2025-08-10 15:00 - Chalchitra - Celebrating India through a weekend of talks and discussions
Research Assistant/Associate (Fixed Term)
The Department of Genetics is seeking to appoint a short-term postdoctoral Research Assistant/Associate to start as soon as possible to complete work with Professor Richard Durbin on studies into the genomics of population structure and speciation in the Malawi cichlid genus Labeotropheus.
This post will build on past work in which over 1000 samples of Labeotropheus from multiple species/populations have been collected in Malawi under a joint agreement with the Government of Malawi, with field phenotype data, genomic sequencing data obtained in the UK, and micro-CT scanning data being also collected. Initial analysis suggests recurrent selection of divergent types in multiple locations. The aim of this role is to complete this analysis and prepare a manuscript for submission for publication. The position is available up until the end of 2025.
Where a PhD has yet to be awarded the appointment will initially be made at Research Assistant level (Grade 5) and amended to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon the award of PhD. If a PhD is not held, the appointment will be made at Research Assistant level.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 31 December 2025 in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
For informal enquiries about the role please contact Professor Richard Durbin rd109@cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PC46745 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Associate - Moyroud Group (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position in the group of Dr Edwige Moyroud at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University. The successful candidate will conduct fundamental research aimed at investigating the mechanisms responsible for cell fate specification and differentiation during petal development using Hibiscus trionum as a model system. The post holder will combine genetic analysis and functional investigations in planta with a range of imaging techniques (including CryoSEM and confocal microscopy) to investigate the mechanisms allowing candidates genes previously identified by the Moyroud lab to specify distinct cell shapes across the petal epidermis. This post requires pro-active and creative candidates who thrive addressing broad and ambitious biological questions, seek to broaden their experimental skills and are enthusiastic about using multidisciplinary approaches to understand how plants can pattern their lateral organs to generate functional surfaces.
Candidates must have, or be close to obtaining, a PhD in either Plant Biology, Development, Molecular & Cell Biology or Genetics. The successful candidate will have advanced knowledge of, or experience in, classical and molecular genetic techniques, assays to investigate gene expression, diverse microscopy techniques (light, SEM/TEM, confocal¿etc), plant transformation and phenotypic analysis at cellular and tissular levels. Experience working with established plant model systems, alongside a willingness and ability to work with an emerging model species, is essential. Previous experience with image analysis, producing and/or analysing next-generation sequencing data (bulk RNAseq or single-nuclei/single-cell RNAseq), and knowledge of the mechanisms governing plant morphogenesis would also be advantageous.
The successful candidate will be fully involved in writing up their research work for presentation and publication and will be encouraged and supported in preparing applications for independent fellowships. The post holder will be required to assist in the supervision of student projects and deliver seminars relating to their research area. We also actively engage in interactive outreach activities with a broad audience and a clear interest in science communication is important. The Moyroud group is looking for a strong team player, keen to work in a highly collaborative set-up and enthusiastic to join a diverse and interdisciplinary team that draws on the different experiences of its members. Continuing to build an inclusive culture that supports, encourages and celebrates diverse voices is essential to us. We are looking for a new team member with strong interpersonal skills, keen to interact with group members, support staff and other researchers at SLCU from different backgrounds.
The Laboratory provides a welcoming and collaborative environment with a strong mentoring culture and offers a wide-range of development opportunities and family-friendly benefits. More about the Sainsbury Laboratory and details of what the University offers to employees can be found at: http://www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/.
Scientific enquiries apart from the formal application should be directed to Dr Edwige Moyroud at edwige.moyroud@slcu.cam.ac.uk. Please ensure that you upload a copy of your full CV including a list of publications, a covering letter highlighting your suitability for the position and contact information of three referees.
Where a PhD has yet to be awarded the appointment will initially be made at Research Assistant level and amended to Research Associate upon the award of PhD.
The post is full time and available from 15 August 2025.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 year in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
For questions regarding the application process, please email HR@slcu.cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PT46739 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Laboratory Technician (Fixed Term)
We are recruiting for a Research Laboratory Technician to support the research work in Dr Ahmed Warsame's lab based at the Crop Science Centre, Plant Science Department.
The Crop Science Centre opened in October 2020 and benefits from the diverse skills and expertise of the University of Cambridge and NIAB, providing an environment for research excellence in crops, with the drive and expertise for scientific translation to address real-world problems. About 70 staff and students are located at the Centre, distributed in between three established research groups and four fellows starting new research programs.
The role holder will report to Dr Ahmed Warsame and will have experience in management, organisation and maintenance of large volumes of materials and/or databases with hands-on expertise in standard molecular biological techniques (PCR, cloning, DNA/RNA extraction). The post demands an ability for systematic, organised working, and sufficient experience to appropriately prioritise tasks. The successful candidate will contribute to overall technical support for the smooth running of research activities across the Warsame group.
