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The Department of Zoology is internationally recognised for its outstanding teaching and research. Home to a vibrant community of around 260 staff, graduate students, and visiting researchers, our work spans cell and developmental biology, conservation science, and evolutionary genetics.

We are seeking a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our scientific support team, which delivers the highest standard of assistance to our research and teaching laboratories. This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of Zoology's dynamic, collaborative, and welcoming community while playing a key role in our continued success.

The Role

As part of our team, you will help ensure the smooth operation of the department's scientific facilities. This varied and hands-on role includes: - Managing the media and glass washing facility, - Supporting the animal care facilities (aquaria and insect rooms), - Overseeing the tissue culture facility, - Administering departmental service contracts for shared scientific equipment, - Providing support to the Teaching Lab as needed.

About You

You will be a proactive, adaptable, and highly organised individual with: - Experience working in a biological laboratory environment, - Strong communication and teamwork skills, - Excellent attention to detail, - The ability to work independently and make informed decisions, while contributing effectively to a wider team.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop your skills in a world-class academic environment. If you are passionate about supporting cutting-edge research and teaching, we would love to hear from you.

Professional Development & Benefits

We take a proactive approach to personal development, offering tailored training where required for this role. As part of the University of Cambridge, the successful candidate will enjoy the stability of working within a world-leading institution, alongside access to an exceptional range of staff benefits and development opportunities. These include discounts at local and national businesses, as well as educational opportunities available exclusively to University of Cambridge employees.

Working Arrangements

This is a permanent, full-time, on-site position. A key requirement of the role is being part of the additional cover team at weekends, Bank Holidays, and occasionally out-of-hours work. As such, the candidate will need the flexibility to work outside standard hours, when necessary, at times.

Informal enquiries should be directed to Sylviane Moss, Lab and Facilities Manager: smmc2@cam.ac.uk

Please refer to the Further Particulars for this role, and use this as a guideline for your application.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a health assessment.

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.

Flexible working requests will be considered.

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 PF45576 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.

The post Equity portfolio appeared first on Cambridge Enterprise.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Research Laboratory Manager to join the Káradóttir lab in the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute. CSCI is a world-leading centre for stem cell research based in the Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

The Káradóttir lab has expertise in neuroscience and stem cell biology using both human and rodent models in vivo and in vitro. The team aims to understand (1) how neurons regulate oligodendrocyte progenitor cell differentiation throughout life in both health and disease; (2) to what extent myelin changes once it is formed; (3) the effect myelin changes, and damage, have on neuronal circuit function; and (4) how myelin regeneration can be promoted. The lab uses a combination of molecular, genetic, cellular, imaging, physiological and behavioural methods to address these aims.

We are looking for a proactive and flexible Research Laboratory Manager to work closely with Prof. Káradóttir to coordinate research activities, supervise the day-to-day running of the lab and line manage a Research Assistant. You will support students and postdoctoral researchers with project management and experimental design, helping to ensure that we achieve our research objectives on time and within budget.

As the primary technical expert in the group, you will develop, implement and train others in specialised methods including imaging, in vivo calcium recording, electrophysiology and computational data analysis. Previous experience of electrophysiology and imaging are essential for the role, as well as the use of statistics and image analysis.

You will be a key point of contact for staff, students and collaborators so excellent communication skills are essential. The ideal candidate will have previous experience of scientific writing and contributing to publications. We are looking for someone who enjoys working cooperatively and has good project management and organisational skills.

You will be qualified to degree level or equivalent in neuroscience or a related subject and hold a PhD in a relevant area.

This is a full-time role of 37 hours per week. This post is fixed-term with funding available for 2 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.

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: 7th May 2025

Interview date: 23rd May 2025

Please quote reference PS45572 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.

We are seeking applications for a Research Associate to work as part of our Natural History Humanities initiative for the period 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2027. This position is part of the University of Cambridge's Collections-Connections-Communities (CCC) Strategic Research Initiative, funded by the Isaac Newton Trust. The role offers an exciting opportunity to engage in interdisciplinary research inspired by the University's significant natural history collections, housed across its museums, libraries, archives, and Botanic Garden.

The successful candidate will join a vibrant research network, including two other Research Associates and a community of visiting research fellows. They will have the freedom to develop their own research project, using humanities methodologies to explore the natural history collections, with an emphasis on cross-collections research. Proposals including Cambridge's zoological and/or geological collections are especially encouraged.

