Research Associate

Job Summary

The research programme in molecular bacteriology, led by Prof. José R Penadés, will analyse the impact of phages in the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Bacteriophage-mediated gene transfer is a major evolutionary force occurring by two well-described mechanisms: generalized and specialized transduction. We have recently discovered that Staphylococcus and Salmonella phages engage in lateral transduction, the most powerful mode of transduction described to date.  In this project, analysing important pathogens, we will investigate whether this ground-breaking strategy of gene transfer is widespread in nature. We anticipate that the results of this study will challenge basic and fundamental concepts of phage biology, which will be revisited here. Moreover, the proposed research has the potential to fundamentally restructure our understanding of the roles of bacteriophages in bacterial evolution, including the development of antimicrobial resistance and virulence in clinical strains.

Selected papers from the lab

Chee MSJ, Serrano E, Chiang YN, Harling-Lee J, Man R, Bacigalupe R, Fitzgerald JR, Penadés JR*, Chen J*. 2023. Dual pathogenicity island transfer by piggybacking lateral transduction. Cell 186:3414–3426.e16.

Fillol-Salom A, Rostøl JT, Ojiogu AD, Chen J, Douce G, Humphrey S, Penadés JR. 2022. Bacteriophages benefit from mobilizing pathogenicity islands encoding immune systems against competitors. Cell 185:3248-3262.e20.

Chen J, Quiles-Puchalt N, Chiang YN, Bacigalupe R, Fillol-Salom A, Chee MSJ, Fitzgerald JR, Penadés JR. 2018. Genome hypermobility by lateral transduction. Science 362:207–212.

Tormo-Más MÁ, Mir I, Shrestha A, Tallent SM, Campoy S, Lasa I, Barbé J, Novick RP, Christie GE, Penadés JR. 2010. Moonlighting bacteriophage proteins derepress staphylococcal pathogenicity islands. Nature 465:779–782.

Duties and responsibilities

• To take initiatives in the planning of research
• To direct the work of small research teams
• To conduct data analysis
• To write reports for submission to research sponsors
• To present findings to colleagues and at conferences
• To submit publications to refereed journals
• To develop contacts and research collaborations within the College and the wider community
• To promote the reputation of the Group, the Department and the College
• To provide guidance to PhD Students
• To maintain highly organised and accurate record of experimental work
• To actively participate in the research programme of the Group
• To participate in Group research meetings and internal seminars
• To contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s laboratories and, facilities with other scientists, clinicians, technicians and students within the laboratories
• Assist in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and research assistants as required
• Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by Head of group as well as Head of Division/Department/Section 

Essential requirements

• Hold a PhD in microbiology or a closely related discipline*

Further Information

This role is fulltime, fixed term for 12 months based at South Kensington Campus.

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range £40,694 - £43,888 per annum.

Should you require any further details on the role please contact: José R Penadés, j.penades@imperial.ac.uk

For technical issues when applying online please email sjobs@ic.ac.uk

Closing date: 01/04/2024

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