The Centre for Evolution and Cancer within the Institute of Cancer Research is supported by a Strategic Award from the Wellcome Trust. We focus on interrogating clonal evolution in tumours by studying the dynamics of heterogeneous cancer cell populations and their microenvironment. We make use of multi-region genomic profiling, single-cell genetics, computational histopathological analysis and mathematical modelling to reconstruct the past evolutionary history of tumours and predict their future.
Dr Andrea Sottoriva’s lab, in collaboration with the Greaves and Valeri’s labs at the ICR and other research laboratories in the UK and Italy, has been awarded the CRUK Accelerator Award entitled “Single cell cancer evolution in the clinic”.
The aim of the collaboration is to deliver tools and devices that could be promptly implemented in a clinical setting to pre-emptively intercept treatment resistance in individual cancer patients. The team combines cancer evolutionary modelling, new single-cell approaches, novel microfluidic devices, patient-derived organoid models, and new data integration techniques with the aim of providing comprehensive single-cell portraits of patient samples, before and after treatment.
For this position, we are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Training Fellow with expertise on bioinformatics analysis of cancer genomic data, with specific focus on intra-tumour heterogeneity. The responsibilities include the analysis and interpretation, in light of cancer evolution, of multi-region single-cell and bulk data from patients and patient-derived organoid systems. The post will be responsible for the integration of whole genomes, transcriptomes, and chromatin accessibility maps concomitantly profiled from same samples. The successful candidate will work closely with a diverse team to formulate hypotheses and validate predictions using quantitative genomic assays.
Applicants should have a good first degree in statistics, computer science, mathematics or similar and a PhD in statistics, computational biology, bioinformatics or similar. Applicants must have experience with bioinformatics analysis of cancer data and have a good publication record. Experience in developing statistical models for data analysis is highly desirable. Having worked with large scale genomic datasets such as The Cancer Genome Atlas would also be advantageous. Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential.
The position is offered on a 3 year fixed term contract. The full salary range for the post is £32,200 - £42,550 p.a. inclusive. Starting salary on the scale will be based on previous postdoctoral experience.
Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Andrea Sottoriva (
[email protected]). Please DO NOT send your application via email, formal applications must be submitted online.
To apply please upload your CV and covering letter (addressing where you meet the person specification and incl. the names and addresses of two referees) and complete an application form online.