Research Assistant in “Modelling Alzheimer’s Disease using iPSCs and AI-assisted Phenotyping”

Location: Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building (DCHB) Sherrington Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic. 

The Department of Psychiatry is based on the Warneford Hospital site in Oxford – a friendly, welcoming place of work with an international reputation for excellence. The Department has a substantial research programme, with major funding from Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and provides highly rated medical training in psychiatry. The Head of Department is Professor Belinda Lennox. 

This is an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant with expertise in iPSC biology and lab management and an interest in using high content imaging to identifying phenotypes in iPSC neurons and glia derived from cells bearing Alzheimer’s disease risk variants. 

About the Role

The post is funded to 31 August 2028 and based in the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building (DCHB) Sherrington Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU. The post is offered on a full-time basis.

The post holder will report to the group leader (Professor Noel Buckley) and Dr Helen Rowland, and will be a member of a collaborative research group, including partners in GSK, and experimental and computational biologists within the Buckley Group. The team use bespoke AI-based methodology to interrogate cellular and molecular phenotypes of iPSC neurons and glia derived from cells bearing Alzheimer’s disease risk variants and their isogenic counterparts in order to identify and reverse disease phenotype.

The role will be to support the team and embraces both research and lab management and will involve (i) establishment of monocultures and mixed cultures of neuronal and glial cells derived from isogenic iPSCs bearing Alzheimer’s disease variants (ii) use of advanced image analysis to capture raw images and extracted features (iii) ensuring the smooth running of the lab operations.

About You

You will have a first degree in molecular or cell biology or neuroscience or a relevant area together with relevant experience. Demonstrable relevant laboratory experience and the ability to carry out experimental work is essential, as is experience in iPSC work e.g. analysis of molecular and cellular phenotypes (e.g. cloning and PCR) and immuno-based techniques (e.g. western blotting and immunofluorescence). Experience in high content imaging and experience in working with cell cultures of neurons and glia would be desirable.

Diversity

Committed to equality and valuing diversity

Our active Psychiatry People and Culture teams and initiatives including our values and behaviours framework, work to make the Department of Psychiatry as supportive, welcoming and inclusive as possible.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application. Please see the University pages on the application process at https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/application-process

The closing date for applications is 12:00 midday on 6 November 2025

It is anticipated that interviews will take place during week commencing 17 November.

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