Research Associate in Immunopsychiatry Research

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and experienced scientist at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences to undertake research work for validation of an immune-complement protein as a novel therapeutic target to modulate synaptic plasticity in schizophrenia. 

The successful candidate will join a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research team that is developing novel small-molecule drug candidates to test their inhibitory potential of a complement protein/ protein interaction. The post holder will be utilizing molecular biology techniques, including SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting and enzymatic cleavage assays, as well as cell-based complement activity assays. Other methods utilized in this study will include ELISA, protein-protein interaction and affinity analysis (Biacore) and characterisation of iPSC-derived neuronal cells and microglia. 

The research aims to validate a blood protein of the complement system as a potential therapeutic target relevant to schizophrenia. 

For informal inquiries, please contact Dr Meike Heurich (heurichm@cardiff.ac.uk) or Dr Marcella Bassetto (bassettom1@cardiff.ac.uk). 

This post is full-time (35 hours per week) and is fixed-term from 1st May 2026 until 30 April 2028.  

This post is based at Redwood Building, Cathays Campus. 

Salary: £41,064 - £46,049 per annum (Grade 6). Appointments to roles at Cardiff University are usually made at bottom of scale, however, for this position, the starting salary is capped at £41,064 (point 32) due to limited funding 

Secondment opportunity welcome - please note for Cardiff University members of staff interested in this post on a secondment basis, permission will need to be sought from your current Line Manager before applying. 

Closing date: Friday, 24 April 2026

Cardiff University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds.  We therefore welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age.  In supporting our employees to achieve a balance between their work and their personal lives, we will also consider proposals for flexible working or job share arrangements. 

Applications may be submitted in Welsh, and an application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English. 

Cardiff University is a signatory to the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions we will evaluate applicants on the quality of their research, not publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which the research is published. More information is available at:  Responsible research assessment - Research - Cardiff University

Advert information