The successful candidate will form the nucleus of a new research team working on resilience and nutritional quality of legume crops. The lab technician will support research projects seeking to understand the genetic basis of abiotic stress tolerance and the accumulation of antinutritional factors in the seeds of legume crops.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about solving real-world problems and having an impact on food security and human nutrition.
The new hire will have the ability to work independently once trained, but will also need good communication and interpersonal skills, and be a strong team player, able to integrate with the wider team of laboratory technicians.
This is a Fixed Term full-time position for 2 years, in the first instance.
Informal enquiries are welcome and should be directed to Dr Ahmed Warsame (aow25@cam.ac.uk).
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
If you have not received any response 1 month after the closing date you should consider your application to be unsuccessful.
Please quote reference PD46687 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
2025-08-09 15:00 - Anubhav - Celebrating India through a weekend of talks and discussions
Clearing rainforest for cattle farming is far worse for nature than previously thought, finds landmark bird survey
Researchers have conducted the world’s biggest ever bird survey, recording 971 different species living in forests and cattle pastures across the South American country of Colombia. This represents almost 10% of the world’s birds.
They combined the results, gathered over a decade, with information on each species’ sensitivity to habitat conversion to find that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for cattle pasture is on average 60% worse than previously thought.
Until now, understanding the biodiversity impact of land-use change has generally involved small-scale, local surveys. The researchers say that this approach does not represent the larger-scale damage caused to nature.
When forests are converted to pasture, some species win and others lose. Measuring the biodiversity loss at local scale does not capture the larger-scale effect of forest conversion, which is occurring across the ranges of many different species. While the same species usually survive on pastureland, a wide range of other species don’t, so overall biodiversity is more severely reduced at large scale.
The results are published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
Professor David Edwards in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, senior author of the report, said: “This is a really surprising result. We found that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for pastureland is being massively underestimated.”
He added: “When people want to understand the wider impact of deforestation on biodiversity, they tend to do a local survey and extrapolate the results. But the problem is that tree clearance is occurring at massive spatial scales, across all sorts of different habitats and elevations.
“When we looked the biodiversity impact of deforestation across thirteen different eco-regions in Colombia, we found a 62% greater biodiversity loss than local survey results would indicate.”
The study also showed that at least six different eco-regions – that is, regions containing distinct types of plants and animals - must be considered for an accurate assessment of overall biodiversity impact. This is because the species in different eco-regions have different sensitivities to habitat conversion.
Biodiversity offsetting schemes, which aim to compensate for species losses caused by developments in one place by boosting biodiversity in another, rely on accurate measures of biodiversity.
Trees are also being cleared at huge scales in Colombia and other tropical regions to create growing space for major agricultural crops including rubber, oil palm, sugar cane and coffee.
Edwards said: “The food we eat comes with a much great environmental cost than we thought. We need policy makers to think much more about the larger scale biodiversity impact of deforestation.”
Tropical birdsong recordingsThe team studied Columbia’s birdlife across its diverse landscapes for over seven years, recording the song of hundreds of bird species to help them identify the species present in landscapes across the country, from pasture to mountain forest. In about 80% of cases the birds were heard but not seen, requiring the team to make identifications from the sounds alone.
With information about the birds, including their size and diet, the team could predict which other species were likely to be living in the same regions and how they too would respond to deforestation.
A highly biodiverse countryColombia is home to some of the most beautiful and exotic animal and plant life in the world, with almost one third made up of rainforest.
Particularly biodiverse areas, including the Caqueta moist forests and the Napo moist forests, can have 500-600 different bird species within an area of ten square kilometres – but many of these species have very specific habitat requirements. The study showed that if trees are cleared across their range these species are likely to die out.
Land-use change, particularly in the highly biodiverse tropics, is one of the main causes of the global biodiversity crisis.
This research was funded by the Research Council of Norway and the Natural Environment Research Council.
ReferenceSocolar, J. B. et al: ‘Tropical biodiversity loss from land-use change is severely underestimated by local-scale assessments.’ Nature Ecology and Evolution, July 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-025-02779-4
In the largest ever survey of rainforest birdlife, scientists have discovered that deforestation to create pastureland in Colombia is causing around 60% more damage to biodiversity than previously estimated.
The food we eat comes with a much great environmental cost than we thought. We need policy makers to think much more about the larger scale biodiversity impact of deforestation.David EdwardsDavid EdwardsSavanna hawk is a widespread species that invades formerly forested areas after clearance
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.
Clearing rainforest for cattle farming is far worse for nature than previously thought, finds landmark bird survey
Researchers have conducted the world’s biggest ever bird survey, recording 971 different species living in forests and cattle pastures across the South American country of Colombia. This represents almost 10% of the world’s birds.
They combined the results, gathered over a decade, with information on each species’ sensitivity to habitat conversion to find that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for cattle pasture is on average 60% worse than previously thought.
