Research Assistant

We are a world class research-intensive university. We deliver teaching and learning of the highest quality. We play a leading role in economic, social and cultural development of the North East of England. Attracting and retaining high-calibre people is fundamental to our continued success.

The Role
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced researcher to recruit and consent participants who have had a confirmed COVID diagnoses more than at least 6 weeks before testing and who suffer from fatigue. You will also carry out all electrophysiological and behavioural tests required to ascertain which brain systems have been affected (at weeks 1, 8 sand 16 for each participant), instruct participants in the use of the intervention (VNS or sham VNS) and home monitoring devices (smart phones and biosensors), collect blood samples, oversee data storage/curation and assist with analysis. In effect, you will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery of the study.

About a quarter of people who have only suffered very mild symptoms of acute COVID19 report suffering from fatigue - post Covid Fatigue (pCF) - after they have otherwise fully recovered.

This randomised controlled study has been designed to assess the potential efficacy of a repurposed low-cost therapeutic technology - transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) - optimised to deliver a repurposed therapeutic intervention -vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) - to treat pCF.

By carefully phenotyping people with pCF using electrophysiological and behavioural tests to probe different parts of the peripheral and central nervous system, we hope also to predict those who will respond to VNS and thus stratify the application of this therapy in the future.

This is a full-time position, fixed term until 29 February 2024.

For informal enquiries, please contact Professor Mark R Baker mark.baker@ncl.ac.uk.

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here.

Find out more about our Research Institutes here.

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

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