Job Description

Research Associate - Postdoctoral position in platelet pharmacology in people living with HIV

Location: Hammersmith Campus (East Acton)

Job Summary

Applications are invited for a British Heart Foundation-funded position of Post-Doctoral Research Associate to study platelet function in people living with HIV to understand the increased risk of cardiovascular disease reported in this cohort. You will join the Platelet Biology research group led by Dr Mike Emerson. Dr Emerson\'s team focusses on the application of platelet biology at the interfaces of HIV medicine and bioengineering: . The post is based in the National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI) at Imperial\'s Hammersmith hospital campus and involves close collaboration with biological and mathematical investigators at the University of Reading as well as clinical teams and HIV patients at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The research project sits at the interface of platelet pharmacology and HIV medicine and explores the underlying basis of the well-reported increased incidence of thrombotic cardiovascular disease in people living with HIV. The project is based on previous work by the Emerson group showing that platelet function is altered in people living with HIV but not characterised in detail (Taylor et al. Pharmacological impact of antiretroviral therapy on platelet function to investigate HIV-associated cardiovascular risk. Br. J. Pharmacol. 176, 879-89).

The study aims to provide better understanding of cardiovascular pathophysiology and the treatment of platelet-driven disease in people living with HIV. The post-holder will work closely with clinical teams to consent HIV patients to the study. Following blood donation, platelet function will be analysed in detail using Platelet Phenomic Analysis which involves detailed pharmacological characterisation and machine learning approaches to determine unique features of platelet function and the response to anti-platelet medicine in clinical cohorts (Dunster, J.L., et al., Multiparameter phenotyping of platelet reactivity for stratification of human cohorts. Blood Adv, 2021. 5(20): p. 4017-4030). Additional studies will involve more conventional in vitro functional analysis of platelets.

Duties and responsibilities

You will join a multidisciplinary team to deliver detailed in vitro cell and molecular analysis of platelets collected from patients undergoing treatment for HIV as well as HIV-negative people accessing HIV prevention services. You will spend an initial period of time in Reading becoming proficient in Platelet Phenomic Analysis and will transfer this expertise to London. You will collaborate with clinical teams to become competent in patient recruitment and patient matching and will recruit participants to the study. You will also work closely with the mathematical and statistical lead to deliver quality control, automated data processing and comparison of data sets leading to publication and dissemination of the project outcomes.

Essential requirements

You should have (or about to obtain) a PhD in a relevant biological discipline. A strong background in in vitro platelet biology and pharmacology is essential. You will also need excellent communication skills and an ability to interact with diverse patient groups and clinical teams of doctors, nurses, phlebotomy staff and clinic reception teams to effectively deliver patient recruitment. You should also have an interest in mathematics/statistics and be interested in developing skills in this area. The post will require collaboration across academic disciplines inside and outside the College. Enthusiasm, drive, a problem-solving attitude, and a passion for science as well as scientific communication and patient engagement are essential.

Further Information

This is a Full Time and fixed term role for 36 months based at the Hammersmith Campus (East Acton).

Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as a Research Assistant within the salary range \xc2\xa340,694 - \xc2\xa343,888 per annum.

You will be part of Dr Mike Emerson\'s group, in the Vascular Science section, which includes >10 research groups interested in vascular biology and diseases: .

The Section is part of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, with over 300 scientists leading in basic and translational research in the cardiovascular and pulmonary areas. The wider Imperial College environment offers opportunities for collaborations with bioengineers and chemists.

The Imperial Vascular Network ( ) captures interdisciplinary vascular research across the College and facilitates networking and collaboration. You will work collaboratively with the University of Reading, specifically with the Gibbins lab which has world-renowned expertise in platelet biology: as well as with Dr Joanne Dunster: who has expertise formulating and analysing mathematical models that describe problems in the life sciences and medicine.

Should you require any further details on the role please contact Dr Mike Emerson:

Closing date: 13 September 2023

To apply, visit and search by the job reference MED04056

\xc2\xa345,593 to \xc2\xa349,305 per annum plus benefits

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