Until now, understanding the biodiversity impact of land-use change has generally involved small-scale, local surveys. The researchers say that this approach does not represent the larger-scale damage caused to nature.
When forests are converted to pasture, some species win and others lose. Measuring the biodiversity loss at local scale does not capture the larger-scale effect of forest conversion, which is occurring across the ranges of many different species. While the same species usually survive on pastureland, a wide range of other species don’t, so overall biodiversity is more severely reduced at large scale.
The results are published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.
Professor David Edwards in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Plant Sciences and Conservation Research Institute, senior author of the report, said: “This is a really surprising result. We found that the biodiversity loss caused by clearing rainforest for pastureland is being massively underestimated.”
He added: “When people want to understand the wider impact of deforestation on biodiversity, they tend to do a local survey and extrapolate the results. But the problem is that tree clearance is occurring at massive spatial scales, across all sorts of different habitats and elevations.
“When we looked the biodiversity impact of deforestation across thirteen different eco-regions in Colombia, we found a 62% greater biodiversity loss than local survey results would indicate.”
The study also showed that at least six different eco-regions – that is, regions containing distinct types of plants and animals - must be considered for an accurate assessment of overall biodiversity impact. This is because the species in different eco-regions have different sensitivities to habitat conversion.
Biodiversity offsetting schemes, which aim to compensate for species losses caused by developments in one place by boosting biodiversity in another, rely on accurate measures of biodiversity.
Trees are also being cleared at huge scales in Colombia and other tropical regions to create growing space for major agricultural crops including rubber, oil palm, sugar cane and coffee.
Edwards said: “The food we eat comes with a much great environmental cost than we thought. We need policy makers to think much more about the larger scale biodiversity impact of deforestation.”
Tropical birdsong recordingsThe team studied Columbia’s birdlife across its diverse landscapes for over seven years, recording the song of hundreds of bird species to help them identify the species present in landscapes across the country, from pasture to mountain forest. In about 80% of cases the birds were heard but not seen, requiring the team to make identifications from the sounds alone.
With information about the birds, including their size and diet, the team could predict which other species were likely to be living in the same regions and how they too would respond to deforestation.
A highly biodiverse countryColombia is home to some of the most beautiful and exotic animal and plant life in the world, with almost one third made up of rainforest.
Particularly biodiverse areas, including the Caqueta moist forests and the Napo moist forests, can have 500-600 different bird species within an area of ten square kilometres – but many of these species have very specific habitat requirements. The study showed that if trees are cleared across their range these species are likely to die out.
Land-use change, particularly in the highly biodiverse tropics, is one of the main causes of the global biodiversity crisis.
This research was funded by the Research Council of Norway and the Natural Environment Research Council.
ReferenceSocolar, J. B. et al: ‘Tropical biodiversity loss from land-use change is severely underestimated by local-scale assessments.’ Nature Ecology and Evolution, July 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41559-025-02779-4
In the largest ever survey of rainforest birdlife, scientists have discovered that deforestation to create pastureland in Colombia is causing around 60% more damage to biodiversity than previously estimated.
The food we eat comes with a much great environmental cost than we thought. We need policy makers to think much more about the larger scale biodiversity impact of deforestation.David EdwardsDavid EdwardsSavanna hawk is a widespread species that invades formerly forested areas after clearance
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Images, including our videos, are Copyright ©University of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways – on our main website under its Terms and conditions, and on a range of channels including social media that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.
Research Assistant in Drosophila Cell Biology (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited for a Research Assistant position in the group of Prof Daniel St Johnston at the Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge. The post is available for up to 3 years, starting from October 1st, 2025.
The BBSRC-funded project aims to determine how modulation of the key polarity kinase, aPKC, induces apical constriction in epithelial cells and to investigate the role that this mechanism plays in morphogenesis during Drosophila development. Responsibilities will include the generation of transgenic and mutant flies using CRISPR/Cas9, performing crosses to produce the appropriate genotypes, clone generation using the Flp/FRT system and live imaging of Drosophila embryos and egg chambers.
Homepage: http://www.gurdon.cam.ac.uk/research/stjohnston
Applicants must have a Bachelors or Masters level degree in a relevant area of Biology. Expertise in cell biology and Drosophila genetics would be an advantage, although training can be provided where necessary.
The post does not require a PhD qualification.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Applications should include a CV, a cover letter and the names of two referees.
Please quote reference PR45603 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
AI can accelerate search for more effective Alzheimer’s medicines
The post AI can accelerate search for more effective Alzheimer’s medicines appeared first on Cambridge Enterprise.
Assistant Professorship in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation (Teaching and Scholarship pathway)
The Department of Zoology seeks to appoint an Assistant Professor, on the Teaching and Scholarship Pathway, in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. The Teaching and Scholarship Pathway is a relatively new career path for academics at Cambridge, weighted much more strongly towards teaching than towards research, but with the same scope for promotion as the more commonly used Research and Teaching Pathway. This is a new position and therefore available immediately.
