Research Associate/Fellow - 2 posts

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Detail information about job Research Associate/Fellow - 2 posts. Terms and conditions vacancy

Salary: 

£26,052 to £32,004 per annum, depending on skills and experience (minimum £29301 with relevant PhD). Salary progression beyond this scale is subject to performance

Applications are invited for the above two posts to work with Dr Bindi Brook (in collaboration with Prof J Moore at Imperial College and Prof R Nibbs at University of Glasgow) on a Wellcome Trust-funded Collaborative Award entitled “Integrative Transport Phenomena in Chemokine Gradient Establishment”. The principal goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive quantitative knowledge base of chemokine gradient formation and regulation using integrated experimental and modelling approaches.

Chemokines are secreted chemoattractants that orchestrate the migration and positioning of leukocytes, and are indispensable components of all protective and pathogenic immune and inflammatory responses. A combination of diffusion, advection, binding kinetics and cellular uptake result in the generation of spatial chemokine gradients that govern leukocyte migration.

If chemokine gradients are not appropriately tuned, leukocytes fail to respond and immune responses are compromised. This multidisciplinary project will provide unprecedented insight into this complex, dynamic and critically important process, and has potential impact on vaccination and on the treatment of diseases with key immune cell contributions, such as allergy, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Candidates must hold or be near completion of a PhD, or equivalent, in a relevant branch of applied mathematics, mathematical biology or biophysics. A good knowledge of advection-reaction-diffusion PDEs (e.g. Keller-Segel systems), or multiphase modelling is essential. In addition, a background in more than one of the following areas is highly desirable: individual-based cell models; hybrid models combining continuum and individual-based models; stochastic differential equations; parameter sensitivity analysis; uncertainty quantification techniques such as Bayesian Inference. Candidates should be confident, organised, have good communication skills and enjoy working as part of a multidisciplinary team as well as independently. The successful candidates will be expected to contribute to the publication of scientific papers, and to their dissemination at relevant workshops and conferences. They should have evidence that the quality and quantity of their previous research outputs is commensurate with their level of experience.

In recognition of its commitment to promoting women in science, The University of Nottingham is one of a small number of universities to hold a Silver Athena SWAN Award.

These two full-time positions are available from 1 September 2017, or as soon as possible thereafter, and will be offered on a fixed-term contract for a period of 24 months.

For information about the School of Mathematical Sciences, which has strong and active research groups in areas including Mathematical Biology and Medicine, see:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/index.aspx. Further information regarding the Centre for Mathematical Medicine and Biology can be obtained from http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/cmmb/index.aspx

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Bindi Brook email: [email protected]. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.