Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in Lung Bioelectronics

About the Role

Applications are invited to join an ERC-funded research programme. The successful candidate will work at the interface of bioelectronics, mechanobiology, and disease modelling, joining a multidisciplinary research environment spanning Queen Mary’s Innovation and, PHURI, with external collaboration opportunities through the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial College London.

The project will investigate how extracellular matrix cues regulate lung immunity and stromal cell behaviour during fibrotic progression. We are particularly interested in how strain-induced tissue electrical polarisation influence cell–matrix interactions during lung fibrosis progression. The postholder will develop bioelectronic in vitro platforms to precisely control matrix deformation and, electrical polarisation and, then evaluate cell-matrix interactions using live-cell imaging, molecular assays and, spatial transcriptomic approaches to identify key mechanisms linking matrix mechanics, bioelectrical signalling and fibrotic cell-state transition.

More information on the project can be found here: https://www.marcfernandezyague.com/

The successful candidate will conduct experiments at the Queen Mary Innovation and at Blizard Institute to conduct multi-omics studies and will gain skills in mechanobiology and immunology with preclinical relevance in lung fibrosis, and respiratory disease.

About You

Candidates must have, or be close to completing a PhD, in bioelectronics, biophysics, tissue engineering, biomedical engineering, mechanobiology, biomaterials, cell biology, or a closely related discipline. Desirable experience in AI-assisted image analysis, machine learning, computational modelling, or building predictive models from biological imaging or cell–material interaction datasets. Strong experience in extracellular matrix biology, biomaterials, hydrogel systems, 3D culture, tissue engineering, or disease-relevant cell–matrix models.

About the School

The School of Physical and Chemical Sciences (SPCS) at Queen Mary University of London is a large, multidisciplinary and research-intensive school within the Faculty of Science and Engineering. While it is built around the core disciplines of Physics, Astronomy, and Chemistry, it also incorporates data science, reflecting a growing emphasis on computational and data-driven approaches across science.

The School has a diverse and active community, with over 900 undergraduate students, more than 100 postgraduate taught students, around 115 postgraduate researchers, and approximately 150 academic and professional staff. It fosters a highly collaborative culture, working across faculties and with industry partners and external stakeholders.

SPCS is primarily based at the Mile End campus, with facilities in the G.O. Jones and J. Priestley buildings that include advanced laboratories, workshops, and shared study and social spaces. Teaching is also delivered at the London City Institute of Technology and internationally in partnership with Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT) in Hainan, China.

Overall, the School offers a supportive and stimulating environment, combining traditional physical sciences with modern data science to deliver a broad, industry-relevant education and research portfolio.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we have a range of work-life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, as well as flexible working arrangements.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We have policies to support our staff throughout their careers, including arrangements for those who wish to work flexibly or on a job share basis, and we provide support for those returning from long-term absence. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented (BAME) groups, and from women in all stages of life, including pregnancy and maternity leave.