Research Assistant: Systems neuroscience

Salary: £31,396 to £32,982  per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 06 October 2024

The Role

This position offers an exciting opportunity for a Research Assistant to join our team working on a project, jointly funded by LifeArc, the Motor Neurone Disease Association and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, to identify novel disease modifying therapies for MND/ALS. To achieve this, several compounds, shown in vitro to block the pathological effects of mislocalised/aggregated TDP-43, will be tested in a novel macaque model of MND/ALS developed recently in our lab. The Research Assistant will be responsible for: the day-to-day care and training of the animals; molecular assays of tissue (blood, CSF, etc,) obtained in vivo; histology, genomic and proteomic analysis of post mortem tissue; and the curation and analysis of the large datasets generated.

The project:

There is increasing evidence that disease progression in MND is determined by the spread of abnormal cellular proteins (including TDP-43), via ‘prion-like’ protein-protein interaction, from an initial focus of disease (e.g. arm or leg) to other interconnected regions, and that the same abnormal protein (TDP-43) triggers changes within motor neurons that cause them to die. To complement fundamental research in rodent models and replicate the pathogenesis of MND in humans as closely as possible, we have developed a macaque model of MND. This model captures both focal ‘lower motor neuron’ degeneration and ‘prion-like’ spread of TDP-43 to ‘upper motor neurons’ and contiguous areas within spinal cord, as seen in the human disease. The main objective of this project is to test compounds, in our macaque model of MND, that have been shown in vitro either to block the downstream toxic effects of abnormal protein or the abnormal protein-protein interactions mediating disease spread. The primary outcome measure will be the post mortem findings in animals that have received test compounds vs placebo; however, there are several secondary outcomes of interest. 

Key deliverables of the project will be:

1. Data that will inform the design of trials in MND patients; and

2. Further validation of the macaque model for pre-clinical testing and screening of potential disease modifying therapies for patients with MND.

This post is offered on a fixed term basis until 30th June 2026.

For informal enquiries contact: Mark Baker - Mark.Baker@newcastle.ac.uk or Stuart Baker - stuart.baker@newcastle.ac.uk

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Key Accountabilities:

• Contribution to the research programme of the School/Institute under the clear guidance of a member of academic staff or Principal Investigator
• Use initiative and creativity to analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes
• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, deal with problems which may affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)
• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project
• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, book)
• Work to deadlines and manage, with support, competing priorities 
• Ensure that personal knowledge in relevant fields of study is kept up to date
• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate
• Maintain academic standards and freedom, and work in accordance with university policies (e.g. equal opportunities, health and safety policies)
• Possible supervision and demonstration duties within undergraduate laboratories and example classes or in teaching small seminar classes
• Undertake relevant training and development activities to develop capacity for taking on wider responsibilities
• Develop, with advice, an awareness of own professional development needs and a personal development strategy

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Some subject knowledge relevant to neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS/MND
• Good level of analytical skills, particularly data analysis (i.e., familiarity with Matlab, Python, etc.), and the ability to communicate complex information clearly, both orally and through the written word
• The ability to work collaboratively with colleagues as part of a team and to encourage the commitment of others
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems and rapidly acquire new skills
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment 
• Advanced skills directly related to the research project 
• Experience of at least 2-3 of the following techniques: behavioural experiments in non-human primates, histology, immunohistochemistry and mammalian electrophysiology

Attributes and Behaviour

• Ability to work well in a team
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Good organisational and communication skills

Qualifications

• Good honours degree (2.1 or above) in neuroscience, biomedical sciences, natural sciences, or equivalent, with some subject knowledge in neuroscience

Desirable

• May possess (or be working towards) a higher research degree 

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 27401