The Department offers a vibrant, welcoming and intellectually stimulating academic community and the privilege of teaching highly engaged and committed undergraduates and postgraduates. The successful applicant for this position will have a PhD, formal pedagogical training, and recent experience in delivering outstanding University teaching. You will have proven commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching methods and assessment, including through lecturing, practicals and field courses. You will be well-versed in pedagogical thinking and capable of designing courses and lecture blocks from scratch. You will be able to teach on courses covering Ecology, Evolution and Conservation across all three undergraduate years, and at Masters level.
Our undergraduate teaching is undergoing an exciting transition. You will help us design new course structure and content, provide lectures and practicals and offer seminars or class discussions. You will also supervise undergraduate research projects and dissertations and contribute to field course organisation and teaching. You will be able to train MPhil students and will be involved in ongoing work in developing and delivering new Masters-level training. You will also facilitate University-led efforts to link University and college teaching more effectively.
Your research interests can be in any aspect of Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. They will ideally dovetail with ongoing research in the Department and, where needed, make use of our existing facilities and infrastructure. We seek collegiate applicants who are committed to fostering a positive and inclusive research culture and contributing to the effective functioning of our Department. Please ensure that in the upload section of the online application you provide: 1) A covering letter setting out why you are applying and how your experience and plans address the person specification in the further particulars (1000 words maximum). 2) A teaching statement, up to two pages, outlining your teaching experience and philosophy and any innovations you may wish to introduce. 3) A full CV, including a full list of publications. The Department is committed to the responsible use of bibliometrics and applicants are asked not to include raw citation counts, Journal Impact Factors or H-index metrics in their applications. 4) The names and contact details of three academic referees. They will only be contacted if you are shortlisted for interview.
We welcome informal enquiries, which should be directed to Professor Rebecca Kilner (Head of Department) (HOD@zoo.cam.ac.uk).
The closing date for applications is midnight (BST) on Sunday 7 September 2025.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Short-listed candidates will be notified in late September and invited to visit the Department in w/b 10 November 2025, to give an assessed lecture and attend a formal interview which is expected to take place in person. We expect the successful applicant to be in post by 1st October 2026 at the latest.
The Department and University are committed to a fostering an inclusive and diverse environment in a workplace that values and supports mutual respect and equality.
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check and a security check.
We particularly welcome applications from women and candidates from a BME background for this vacancy as they are currently under-represented at this level in our University.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Anastasia Nezhentseva.
Email: an286@cam.ac.uk Telephone: (0)1223 330117
Please quote reference PF46411 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Associate in Cancer Immunology (Fixed Term)
We wish to recruit a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Scientist to join the laboratory of Dr Rahul Roychoudhuri within the Division of Immunology at the Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge (http://www.roychoudhurilab.org ).
T cells drive immune activation and promote clearance of infections and cancer. However, their function can provoke autoimmune and allergic inflammation. The immune system therefore employs a variety of suppressive mechanisms, collectively known as immunoregulatory mechanisms, to restrain excessive T cell activation and prevent autoimmune and allergic inflammation. However, such suppressive mechanisms also powerfully inhibit anti-tumour immunity to drive deleterious immunosuppression in cancer. The laboratory utilises mouse genetics, cellular immunology and molecular biology to understand molecular mechanisms of immunity and immune suppression in cancer and inflammation.
This research aims to uncover novel molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumour immunity and cancer immunosuppression. You will contribute to fundamental discoveries in the field of tumour immunology that will pave the way for new therapies aimed at manipulating immune function in patients with cancer.
The successful applicant will join a large, friendly and collaborative team of researchers with access to cutting-edge facilities and resources within the centre of Cambridge on the historic Tennis Court Road site. The applicant will gain exposure to cutting-edge experimental approaches in cellular and molecular immunology including conditional mouse genetics, in vivo genetic cell barcoding and fate-tracking, molecular biology and high throughput RNA- and DNA-sequencing.
The applicant will also have the opportunity to utilise platforms for high-throughput CRISPR/Cas9-based mutagenesis screens recently developed in the laboratory. The applicant will benefit from the collaborative and collegial environment of the laboratory, the Department and the wider research community present in Cambridge. The project will also benefit from a collaboration with the groups of Prof Adrian Liston and Dr Tim Halim within Cambridge, bringing together leading scientific and technical expertise in cancer immunology/immunotherapy, immune regulation and inflammation biology.
The ideal candidate will be motivated, independent and enthusiastic, and have a Ph.D. or MD/PhD in immunology, cell biology, or a related field. Experience with flow cytometry, cell culture, and molecular biology techniques and a track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals are desirable. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work independently as well as part of a team are desirable.
