We seek a Postdoctoral Training Fellow to join the Yuan lab at The Institute of Cancer Research, London (ICR) and work on the TRACERx project, the largest study of lung cancer evolution in a collaboration with Prof. Charles Swanton at the Francis Crick Institute.
The main focus of the Yuan lab is to develop new computational approaches for studying cancer by fusing computer vision, machine learning and bioinformatics (
www.yuanlab.org). Different from traditional cancer-centric approaches, we study cancer from a novel perspective: as evolving ecosystems. Aided by technological advances, we use ecological principles to help us understand why cancer is so difficult to treat – by studying not only cancer cells but also normal cells around them – and discover new ways to target these diseases, akin to draining the swamps to get rid of mosquitoes as one way of eradicating malaria.
This is a rare opportunity to collaborate with the world-leading Swanton team and several major universities and hospitals in the UK. Together we aim to reveal the evolutionary dynamics of lung cancer in this pioneering study. You will lead the development of new histology image analysis system for lung cancer. We expect this exciting project to enable the discovery of new biomarkers and clinical innovations to change the way we treat lung cancer.
You will join a team of computer scientists, physicists, and mathematicians, working closely with clinicians in the vibrant centre of cancer research discovery and therapeutics at ICR London in the endeavour to cure cancer. You will enjoy the highly collaborative nature of this project, have the opportunities to learn about the latest biotechnologies and travel to conferences, and excel in coordinating between programming and broadening horizons in medicine.
ICR were ranked first in the Times Higher Education league table of UK university research quality from the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) for our high impact publications. We are world leaders in identifying cancer genes, discovering cancer drugs and developing precision radiotherapy. Together with our hospital partner The Royal Marsden, we are rated in the top four centres for cancer research and treatment worldwide. Our Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit is the largest academic cancer drug discovery and development group worldwide. We discover more new cancer drugs than any other academic centre in the world.
Applicants must hold a PhD in Computer Science, Systems Biology, Engineering, Ecology or Statistics. Good programming skills, preferably in R, Matlab, Python or C, and experience in computer vision, machine learning or statistics are essential.
Appointment will be on a Fixed Term Contract for 3 years, with a starting salary in the range of £29,960 to £42,820 p.a. inclusive, depending on postdoctoral experience. The expected start date is 1 April 2017 with flexibility. The successful candidate will be based in Sutton, Surrey.
To apply, please upload your CV and covering letter (including the names and contact details of two referees) online. To apply please include the following to your application:
• A full CV with a publication List
• Covering letter including the names and contact details of two referees
• Research plan (one to two pages outlining your current research interests and research plans for the next 3 years)
