Research scientists and scientific support

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London seeks to appoint a Group Leader in In Vivo Cancer Modelling to play a pivotal role in advancing our cutting-edge cancer research. The position is based at the newly established Centre for In Vivo Modelling (CIVM), part of the Division of Cancer Biology. We welcome applications at both the Career Development Faculty and Career Faculty levels. Key Requirements The successful candidate will generate and employ state-of-the-art genetic and humanised mouse models of cancer to tackle fundamental and translational questions in haemato-oncology and/or solid tumour oncology. In addition to leading a successful research group, they will expand the CIVM's research capabilities and foster productive collaborations with other groups and centres at the ICR, thus promoting in vivo modelling by integrating it into multidisciplinary projects and initiatives. Applicants must have an internationally recognised track record of leading research in in vivo modelling and advanced mouse genetics, demonstrated by high-quality publications and significant funding success. For more junior candidates, an outstanding track record in cancer research, coupled with a compelling research vision leveraging advanced genetic mouse models and clear potential to secure competitive external funding, is essential. As part of your online application you will be required to upload your full CV which will pre-populate your application form, you will also be asked to attach the following documents and failure to do so will mean your application cannot be considered on this occasion: Lists of major publications, achievements, research grants, distinctions. Research plan (five to six pages outlining your current research interests and research programme for the next 5 years) A PDF of a maximum of five key publications, or other research outputs (e.g. patents) that best demonstrate previous productivity You must also complete the personal statement section of the application form in the format of a covering letter including the names and contact details of three academic referees Department/Directorate Information: Cancer Biology Division Information The ICR is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutions, with an outstanding track record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. In addition to being one of the UK’s leading higher education institutions for research quality and impact, the ICR is consistently ranked among the world’s most successful for industry collaboration. As a member institution of the University of London, we also provide postgraduate higher education of international distinction. One of the ICR’s key research strategies is to defeat cancer by viewing it as a dynamic ecosystem. We aim to solidify our expertise in state-of-the-art in vivo cancer models to probe these complex cancer ecosystems, discover their underlying biology, and identify new therapeutic targets. The postholder will significantly contribute to driving these strategic priorities. We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. If you would like to informally discuss this position, please contact Professor Kamil R. Kranc ([email protected]), Director of the Centre for In Vivo Modelling, or Professor Chris Jones ([email protected]), Head of the Division of Cancer Biology at the ICR.

Key Requirements As part of your online application you will be required to upload your full CV which will pre-populate your application form, you will also be asked to attach the following documents and failure to do so will mean your application cannot be considered on this occasion: Lists of major publications, achievements, research grants, distinctions. Research plan (five to six pages outlining your current research interests and research programme for the next 5 years) A PDF of a maximum of five key publications, or other research outputs (e.g. patents) that best demonstrate previous productivity You must also complete the personal statement section of the application form in the format of a covering letter including the names and contact details of three academic referees Department/Directorate Information: Cancer Biology Information The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London seeks to appoint a Group Leader in Cancer Stem Cell Biology to play a pivotal role in advancing our cutting-edge cancer research. The position will be based in newly-refurbished laboratory and office space at our Sutton campus within the Division of Cancer Biology. We welcome applications at both the Career Development Faculty and Career Faculty levels. The ICR is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutions, with an outstanding track record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. In addition to being one of the UK’s leading higher education institutions for research quality and impact, the ICR is consistently ranked among the world’s most successful for industry collaboration. As a member institution of the University of London, we also provide postgraduate higher education of international distinction. One of the ICR’s key research strategies is to defeat cancer by viewing it as a dynamic ecosystem. We aim to solidify our expertise in the biology of cancer stem cells. The postholder will significantly contribute to understanding the underlying biology of cancer stem cells and how this may be exploited to address key questions in tumour relapse, disease progression and metastasis. The successful candidate will have a compelling research programme focused on cancer stem cell biology in an area which complements existing disease-specific expertise at the ICR / Royal Marsden NHS trust. Possible areas of research include (but are not restricted to) basic mechanisms of self-renewal and pluripotency, regulation of cancer stem cell fate / differentiation, how they remodel the tumour microenvironment into a supportive niche, targeting treatment resistance of cancer stem cells, and the role of CSCs in driving the metastatic cascade. Applicants must have an internationally recognised track record of leading research in cancer stem cell biology, demonstrated by high-quality publications and significant funding success. For more junior candidates, an outstanding postdoctoral track record in cancer research, coupled with a compelling research vision in a strategic area of cancer stem cell biology and clear potential to secure competitive external funding, is essential. If you would like to informally discuss this position, please contact Professor Chris Jones ([email protected]), Head of the Division of Cancer Biology at the ICR.