Please check attached further particulars document for more information.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Professor Rahul Roychoudhuri (Professor of Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy) : rr257@cam.ac.uk
If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact Ellie Watson (HR Administrator): ew649@cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PK46622 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Fellow in Animal Protozoology (Fixed Term - 5 years)
Christ's College and the Department of Pathology are seeking to jointly establish a fixed-term Research Fellowship with a focus in the area of protozoan parasites of animals. The successful candidate appointed to this Fellowship would be based in the Department of Pathology and would be elected a Fellow of Christ's College.
We welcome applicants with a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in a relevant subject who have the ability to lead an exciting, innovative and fundable research programme. The applicant would typically have at least 3 years of post-doctoral experience and may already have experience of leading a research group.
The tenure of the post is limited to 5 years. The Fellow will receive a research allowance of £12,000 pa and will be expected to obtain additional independent research funding from appropriate agencies such as the Wellcome Trust and UKRI. The Department of Pathology and School of Biological Sciences host a vibrant community of parasitologists with a shared interest in apicomplexan parasite biology and access to facilities including a derogated CL3, and state-of-the-art flow cytometry, genomics and imaging facilities.
Applicants with enthusiasm for teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels who can contribute to education at all levels are particularly welcome. In addition to pursuing research, it is expected that the Fellow will take a full part in life and activities at Christ's College. Where appropriate, they are encouraged to undertake some undergraduate teaching during Term, for which payment will be made at normal supervision rates. The Fellow will be a member of the Governing Body of Christ's College, eligible to sit on its committees and with the full privileges of a Fellow. Privileges include seven free meals per week and access to a small research allowance. The Fellow may be allocated an office in the College, subject to availability.
Please ensure that in the Upload section of the online application you provide:
A full CV, including a full list of publications and a narrative (300 words maximum per output) on each of the three outputs you consider most significant. The Department is committed to the responsible use of bibliometrics and applicants are asked not to include raw citation counts, Journal Impact Factors or H-index metrics in their applications.
A description (2 page maximum) of current and future research plans and how these complement and synergise with the research strengths of the Pathology Department, both within Parasitology and more widely.
A covering letter setting out why you are applying and how your experience and plans address the person specification in the further particulars (1000 words maximum).
Please provide the names and contact details of three academic referees.
The selection panel will meet soon after the closing date in order to produce a short-list; references will then be solicited. Short-listed candidates will be invited to visit the Department, give a seminar/lecture and attend a formal interview, which is expected to take place early to mid-September 2025. The position is available from 1st October 2025.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 5 years in the first instance.
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dr Katerina Artavanis-Tsakonas at ka447@cam.ac.uk
If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact the PA to the HoD of Pathology, Suzanne Holland, at hod.sec@path.cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PK46595 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Teaching Co-ordinator
People are at the heart of everything we do at Pathology, so why not join our professional services team as our Teaching Coordinator.
This is an interesting and varied role with a high level of interaction with our students and staff. The post-holder supports the work of the Department of Pathology's Teaching Office, co-ordinating all key areas of undergraduate student administration including course teaching, events, examinations, maintaining course-related Moodle sites and dealing with general enquiries. The post holder will provide support to both academic colleagues and students.
The role will involve limited evening / weekend / bank holiday (May) work during the examination periods and at other busy times, such as the start of the academic year.
The successful candidate will be educated to HND, HNC, level 4/5 vocational qualifications or equivalent level of practical experience; have excellent organisational and prioritisation skills; be competent with standard software packages e.g. Word, Excel, Access and Outlook, as well as with databases and online programmes, communication and IT skills; be reliable and will be able to work independently as well as part of a team.
For full details of the responsibilities of the post and the person specification, please see the further particulars.
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.
What we Offer
Our Professional Services staff play a fundamental role. The University of Cambridge offers excellent benefits, extensive opportunities in a stimulating environment
The University salary structure includes automatic service-related pay progression in many of its grades and an annual cost of living increase. In addition to this, employees are rewarded for outstanding contribution through a number of regular pay progression schemes. Staff also benefit from a generous annual leave entitlement
- The University offers employees a wide range of competitive benefits, from health care cash plans to childcare, a cycle to work scheme, to shopping and insurance discounts
University-led initiatives in the areas of equality, diversity and wellbeing include staff and students networks.
Wellbeing at Cambridge is a University-wide initiative aiming at supporting and maximising the health and wellbeing of staff.
The University offer a range of family-friendly policies, including maternity, adoption and shared parental leave. In addition, workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers, a childcare salary sacrifice scheme and a high-quality holiday play scheme are available to help support University employees with caring responsibilities
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Contact Ellie Gilbert on eg598@cam.ac.uk for more information and check out our website: https://www.path.cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PK46681 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Teaching Associate (Fixed Term)
We are seeking a Neuroscientist (/Cognitive Neuroscientist) to join the Department of Psychology as a Teaching Associate. The purpose of the role is to support and maintain the University's national and international reputation for excellence in teaching. The successful candidate will demonstrate a willingness to contribute to undergraduate education within the Department of Psychology and an ability to teach effectively at undergraduate level.