We welcome applicants from all disciplines and nationalities who are postdoctoral scholars. As part of the programme, the Research Associate will actively contribute to the life and activities of CCC's Natural History Humanities programme, including research, public engagement, talks, seminars, and social media.

Please upload a statement outlining your research proposal (3 x A4 pages max) alongside your covering letter and CV as well as completing the online application form.

Interviews will be held online during the month of June 2025.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 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.

For any questions relating to this recruitment please contact admin@botanic.cam.ac.uk

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.

Discover the distinctive visual language of British-Nigerian artist Joy Labinjo

The Choir of St John’s College & The Gesualdo Six in concert

Join contemporary British artist Kimathi Donkor for an insightful talk on his work in Rise Up. Discover the inspiration behind his evocative creations as Donkor discusses how his art reimagines mythical, legendary, and domestic encounters from Africa and its global diasporas.

British contemporary artist Karen McLean talks about her powerful work Ar’n’t I a Woman! (2021), on display in our Rise Up exhibition. Rooted in historical research, McLean’s installations, sound and moving image works incorporate evocative and symbolic materials such as sugar, blue soap and hessian bags and interrogate the complex legacies of colonialism.

Take a deep dive into the themes of our Rise Up exhibition at our series of listening salons co-facilitated by guests from London creative space Ruby Cruel.

Take a deep dive into the themes of our Rise Up exhibition at our series of listening salons co-facilitated by guests from London creative space Ruby Cruel.

Take a deep dive into the themes of our Rise Up exhibition at our series of listening salons co-facilitated by guests from London creative space Ruby Cruel.

Focusing on the selection of his artworks on display in our Rise Up exhibition, British contemporary artist, critic and academic Keith Piper discusses his wider creative practice and how he uses art as a tool to engage with historical and geographical narratives as well as the legacies and social issues affecting us today.

The post Extending the reach of Research Tools for accelerated impact appeared first on Cambridge Enterprise.

Project Title: Sex-dependent role of dopamine D3 receptors in the individual vulnerability to develop compulsive drug seeking and taking behaviour: preclinical investigations using a novel highly selective antagonist

Supervisor: Professor David Belin

Department/Institute: Physiology, Development & Neuroscience (PDN)

Industrial Partner: Shionogi

Project details:

The opioid epidemic that has been claiming the lives of over half a million people in the US in the past decade is reaching the UK. There are still no effective treatments for addiction to opiate and other drugs such as cocaine and alcohol, thereby limiting our ability to help those who suffer from this debilitating psychiatric disorder, in part due to our lack of understanding of the cellular mechanisms mediating the transition from controlled to compulsive drug seeking and taking behaviour, the hallmark of substance use disorder. Among candidate mechanisms, those downstream of the dopamine D3 receptor, whose expression is profoundly exacerbated by exposure to addictive drugs, have long stood out. However, the role of this receptor in compulsive drug-seeking behaviour has never been determined due to the lack of appropriate procedures in non-human species. Capitalising on a novel animal model of compulsive heroin-seeking habits developed by the Belin lab, a new multi-million-pound partnership with Shionogi has recently been launched to test, among others, the therapeutic potential, and the associated neural signature, of a new highly selective dopamine D3 receptor on drug-seeking habits, compulsive drug seeking and escalation of drug self-administration in male and female rats. This programme of research at the interface of Behavioural neuroscience, neuropharmacology and molecular biology will provide a unique opportunity for a PhD student to acquire a deep knowledge of the psychological and neural basis of substance use disorders while also acquiring a wide range of experimental skills in a very supportive environment.

The industrial partner is one of the few Big Pharma laboratories left investing in fundamental research in neuroscience and pursuing the development of novel treatments for CNS disorders. It has long been interested in expanding their drug discovery strategy to drug addiction. Shionogi has become a primary industrial partner of the Cambridge landscape and is very active in its collaboration with the Cambridge Neuroscience Community. Over the past five years, Shionogi has supported a new line of research into the role of peripheral mu opiate receptors in the behavioural effects of opiates in the context of a BBSRC-ICase studentship with the Belin that has proven very successful, thereby being a testament to the commitment of Shionogi to support research in the field of substance use disorders.

Applicants will be expected to have extensive experience with chronic intravenous self-administration procedures in rats.

Further information on the Cambridge Bioscience DTP PhD programme can be found at this link: https://bbsrcdtp.lifesci.cam.ac.uk/bbsrc-dtp-programme/icase-studentships. Full details of the University's entrance requirements and scholarships are specified in the following link: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/.