Under the guidance of Dr Caroline Ewens, we are seeking a highly motivated scientist keen to apply small molecule screening science expertise to help progress our cancer drug discovery projects from assay development and hit finding to candidate selection. The successful candidate will develop and run plate-based biochemical and/or cellular screening assays to support the identification and characterisation of small-molecule inhibitors against novel cancer targets using a variety of detection technologies. The successful candidate will be embedded in the Hit Discovery and Structural Design Team but work with multidisciplinary teams. About you Key requirements for the role are significant and broad all-round laboratory experience monitoring small molecule binding and function applied to drug discovery. A good understanding of enzymology would be beneficial, as would prior use of automation equipment for liquid and compound handling used in compound profiling. Department/Directorate Information The Hit Discovery and Structural Design Team uses biochemical, cellular and biophysical assays to perform small-molecule high-throughput screening and fragment-based hit discovery, coupled with X-ray crystallography and electron microscopy to enable structure-based drug design within the CCDD. These methodologies are underpinned by state-of-the-art protein expression, purification and characterisation capabilities, allowing for the generation of large quantities of high-quality protein targets. We are based at the ICR Sutton site in the newly opened CCDD building. Pertinent to this role, the team is equipped with high quality tissue culture suites and specialist screening equipment enabling access to numerous technology readouts. Our multimode plate readers include two Pherastars (BMG) and two Envisions (Perkin Elmer). Our biophysical technologies available include DSF/TSA (Nanotemper Prometheus & Biorad 384 well thermal cyclers) and SPR (GE Healthcare T200 & 8K Biacores). The team has access to high content screening microscopes (GE Incell 2200), whole well imaging cytometers (2 Nexcelom Celigos) and live cell imaging instruments (Sartorius Incucyte Zoom and S3). To enable fast and accurate assay preparation, the team possesses a broad range of liquid handling equipment, including pipetting robots, Certus Flex (Gyger), and two Beckman ECHO acoustic dispensing machines integrated onto Access systems for compound dispensing. You will be joining a team working at the crossroads of the drug discovery activities of the CCDD, where scientific excellence and team science are core values. This position will also offer training in new techniques and support will be available for attending training courses and appropriate academic meetings. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact Dr Caroline Ewens via Email [email protected]

A postdoctoral position is available in Dr Rob van Montfort’s Hit Discovery and Structural Design Team within the CCDD. The Post-doc will be involved in the structure determination of protein-ligand complexes, primarily by X-ray crystallography but also potentially by cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM), as part of one of the CCDD’s drug discovery programmes. The postholder will be responsible for protein production and purification, protein crystallisation, structure determination by X-ray crystallography and subsequent structural analysis. The successful candidate will be an integral member of a multidisciplinary project team within the CCDD at the ICR Sutton site, and will interact closely with biologists, computational chemists, medicinal chemists, assay scientists and structural biologists. They will have access to state-of-the-art facilities for protein production and purification, as well as biophysical characterisation and crystallisation at the Sutton site. We also benefit from excellent access to Diamond Light Source synchrotron at the Harwell Science and Innovation campus, Didcot, UK, for X-ray data collection. The successful candidate will also be part of the Division of Structural Biology, located in Chelsea, in which the structural biologists in Dr van Montfort’s team are also embedded, and will have access to its state-of-the art cryoEM facilities. These include an in-house Glacios and 30% direct access to a Titan KRIOS located at the Francis Crick Institute. Both microscopes are equipped with Falcon III detectors and volta phase plates (VPP). About you Applicants must have a PhD (or equivalent) in a biological or physical science, with demonstrable experience in X-ray crystallography and protein biochemistry. Experience in cryo-EM specimen preparation and data processing would be an advantage, though not strictly mandatory. Experience in molecular biology, protein expression and purification, as well as biophysical characterisation of protein samples would also be highly