Research Associate in Quantifying Neurodegenerative Disease Proteins

Salary: £35,608 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: 28 October 2025

The Role 

We are seeking a post-doctoral Research Associate based at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, UK (Co-PIs Dr Christopher Morris, Dr Jon Sellars, Dr Paul Donaghy). We focus on the neurobiological basis of Lewy body disorders such as dementia with Lewy bodies and Parkinson’s, with the overarching goal of identifying novel biomarkers, treatments and therapeutic interventions. The programme integrates fundamental laboratory science with clinical research as part of the Mental Health, Dementia and Neurodegeneration Research Theme https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/research-themes/mental-health/, which strongly aligns with the vision of Newcastle University and Newcastle University Centres of Research Excellence (NUCoREs). 

The project will focus on identifying biomarkers of Parkinson’s and dementia with Lewy bodies and how these can be applied in clinical practice. The role will place particular emphasis on the chemical and biochemical aspects of biomarker discovery. The studies will be aimed at determining the pathological changes that occur in these disorders, how these changes relate to underlying disease biology, and how the biomarker changes can be translated into clinical use through a variety of patient samples including use of post mortem brain tissue, and patient biofluids obtained during life. The post will develop and apply analytical chemistry and protein chemistry techniques to interrogate patient samples. The studies will explore molecular and chemical alterations underlying pathology in Lewy body disorders, such as changes in protein aggregation, post-translational modifications, and small-molecule metabolite signatures. Design and optimisation of fluorescent probes, high-throughput biochemical assays, and chromatographic and mass spectrometry-based platforms for quantitative biomarker profiling will be used. Our major aim is to use these biomarkers to objectively determine severity of the underlying disease and relationships to clinical treatment and response.

This post is fixed term for a period of 9 months in the first instance with a view to extension for two years.

For informal enquiries contact: Dr Chris Morris (c.m.morris@newcastle.ac.uk), Dr Jon Sellars (Jon.Sellars@newcastle.ac.uk), or Dr Paul Donaghy (paul.donaghy@newcastle.ac.uk).

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/

Find out more about our Research Institutes here:

https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/

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

• Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value'
• Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements

• Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding
• Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants
• Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute
• May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities
• Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment
• Contribute intellectual input to methodological innovation, particularly in protein chemistry, fluorescent chemistry, and analytical techniques for patient-derived biofluids and post-mortem tissue
• Contribute to grant applications, particularly those integrating chemical biology with neuroscience
• Analyse research findings to identify novel chemical markers of disease progression and assess their translational potential

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills
• Detailed subject knowledge (PI to describe subject knowledge required) in the area of research
• Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects
• High level of analytical and problem-solving capability
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others
• Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment
• Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications
• Detailed understanding of neurodegenerative disorders and protein aggregation in vitro and in vivo
• PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, neuroscience, or related field
• Demonstrated experience in biochemical assay methods with patient samples, protein chemistry, and fluorescent chemistry
• Experience with analytical chemistry methods such as chromatography, mass spectrometry, or metabolite profiling desirable
• Proven ability to develop or adapt assay methodology, including fluorescence-based tools or protein modification detection

Desirable

• Rational design and small scale synthesis of small (fluorescent) molecules

Attributes and Behaviour

• Collegial and professional, able to work independently and collaboratively across disciplines
• Strong communication skills, able to present complex chemical and biological data clearly
• Motivated to apply chemical and biochemical methods to translational neuroscience

Qualifications

• PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, or a related discipline, with demonstrable experience of applying biochemical/chemical methods to human tissue or clinical samples
• Evidence of research productivity through publications in relevant chemical or biochemical fields

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 gold  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: 28574