Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist  to join the Laboratory of Lindsay Hall in the Gut Microbes and Health Programme at the Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB).

Background:

The Hall lab’s research focus involves defining the interactions of the host with the gut microbiota, with a particular focus on the early life developmental window, and the genus Bifidobacterium. We have three main research themes including, microbe-diet interactions, microbe-host cross-talk, and colonisation resistance. For more details please visit www.halllab.co.uk

The lab utilises multi-disciplinary approaches to explore these themes including; microbiology (model-colon chemostat systems, molecular microbiology), metabolomics (NMR, MS), next generation sequencing (RNASeq, 16S rRNA, WGS, both host and microbe), bioinformatics tools, in vivo models (germ-free and infection models), and human studies (preterm/term infants).

The role:

The goal of this Wellcome Trust funded position is to determine the bifidobacterial factors that modulate immune responses, with a particular focus on reducing inflammation-associated conditions.

Specific duties of the role will include screening bifidobacterial mutants and identifying molecules/components that modulate host responses using in vitro and in vivo models. This will be complemented by further molecular studies and bioinformatics approaches to screen for important/conserved factors. The post holder will assist with training students and visitors to the laboratory,and liaising with collaborators on related projects.

The ideal candidate:

Applicants should have a background in biological research (e.g. microbiology), and ideally mechanistic microbe-host studies, and will act as a key member of the research group. A PhD in biomedical science, or a related field is essential, as is outstanding personal initiative and communication skills.

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £31,250 to £38,100 per annum depending on qualifications and experience.  This is a full-time contract for a period of 15 months.

Further information and details of how to apply can be found here, or contact the Human Resources team on 01603 450462 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk  quoting reference 1002941.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sectors of society.  The Institute supports equality of opportunity within the workplace and expects all employees to share and display these values.  To support our commitment, we have a range of family, faith and diversity friendly working arrangements to help all staff achieve excellence in their area of work.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy.

About the Quadram Institute:

The Quadram Institute is a new interdisciplinary research institute at the forefront of a new era in food and health research. Its mission is to understand how food and the gut microbiota are linked to the promotion of health and the prevention of disease. A partnership between Quadram Institute Bioscience (formerly the Institute of Food Research), the University of East Anglia, the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and BBSRC, it brings together scientists and clinicians in a new state-of-the-art building. The Quadram Institute is based on the Norwich Research Park, one of Europe’s largest centres of life sciences and home of the John Innes Centre and The Earlham Institute.