desirable. Candidates who are nearing completion of their PhD may apply, but confirmation on awarded PhD is required within 6 months of employment. The ICR has a workforce agreement stating that Postdoctoral Training Fellows can only be employed for up to 7 years as PDTF at the ICR, providing total postdoctoral experience (including previous employment at this level elsewhere) does not exceed 7 years. For general information on Postdocs at The ICR, more information can be found here. Department/Directorate Information The Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery (CCDD), within the Division of Cancer Therapeutics, is a multidisciplinary 'bench to bedside' centre, comprising around 160 staff dedicated to the discovery and development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. The CCDD’s exciting goal is to discover high quality drug candidates for validated biological targets and to progress these candidates to clinical trial. All the scientific disciplines are in place to make this possible. Our world-class biologists, chemists and drug metabolism specialists work together focusing on new molecular targets emerging from human genome and ground-breaking cell biology research. This is an exciting and fast-moving area of cancer research and offers the opportunity to work within a multi-disciplinary environment using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment. Department/Directorate Information: The Hit Discovery and Structural Design Team uses biochemical and biophysical assays to perform small-molecule high-throughput screening and fragment-based hit discovery, coupled with X-ray crystallography and cryo electron microscopy to enable structure-based drug design within the CCDD. These methodologies are underpinned by state-of-the-art protein expression, purification and biophysical characterisation capabilities, allowing for the generation of large quantities of high-quality protein targets. Pertinent to this role, the team’s protein production laboratories are equipped with six state-of-the-art GE Healthcare Akta Pures for protein purification and has the capabilities to produce recombinant proteins in bacteria, insect cells and mammalian cells. The team is also equipped with a broad range of biophysical technologies including SPR (GE Healthcare T200 & 8K Biacores), ITC (Malvern MicroCal iTC200), DSF/TSA (Nanotemper Prometheus & Biorad 384-well thermal cyclers) and DLS (Xtal concepts SpectroLight600). Additionally, we have access to Mass Spectrometry and NMR facilities within the division, used both for sample QC and assays (MS-based assays, ligand- and protein-observed NMR). Our screening laboratory is equipped with a number of HTS multimode plate readers (including two BMG Pherastars) for biochemical/functional target protein characterisation and compound testing. To enable fast and accurate assay preparation, the team possesses a broad range of liquid handling equipment, including pipetting robots and two Beckman ECHOs acoustic dispensing machines integrated onto Access systems for compound dispensing. The team hosts a state-of-the-art crystallisation laboratory, equipped with specialised liquid handling robots (SPT Labtech Mosquito and Dragonfly), coupled with a plate imaging robot (Formulatrix RockImager 1000) to enable fast discovery and optimisation of crystallisation conditions. We also possess a rotating anode X-ray source onsite in Sutton (Rigaku FRX with Pilatus 300K detector) and benefit from very good access to Diamond Synchrotron at the Harwell Science and Innovation campus, Didcot, UK. Finally, the team has access to the cryoEM facilities of the Division of Structural Biology. These include an in-house Glacios and 30% direct access to a Titan KRIOS located at the Francis Crick Institute. Both microscopes are equipped with Falcon III detectors and volta phase plates (VPP). You will be joining a team working at the crossroads of the drug discovery activities of the Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, where scientific excellence and team science are core values. You will be working in close collaboration with colleagues in the fields of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, DMPK and computational chemistry. This position will also offer training in new techniques and support will be available for attending training courses and appropriate academic meetings. What we offer A dynamic and supportive research environment Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities Collaboration with leading researchers in the field Competitive salary and pension We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role. For an informal discussion regarding the role, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. Please DO NOT send your application to Dr van Montfort or Dr Le Bihan, but apply via the e-recruitment system on our website www.icr.ac.uk/careers.