Biologist – RNA splicing (Signal Transduction and Molecular Pharmacology Team) - Ref:1455586

Closing Date of vacancy: 10 Apr 2015
Division: Cancer Therapeutics
Team: Signal Trans & Mol Pharma
Type of Contract: Fixed Term
Length of Contract: 3 years
Salary Range: £33,110 to £36,858
Work Location: Sutton (Surrey)
Hours per week: 35

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. We provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease. Today, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) leads the world at isolating cancer-related genes and discovering new targeted drugs for personalised cancer treatment.
Under the leadership of our Chief Executive, Professor Paul Workman FMedSci, the ICR is ranked as the UK’s leading academic research centre. Together with our partner The Royal Marsden, we are rated in the top four cancer centres globally.
The ICR is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best minds in the world to join us in our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.
The Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, within the Division of Cancer Therapeutics, is a multidisciplinary 'bench to bedside' centre, comprising around 160 staff dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. The Cancer Therapeutics Unit’s exciting goal is to discover high quality drug candidates for validated biological targets and to progress these candidates to clinical trial. All the scientific disciplines are in place to make this possible. Our biologists work alongside world-class chemists and drug metabolism specialists focusing on new molecular targets emerging from human genome and ground breaking cell biology research. This is an exciting and fast moving area of cancer research, and offers the opportunity to work within a multi-disciplinary environment using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment.

We are seeking two highly motivated Biologists to work in our Signal Transduction and Molecular Pharmacology Team (led by Professor Paul Workman). The Team plays an active role in identifying and validating new drug targets, understanding the detailed mode of action of new drugs discovered in the Unit and elsewhere, uncovering resistance mechanisms and developing new approaches for translation to the clinic. The successful applicants will use molecular, biochemical and cellular techniques to validate potential molecular targets for cancer therapy identified in collaboration with our bioinformatics team and/or will explore the effect of inhibitors on the composition and activity of RNA splicing complexes.

Candidates should possess a PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology or Cell Biology, have developed a range of skills through experience in these areas and be able to work in an interdisciplinary environment towards the goal of performing cellular and biochemical assays required for pathway analysis. Knowledge of cancer research and familiarity with contemporary approaches to drug discovery, molecular target validation is desirable.

Appointment will be to a Postdoctoral Training Fellowship with starting salary in the range of £33,110 to £36,858 p.a. inclusive (based on previous experience). Appointment will be for 3 years in the first instance, and benefits from a contributory defined benefit pension scheme and generous leave entitlement.

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