Research Assistant / Research Fellow
Overview
The UCL School of Pharmacy is offering a fixed-term position as a Research Assistant or Research Fellow within the Dziemidowicz group. Located in the United Kingdom, this opportunity involves working on a project funded by the Little Princess Trust to develop an injectable smart hydrogel for treating childhood diffuse midline glioma. The project is a collaborative effort involving UCL Pharmaceutics and Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Who can apply
Applicants are expected to have PhD-level experience in a related discipline such as pharmacy, pharmaceutical science, chemistry, or biomedical engineering. Candidates who do not yet hold a PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant on Grade 6B and subsequently regraded to Research Fellow on Grade 7 once the PhD is successfully completed. The role requires training in aseptic cell culture techniques and familiarity with standard immunoassays. Experience with hydrogel or biomaterial formulation, antibody drug delivery, T-cell work, or convection-enhanced delivery systems is considered desirable.
Requirements
The selected individual will carry out laboratory work for a translational drug delivery project, which includes formulating and characterising a polymer-nanoparticle hydrogel and testing its ability to preserve CAR-T cell viability. Daily responsibilities involve hydrogel synthesis, cell culture using T cells and DMG cell lines, and conducting assays like ELISA, flow cytometry, and cytotoxicity testing. Additional duties include analysing and presenting data, delivering scientific reports for the funder, drafting manuscripts for publication, and communicating with patients and families with empathy and sensitivity.
What you get
This position is provided as a full-time, fixed-term contract lasting for seven months in the first instance, based on available funding. The work is conducted on site at the UCL School of Pharmacy in a multidisciplinary environment.
Key dates
The closing date for applications is 2026-11-11.
About UCL
UCL, formally University College London, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the federal University of London. It was established in 1826 as London University and took its present name in 1836. Its main campus is in Bloomsbury in central London, with a second campus at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford. It is a member of the Russell Group.
Source: Wikipedia