Reporting to the Professor Amy Milton, the post-holder will support the Department of Psychology's teaching in Human Neuroimaging and Neuroscience with a requirement to support the delivery of an EEG practical, and support students in EEG data analysis. The post-holder will work in collaboration with relevant Course Organisers and the Deputy Head of Department for Teaching, conducting lectures for undergraduate students, overseeing, coordinating and teaching a term length practical on using EEG to our second years, marking associated lab reports, and providing supervisions for small groups in 3rd year. The role will involve liaising with lecturers, students and administrative staff.
It is essential that the post-holder has a background in modern human neuroscience, and has some familiarity with EEG. The candidate should demonstrate a commitment to teaching and will have some experience of teaching psychology and neuroscience at university level. It is essential that the post-holder is self-motivated, can work independently as well as part of a team, and has good organisational and communication skills.
The position is funded for 1 year. Ideally, the successful candidate will be able to take up the post of Teaching Associate on 1 September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter. The interview date is projected to be the week beginning 11/08/2025, and will involve a short skills-based test.
Further information may be downloaded from the University website.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.
Applications are welcome from internal candidates who would like to apply for the role on the basis of a secondment from their current role in the University.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal queries regarding this post may be sent to:
Professor Amy Milton (alm46@cam.ac.uk) for queries about the role and relevant skills
Fiona Lyall Grant (hr-team@psychol.cam.ac.uk) for queries about the application process
Please quote reference PJ46685 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Assistant/Associate in Computational Biology (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited for a Research Associate (RA) position in the group of Professor Henrik Jönsson at the Sainsbury Laboratory, Cambridge University, to carry out fundamental research in the field of Computational Morphodynamics in plants. The work will be within the ERC-funded project RESYDE (https://resydeproject.org) with the aim of building a virtual flower using multi-level data and computational modelling to be used to design and re-engineer flower architecture.
The RA's main focus will be on computational modelling of gene regulatory networks for predicting the mechanisms leading to symmetry breaks in the patterning process. A hybrid modelling approach integrating the dynamics of a core network while utilising a virtual template from experiments for cellular growth and division will be used. AI methods for generating regulatory hypotheses between genes, hormones and physical properties will also be developed.
Applicants must have/be close to obtaining a PhD or MPhil in Computational Biology, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Bioengineering, Systems Biology or a related field. Proficiency in modelling using differential equations is required. Candidates must have experience in developing computational models and implementing models for computer simulations. Software development in C++ and/or Python is expected, and experience in model analysis and parameter optimisation is beneficial.
The successful applicant will be an excellent team player, solution-oriented and self-motivated. We are looking for someone keen to work in a highly collaborative set-up and enthusiastic to join our diverse and interdisciplinary team. Solid communication skills are required to interact with group members and other researchers within the RESYDE project and at SLCU with different scientific backgrounds.
The Laboratory provides a welcoming and collaborative environment with a wide-range of family-friendly benefits and development opportunities. More about the Sainsbury Laboratory, generic further information for the role and details of what the University offers to employees, can be found at: http://www.slcu.cam.ac.uk/.
Please ensure that you upload a copy of your full CV including a list of publications, a cover letter highlighting your suitability for the position and why you want to join the Jönsson group and the RESYDE project, and contact information of three referees.
The post is available immediately.
Closing date: 10 August 2025. Please note that applications will be reviewed periodically and this recruitment may be closed early if a suitable candidate has been found. We would therefore advise that applications are submitted as soon as possible.
Where a PhD has yet to be awarded the appointment will initially be made at Research Assistant level (Grade 5) and amended to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon the award of PhD. If a PhD is not held, the appointment will be made at Research Assistant level.
Scientific enquiries apart from the formal application should be directed to Dr Jönsson at henrik.jonsson@slcu.cam.ac.uk.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 year in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
For questions regarding the application process, please email HR@slcu.cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PT46682 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Entrepreneurship Programme Coordinator (Fixed Term)
The Entrepreneurship Programme Coordinator at the Milner Therapeutics Institute (MTI) is an exciting opportunity for an individual to play a key role in coordinating entrepreneurial programmes on behalf of Cambridge Gravity and the Milner Therapeutics Institute (MTI), including the Bio-spark programme.
Bio-spark is an entrepreneurial programme and support system for early-career scientists considering a career in business and enterprise. It is a key part of the Milner Therapeutics Institute's entrepreneurship education activities. As the Bio-spark Fellowship Programme continues to grow and evolve, a dedicated Programme Coordinator is essential to support its delivery and future development.
This role will serve as the primary point of contact for Bio-spark fellows, providing guidance, answering queries, and ensuring a smooth and supportive programme experience. A central focus of this role is to coordinate the ongoing support provided to Bio-spark fellows, including arranging events/meetings and creating opportunities for networking and engagement. The Coordinator will lead the annual intake process, including managing the application process and forms, promoting the fellowship, engaging with prospective applicants, and coordinating contractual and financial agreements with industry, charity and venture capital partners.
