Research Fellow

Salary: Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822. Grade: 7

Contract Type: Fixed Term contract up to November 2027

Join an EPSRC-funded team using macro- and micro-fluidics, imaging and modelling to understand how early enamel caries develops, and how mineral repair might be improved. Based in the School of Dentistry, this 12-month Research Fellow post will focus on developing controlled macro- and micro-fluidic platforms to investigate how enamel minerals are lost and repaired under clinically relevant acidic and remineralising conditions.

You will design, optimise and troubleshoot flow cells or chambers that expose prepared human enamel specimens to defined acidic and remineralising environments. You will establish reproducible flow, pH and ion-exchange regimes; use natural and artificial lesion models; and generate time-resolved data on lesion progression, mineral loss and repair. The role will interface with microscopy, spectroscopy, micro-CT and related analytical approaches, supporting future modelling and the development of better minimally invasive strategies for enamel repair.

This is an excellent opportunity for a creative researcher interested in microfluidics, biomaterials, mineralised tissues, imaging and translational dental research.

The successful candidate will establish experimental systems that enable controlled exposure of enamel specimens to acidic and remineralising environments. The aim is to generate robust time-resolved data on the kinetics and spatial distribution of enamel demineralisation and remineralisation, and to support future reaction-diffusion modelling and treatment optimisation.

Tooth preparation, white spot lesion models and imaging will also be main important supporting elements, including quantitative analysis and integration with the wider team working on sample preparation, microscopy, spectroscopy, tomography and modelling.

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required
• Contribute to writing bids for research funding
• Analyse and interpret data
• Apply knowledge in a way which develops new intellectual understanding
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc

Person Specification

• A PhD relevant to the research area (or near completion), or equivalent PhD level qualifications.
• High level analytical capability
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly
• Fluency in relevant models, techniques or methods and ability to contribute to developing new ones
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively

Informal enquiries to Prof Will Palin w.m.palin@bham.ac.uk

To download the full job description and details of this position and submit an electronic application online please click on the 'Apply' button above.

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