Postdoctoral Research Associate in Single-Molecule Imaging and Super-Resolution Microscopy (Fixed Term)

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work jointly with Prof. Steven F. Lee and Prof. Sir David Klenerman, FRS (Yusef Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge) in a collaborative project with partners at the University of Oxford. This project aims to investigate extracellular interactions at close contacts in T-cell signalling, leveraging cutting-edge single-molecule imaging and super-resolution microscopy approaches to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying early immune recognition.

This position is funded by Wellcome as part of a broader effort to understand how T cells process information following contact with antigen-presenting cells at the nanoscale, with a particular focus on the role of microvilli-mediated close contacts. The successful applicant will contribute to the development and implementation of next-generation 3D super-resolution microscopy techniques, including Fourier light-field microscopy, PAINT-based labelling strategies, and custom optical instrumentation.

The primary objective of this post is to visualise and characterise the extracellular interactions at close contacts in T-cell signalling. The research will focus on:

• Engineering advanced optical microscopy tools to map the nanoscale distribution of TCRs, coreceptors, and immune checkpoints at the T cell surface.
• Developing and applying high-speed, high-density 3D single-molecule super-resolution imaging to study how key immune receptors are spatially organised at microvilli before and during antigen recognition.
• Using reconfigurable supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) and microfabricated biointerfaces to investigate how ligand presentation influences close-contact formation and subsequent signalling cascades.
• Collaborating with biophysicists and immunologists at the University of Oxford to integrate imaging data with computational models of receptor signaling and T-cell activation.

Essential Qualifications and Skills:

• A PhD (or be close to completion) in chemistry, physics, biophysics, optical engineering, or a related discipline.
• A strong background in optical microscopy, single-molecule imaging, and/or super-resolution techniques (e.g., STORM, PAINT, MINFLUX, or lattice light-sheet microscopy).
• Experience in instrument development, including custom optics, hardware automation, and computational image analysis.
• Programming proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar languages for image processing and data analysis.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills, with a commitment to interdisciplinary research.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at the interface of instrument development, super-resolution imaging, and immune cell biology. The post would particularly suit someone with a technical background looking to apply their skills to an important biological problem, i.e., contributing to fundamental discoveries in T-cell signal processing.

Appointment at the Research Associate level is dependent on the award of a PhD.  Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at the Research Assistant level, which will be amended to Research Associate once the award of the PhD has been confirmed.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

For informal inquiries, please contact Prof. Steven Lee at sl591@cam.ac.uk and Prof. Klenerman at dk10012@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference MA46951 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The Department holds an Athena SWAN silver award for women in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

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