Research Assistant/Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Department/Location: Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Cambridge

The BioNano Engineering Group headed by Prof. Ljiljana Fruk (fruk-lab.com) and Molecular Microbiology Group headed by Dr. Graham Christie are looking to appoint an outstanding Postdoctoral Research Associate to a UKRI Cross Research Council funded project aimed at developing a live biotherapeutic for reprogramming of the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. The position is part of a wider collaborative project with the Universities of Nottingham and Glasgow.

Pancreatic cancer has a complex and heterogeneous tumour microenvironment (TME) that often results in the disease being unresponsive to conventional therapies.

The TME is composed of multiple interacting biomolecules that form a dense matrix of cancer cells and immune components (tumour associated macrophages, natural killer cells, CD8+ T-cells) that play a significant role in regulating tumour growth and resistance to treatment. The heterogenous and immunosuppressive nature of the TME are major contributors to poor patient  outcomes with conventional therapies.

Hence, while most traditional treatments focus on the elimination of cancer cells this UKRI Cross Research Council project aims to reprogram the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) stroma i.e., supportive tissue surrounding the tumour, as opposed to directly targeting cancer cells, with a view to overcoming limitations associated with current therapies. The major component of the Cambridge contribution to the project is to develop a live biotherapeutic engineered to have PDAC stroma reprogramming capability. The appointed PDRA will be expected to:

• Use synthetic and engineering biology tools to develop bacterial strains that produce immunomodulatory peptides and proteins of interest.
• Deploy responsive polymers that can be formulated with engineered bacteria and subsequently activated by ultrasound to modulate bacterial production of immunomodulatory molecules
• Validate the efficacy of the live biotherapeutic approach using 3D culture models of PDAC to demonstrate potential for clinical application.

Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD; those without a PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level, which will be amended to Research Associate once the PhD has been awarded.

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

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

Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Mr Vito Candela, HR Administrator, at hr@ceb.cam.ac.uk.

Applications closing date 17th of May 2026.

Please quote reference NQ49536 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

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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