The MTI is a unique institute at the University of Cambridge where academics, start-ups and biotech companies work side by side in shared office and laboratory space. The MTI encompasses both a research institute and a global outreach programme, with an overarching mission to transform pioneering science into therapies. The institute connects academia with industry to drive collaborative research and accelerate therapeutic companies. It also has its own research capabilities in human disease modelling, therapeutic target discovery, functional genomics and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning.
The Enterprise arm of the MTI provides a comprehensive support system, which is designed to facilitate the growth of entrepreneurial ventures from conception to realization. It offers programmes in educational ideation, entrepreneurship and skills development, incubation facilities for young companies, a founder's community, and pitch events with investors.
The ideal candidate will be creative, with previous experience working in an entrepreneurial environment, including developing, managing and delivering entrepreneurship programmes including events/activities, and networking sessions. They will be able to demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate professionally and confidentially with staff and internal/external stakeholders at all level, excellent planning and organisation skills. Educated to degree level/ level 6 vocational qualification or equivalent level of practical experience.
The is a hybrid position, and the successful candidate will be expected to split their time between the Milner Therapeutics Institute and working from home depending on the needs of the team and as requested by the line manager. Weekly schedules may vary.
Before applying, please read the further information document linked below for role responsibilities and person specification.
Interviews are expected to held 26th-27th August.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 1 years in the first instance.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Informal enquiries can be directed to Alexandra Huener, Head of Entrepreneurship ah930@cam.ac.uk
Please quote reference PR46679 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Research Associate (Fixed Term)
Applications are invited to join a dynamic team led by Dr Richard Tyser at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, working to understand how the mammalian heart develops. This project is funded by Wellcome and will focus on the relationship between form and function during cardiac development. It has been well documented that the mammalian heart begins beating from an early stage, raising the important question of how and when the initiation of function occurs and to what extent this defines and influences the progression of differentiation and subsequent cardiac morphogenesis. (Tyser, Miranda et al. Elife 2016; Tyser, Ibarra-Soria et al. Science 2021; Tyser, Mahammadov et al. Nature 20201).
We are seeking an enthusiastic and dedicated Postdoctoral Fellow/ Research Associate to join our research group. The successful candidate will benefit from building upon novel datasets, exciting preliminary findings, and using unique experimental model systems. Techniques will include multiple imaging approaches (live timelapse imaging, high-resolution whole mount immunohistochemistry and in situ HCR), single cell-based platforms, hESC differentiation and general molecular biology techniques. The main duties of this position will encompass pursuing research objectives (see list below for full details); developing individual and collaborative research projects; as well as writing up research for presentation and publication.
About You
The successful candidate will have a PhD, a strong background in cell and molecular biology and a good publication record. It is essential that the candidate is highly motivated, have excellent communication and organisational skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a research team. Prior experience in cardiovascular biology, electrophysiology and in vitro ESC models is highly desirable.
Responsibilities/duties
- Manage their own academic research and administrative activities. This involves small-scale project management, to co-ordinate multiple aspects of work to meet deadlines and to support interactions with research collaborators.
- Adapt existing and develop new scientific techniques and experimental protocols. The successful candidate must be familiar with or have the capacity to become quickly familiar with: basic molecular biology techniques (PCR, molecular cloning); fluorescence imaging approaches; and experimental embryology (isolation and culture of mouse embryos)
- Test hypotheses and analyse scientific data from a variety of sources, reviewing and refining working hypotheses as appropriate.
- Contribute ideas for new research projects.
- Undertake comprehensive and systematic literature reviews and write up the results for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Collaborate in the preparation of scientific reports and journal articles and the presentation of papers and posters at conferences.
- Act as a source of information and advice to other members of the group on scientific protocols and experimental techniques.
- Represent the research group at external meetings/seminars, either with other members of the group or alone.
- Carry out collaborative projects with colleagues in partner institutions, and research groups.
Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD, an equivalent research doctorate. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will be appointed at Research Assistant level (Grade 5), which will be amended to Research Associate (Grade 7) once PhD has been awarded.
Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 3 years in the first instance.
Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check, a health assessment and a security check.
Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
Applicants must have (or be close to obtaining) a PhD.
Appointment at Research Associate level is dependent on having a PhD. Those who have submitted but not yet received their PhD will initially be appointed as a Research Assistant (Grade 5, Point 38 £34,132) moving to Research Associate (Grade 7) upon confirmation of your PhD award.
Please ensure that you upload a covering letter and CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.
Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.
