Research Assistant in Brain Vascular Epigenomics – UK Dementia Research Institute

About the role

Launched in 2017, the UK Dementia Research Institute stands as a beacon of scientific innovation, representing an unprecedented £300 million investment in dementia research — the largest of its kind in UK history. The purpose of the UK DRI is to transform the outlook for people living with or at risk of neurodegenerative conditions through research.

We are inviting applications for a Research Assistant in computational brain vascular epigenomics, funded by the Uren Foundation, to join the laboratory of Dr Alexi Nott (https://nottgroup.com/index.html) in the UK DRI at Imperial College London.

Vascular dysfunction is one of the earliest pathological features of dementia, preceding clinical onset and representing a critical but underexplored window for therapeutic intervention. Our recent work has demonstrated that the brain neurovascular unit is a key driver of genetic risk for small vessel disease, and that epigenomic profiling of vascular cell types can be used to prioritise repurposable drug targets for dementia (Ziegler et al., Neuron, 2026This work carries direct translational potential, with the opportunity to contribute to the prioritisation of both repurposable and novel therapeutic candidates underpin. ed by human epigenetic and genetic evidence.

What you would be doing

Using your experience in (epi)genomics of the brain, you will:

• Lead the analysis of analyse large-scale epigenomic and multi-omics datasets from human vascular and immune cell types.
• Develop and maintain bioinformatic pipelines and analytical workflows, applying rigorous standards to ensure robust and reproducible results.
• Contribute to the functional interpretation of noncoding disease risk variants linked to vascular dysfunction, guiding the identification of genetically supported therapeutic targets.
• Work collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary research team, including computational scientists and experimentalists, within the UK DRI and with external collaborators.

What we are looking for

We are seeking a motivated and organised researchers who is excited by the science we do! You will have:

• Strong programming skills in R, Python, or other coding languages (e.g. C++, Matlab), with knowledge of Unix/Linux environments and version control systems such as Git and GitHub.
• Experience working with large-scale genomic datasets, ideally CUT&Tag, and/or ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq, single-cell/nucleus genomics, RNA-seq.
• Experience with high-performance computing environments and the development of bioinformatic workflows using tools such as Nextflow.
• Knowledge of chromatin biology, gene regulation, and/or vascular and immune cell types, ideally in the context of the brain, is highly desirable.
• Experience working with GWAS summary statistics and/or population genetic analyses would be advantageous.

What we can offer you

This role is part of the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Imperial College London, located in the Department of Brain Sciences. Researchers in the UK DRI at Imperial enjoy excellent career development opportunities with:

• Access to a range of cutting-edge technologies.
• An inclusive and collegial working environment with the opportunity to mentor, supervise and teach students.
• Strong national links through the UK DRI and attendance at relevant scientific meetings.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.

Further information

This is a full time fixed term role, based at our White City Campus.

If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Dr Alexi Nott a.nott@imperial.ac.uk

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