Job description

The postdoc appointed on this grant will work as part of a team and they will be involved in a Phase 1 clinical trial in children receiving heart transplant. The postdoc will be in charge of purifying and expanding regulatory T cells (Tregs) directly from thymus-samples first in the laboratory and then the protocol will be moved to the GMP facility. During the first few months there will be an opportunity for the postdoc to investigate the phenotype and function of Treg subpopulations in the thymus (very little is known in the human) and then the postdoc will move to the GMP facility to be trained and then generate 9 autologous Treg products, once the trial will receive MHRA approval. 

The postdoc will be also involved in the immunomonitoring of patient blood samples taken before and after treatment. During the 3 years of this grant (and the length of employment of the postdoc will depends on the salary scale) the postdoc will have the opportunity to be part of a team of basic scientists and clinicians and address some basic questions about the Tregs in the thymus and also be the key person in the generation of the immune cells. They will divide their time between the lab and the GMP facility. The postdoc will supervise a clinical PhD student. 

This post will be offered on an fixed-term contract for 2 Years

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

•       Establish the protocol for thymic-derived Tregs in the lab  

•       Prepare the cell products for MHRA approval first and then for treating 9 patients. 

•       Responsibility for the immunomonitoring of the 9 patients  

•       Supervise a clinical PhD student. 

•       Presenting data to internal and external meetings

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience 

•       To have knowledge in immunology and the concepts of tolerance. 

•       To have experience in magnetic beads purification of immune cells and culturing them in sterile conditions. 

•       To be trained in GMP facility “procedures / practices”

•       Experience in supervising students.

Essential criteria  

1.       PhD qualification in relevant field

2.       Experience in the purification and expansion of immune cells (Tregs)  

3.       Expertise in Tregs and more in general on the mechanisms of tolerance 

4.       Experience in Flow Cytometry 

5.       Experience in Molecular Biology 

6.    Experience analysing results  

7.    Experience in writing manuscripts for publication

8.    Experience in presenting results to conferences 

9.    Experience supervising students (BSc, MSc, and PhD) 

10.  Experience of working as part of a team 

Desirable criteria

1. Experience of working in a Clean Room Environment 

2. ATMP experience 

3. Experience in Cell Culture 

4. Understanding of Close Processing