Closing date: 1st August 2025
Interview date: to be confirmed
Please quote reference PS46686 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
Cambridge and AstraZeneca: a decade of partnership and impact
Highlighting the last 10 years of partnership through scientific collaboration, nurturing talent and strengthening our ecosystem
Cambridge and AstraZeneca: a decade of partnership and impact
Highlighting the last 10 years of partnership through scientific collaboration, nurturing talent and strengthening our ecosystem
AI can accelerate search for more effective Alzheimer’s medicines by streamlining clinical trials
Scientists have used an AI model to reassess the results of a completed clinical trial for an Alzheimer’s disease drug. They found the drug slowed cognitive decline by 46% in a group of patients with early stage, slow-progressing mild cognitive impairment – a condition that can progress to Alzheimer’s.
Using AI allowed the team to split trial participants into two groups: either slowly or rapidly progressing towards Alzheimer’s disease. They could then look at the effects of the drug on each group.
More precise selection of trial participants in this way could help select patients most likely to benefit from treatment, with the potential to reduce the cost of developing new medicines by streamlining clinical trials.
The AI model developed by researchers at the University of Cambridge predicts whether, and how quickly, people at early stages of cognitive decline will progress to full-blown Alzheimer’s. It gives predictions for patients that are three times more accurate than standard clinical assessments based on memory tests, MRI scans and blood tests.
Using this patient stratification model, data from a completed clinical trial - which did not demonstrate efficacy in the total population studied - was re-analysed. The researchers found that the drug cleared a protein called beta amyloid in both patient groups as intended - but only the early stage, slow-progressing patients showed changes in symptoms. Beta amyloid is one of the first disease markers to appear in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease.
The new findings have significant implications: using AI to separate patients into different groups, such as slow versus rapidly progressing towards Alzheimer’s disease, allows scientists to better identify those who could benefit from a treatment approach - potentially accelerating the discovery of much-needed new Alzheimer’s drugs.
The results are published today in the journal Nature Communications.
Professor Zoe Kourtzi in the University of Cambridge’s Department of Psychology, senior author of the report, said: “Promising new drugs fail when given to people too late, when they have no chance of benefiting from them. With our AI model we can finally identify patients precisely, and match the right patients to the right drugs. This makes trials more precise, so they can progress faster and cost less, turbocharging the search for a desperately-need precision medicine approach for dementia treatment.”
She added: “Our AI model gives us a score to show how quickly each patient will progress towards Alzheimer’s disease. This allowed us to precisely split the patients on the clinical trial into two groups – slow, and fast progressing, so we could look at the effects of the drug on each group.”
Health Innovation East England, the innovation arm of the NHS in the East of England, is now supporting Kourtzi to translate this AI-enabled approach into clinical care for the benefit of future patients.
Joanna Dempsey, Principal Advisor at Health Innovation East England, said: “This AI-enabled approach could have a significant impact on easing NHS pressure and costs in dementia care by enabling more personalised drug development - identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from treatment, resulting in faster access to effective medicines and targeted support for people living with dementia.”
Drugs like this are not intended as cures for Alzheimer’s disease. The aim is to reduce cognitive decline so that patients don’t get worse.
Dementia is the UK’s leading cause of death, and a major cause of mortality globally. It costs $1.3 tr per year, and the number of cases are expected to treble by 2050. There is no cure, and patients and families face high uncertainty.
Despite decades of research and development, clinical trials of treatments for dementia have been largely unsuccessful. The failure rate for new treatments is unreasonably high at over 95%, despite $43 bn having been spent on research and development. Progress has been hampered by the wide variation in symptoms, disease progression and responses to treatment among patients.
Although new dementia drugs have recently been approved for use in the US, their risk of side effects and insufficient cost effectiveness have prevented healthcare adoption in the NHS.
Understanding and accounting for the natural differences among individuals with a disease is crucial, so that treatments can be tailored to be most effective for each patient. Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and although some drugs are available to treat it they don’t work for everybody.
“AI can guide us to the patients who will benefit from dementia medicines, by treating them at the stage when the drugs will make a difference, so we can finally start fighting back against these cruel diseases. Making clinical trials faster, cheaper and better, guided by AI has strong potential to accelerate discovery of new precise treatments for individual patients, reducing side effects and costs for healthcare services,” said Kourtzi.
She added: “Like many people, I have watched hopelessly as dementia stole a loved one from me. We’ve got to accelerate the development of dementia medicines. Over £40 billion has already been spent over thirty years of research and development - we can’t wait another thirty years.”
This research was funded by the Royal Society, Alan Turing Institute and Wellcome.
ReferenceVaghari, D. V. et al: ‘AI-guided patient stratification improves outcomes and efficiency in the AMARANTH Alzheimer’s Disease clinical trial.’ Nature Communications, July 2025. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61355-3
Scientists have used AI to re-analyse a clinical trial for an Alzheimer’s medicine, and identified a group of patients who responded to treatment. The work demonstrates that AI can inform the design of future clinical trials to make them more effective and efficient, accelerating the search for new medicines.
With our AI model we can finally identify patients precisely, and match the right patients to the right drugsZoe KourtziMichael Hewes/ Getty
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