budgets, and routine maintenance of laboratory equipment. 
• Training and supervising other lab members in key techniques and protocols, lab operations, and equipment use.
• Liaising with Science Operations and attending key quadrant meetings.
• Writing risk assessments and SOPs and providing safety guidance to lab members. 

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is a biomedical discovery institute dedicated to understanding the fundamental biology underlying health and disease. Its work is helping to understand why disease develops and to translate discoveries into new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, infections, and neurodegenerative diseases.

An independent organisation, its founding partners are the Medical Research Council (MRC), Cancer Research UK, Wellcome, UCL (University College London), Imperial College London and King’s College London.

The Crick was formed in 2015, and in 2016 it moved into a new state-of-the-art building in central London which brings together 1500 scientists and support staff working collaboratively across disciplines, making it the biggest biomedical research facility under in one building in Europe.

The Francis Crick Institute will be world-class with a strong national role. Its distinctive vision for excellence includes commitments to collaboration; developing emerging talent and exporting it the rest of the UK; public engagement; and helping turn discoveries into treatments as quickly as possible to improve lives and strengthen the economy. 

• If you are interested in applying for this role, please apply via our website.
• The closing date for applications is 07.02.2023
• All offers of employment are subject to successful security screening and continuous eligibility to work in the United Kingdom.

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