Funding

Full funding covering Maintenance at the UKRI stipend rate (£20,780 for the academic year 2025/26) and the University Composition Fee at the Home UK rate (2025-26 £10,356) is provided for the studentship, with effect from 1 October 2025.

This studentship is only available to students who qualify for UK home fees. Please check your eligibility: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/fees/what-my-fee-status.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 4 years.

Application Process

To apply please visit: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/blpdpdpdn and click 'Apply Now' selecting the following course:

• PhD in Physiology, Development & Neuroscience (Full-time)
• Start Date: 1st October 2025
• Project Supervisor: Professor David Belin
• Project Title: Include title as listed above
• Research Proposal: Include project details as listed above

Applications should include:

• Two academic references
• Transcript
• CV/resume
• Evidence of competence in English (If required - you can check using our tool)
• Statement of Interest outlining your suitability, why you are interested in a PhD in this area, your background and research interests.
• School of Biological Sciences - Widening Participation Questionnaire (applicants are asked to complete an additional form to provide contextual information about their previous study. Find out more about our use of contextual information here: https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/applying/contextual-data.

For queries related to this PhD studentship, please contact Professor David Belin email bdb26@cam.ac.uk.

Closing date

Completed applications (with ALL supporting documentation and references) to be submitted via the portal by 23:59pm (midnight) UK time on the 22nd of April 2025 at the latest. Interviews will be scheduled for the 1st of May.

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 University Symphony Chorus perform Ein deutsches Requiem alongside the East Anglia Chamber Orchestra, conducted by David Young.

Join Continuum and their conductor, Harry Guthrie, as they return to the concert series at Clare Hall after last performing in March 2024.

?Vitaly Pisarenko, a prize-winning pianist based in London, is returning to Cambridge for his fourth concert. His previous recitals have been met with tremendous success.

The Gildas Quartet, praised for their ‘energy, verve and refreshing approach’ have performed to critical acclaim at major venues including the Bridgewater Hall, Barbican, Wigmore Hall and live on BBC Radio 3. We are delighted to welcome them to Clare Hall.

Mill Road's Poetry Thursdays are a fabulous opportunity to hear local poets and writers read their own work

We were delighted to welcome pupils from Warrington’s Lymm High School, Ipswich High School, The Charter School in North Dulwich, Rickmansworth School, Sutton Valance School in Maidstone as well as schools closer to home such as St Peter’s Huntingdon, Fenstanton Primary School, Barton Primary School, Impington Village College and St Andrews School in Soham. 

Running over two days (25/26 March 2025) and held in the Cambridge Sports Centre, students went on a great alien hunt with Dr Matt Bothwell from the Institute of Astronomy, stepped back in time to explore Must Farm with Department of Archaeology and the Cambridge Archaeological Unit as well as learning to disagree well with Dr Elizabeth Phillips from The Woolf Institute. 

Schools had a choice of workshops from a range of departments including, how to think like an engineer and making sustainable food with biotechnology with researchers from the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, as well as the chance to get hands-on experience in the world of materials science and explore how properties of materials can be influenced by temperature at the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. 

The Department of Veterinary Medicine offered students the opportunity to find out what a career in veterinary medicine may look like with workshops on animal x-rays, how different professionals work together to treat animals in a veterinary hospital as well as meeting the departments horses and cows and learn how veterinarians diagnose and treat these large animals. 

Students also had the opportunity to learn about antibodies and our immune system with the MRC Toxicology Unit. The students learnt about the incredible job antibodies do defending our bodies against harmful invaders like bacteria and viruses. 

Alongside this, a maths trail, developed by Cambridgeshire County Council, guided students around the West Cambridge site whilst testing their maths skills with a number of problems to solve. 

Now in their third year, the Cambridge Festival schools days are offering students the opportunity to experience studying at Cambridge with a series of curriculum linked talks and hands on workshops.   

The Cambridge Festival runs from 19 March – 4 April and is a mixture of online, on-demand and in-person events covering all aspects of the world-leading research happening at Cambridge. The public have the chance to meet some of the researchers and thought-leaders working in some of the pioneering fields that will impact us all.

Over 500 KS2 and KS3 students from as far away as Warrington got the chance to experience studying at the University of Cambridge with a selection of lectures and workshops held as part of the Cambridge Festival. 

Students make antibody keychains during a workshop with the MRC Toxicology Unit

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