Research Assistant in Intestinal Organ-on-Chip Systems

About the role

We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Research Assistant to join our interdisciplinary team working on advanced gut-on-chip technologies at the Imperial Organoid Facility. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of cutting-edge microphysiological systems that model the human intestinal environment and its interactions with diet, microbes, and the immune system.

You should have an MSc degree in cell biology, biomedicine or biotechnology, and existing experience in organoid culture techniques and microfluidic or organ-on-chip technologies. Also, you should have demonstrated knowledge in epithelial physiology and/or gut biology. If you also have a creative approach to problem-solving, then you will be great to support ongoing projects at the Imperial Organoid Facility and it’s new Centre for Intestinal Systems. At the facility you will contribute to integrate organoid cultures, microfluidic devices, and immune or microbial co-cultures to study intestinal function and disease mechanisms.

What you would be doing

• Prepare and maintain human intestinal organoid cultures and assist in their integration into microfluidic “gut-on-chip” systems.
• Perform cell seeding, culture monitoring, and troubleshooting of chip-based experiments.
• Contribute to experimental design, data acquisition, and quantitative analysis (e.g., imaging, metabolic assays, molecular profiling).
• Support the setup and maintenance of chip equipment (e.g., perfusion systems, imaging platforms).
• Collaborate closely with academic, clinical, and industrial partners within the Imperial Organoid Facility and the NIHR BRC network.

What we are looking for

• A strong interest in working with advanced in vitro models, including human intestinal organoids and microfluidic organ-on-chip systems.
• Fundamental cell culture skills, with the ability to learn specialised techniques such as organoid maintenance and chip handling.
• Ability to monitor experiments carefully, identify problems early, and contribute to troubleshooting in a structured and logical way.
• Experience (or enthusiasm to develop skills) in microscopy, metabolic or molecular assays, and quantitative data analysis.
• Good organisational skills and attention to detail, particularly in maintaining equipment, documenting experiments, and supporting laboratory operations.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to contribute to data presentations, written reports, and collaborative discussions.
• A collaborative mindset and willingness to work closely with academic, clinical, and industrial partners across the Imperial Organoid Facility and NIHR BRC network.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to work at a world-leading research institution, contributing to pioneering technologies shaping the future of human health.
• Access to state-of-the-art organoid and chip platforms, mentorship from experts in translational gut biology, and collaborations with clinical and industrial partners.
• Career development through Imperial’s dedicated researcher training and progression support.

Further information

This is a full-time Fixed term post (35 hours per week) based at our Hammersmith Campus.

If you require any further details about the role, please contact to Dr David Ma at yue.ma@imperial.ac.uk

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