Research Assistant in Cancer Biology

**Contract type: Fixed term for 24 months**



**Hours: Full-time**





**About the role**



We are looking for a research assistant to work in our cancer biology team.
You will be based in the Old Road Campus Research Building, Churchill site,
University of Oxford as your normal place of work. You will be positioned
within the laboratory space of Professor Simon Buczacki within the Tumour
Evolution and Cell Identity research group
(https://www.nds.ox.ac.uk/research/tumour-evolution-and-cell-identity-
laboratory). Here, you will join a thriving and well supported laboratory of
enthusiastic scientists spanning masters, DPhil students, post-doctoral
scientists and bioinformaticians. The lab has immense clinical orientation
with a primary focus on the exploration of links between cancer mutations and
stromal response studied through use of patient-derived organoids, primary
human cell lines, cutting-edge gene-editing techniques, and spatial biology
(multiplexed immunohistochemistry).





You will work on a project investigating how specific mutations in the
metastatic colon cancer epithelium interact with liver fibroblasts to foster a
niche conducive to liver metastasis formation. You will have access to our
library of colorectal liver metastasis-derived organoids and primary human
fibroblast lines which will be required to carry out your experiments. You
will also have access to a wide range of analytical techniques and to
supportive collaborations that we have developed throughout the university.





**Your role**



You will be directly supervised by Mr Alex Gordon-Weeks, consultant liver
surgeon and clinical lecturer within the Nuffield Department of Surgical
Sciences.





You will be responsible for the derivation of human patient-derived organoids
and primary human fibroblasts from both metastatic and primary liver cancers
and normal liver specimens respectively. You will be expected to maintain the
organoids in culture and to carry out gene-editing of the organoids using
CRISPR techniques. You will be required to optimise the culture conditions
required for successful maintenance of complex organotypic co-cultures
involving the organoids, fibroblasts, and T-lymphocytes.





Through subsequent experiments you will have the opportunity to develop novel
analytical techniques including single cell sequencing and light-sheet
microscopy. There will be flexibility in the techniques that you develop
depending upon your interests and the experimental findings. A particularly
unique aspect of this project is our desire to investigate the role that the
fibroblast-derived extracellular matrix plays in conditioning epithelial
organoid phenotype. You will therefore have the opportunity to learn how to
extract the ECM from co-cultures and to use mass-spec techniques to analyse
the resultant ECMs; techniques already developed within our laboratory.





You will be expected to attend weekly laboratory meetings and to present your
research findings in addition to those in the published literature relevant to
your work. You will also have weekly supervisory meetings with Alex Gordon-
Weeks.





**About you**



You are expected to be educated to BSc level and to have experience in the
field of organoid biology. You should have technical experience in gene
editing techniques and cell culture. The successful candidate will have
excellent communication skills, including the ability to write text that can
be published and presenting data at conferences and research group meetings.





This full-time post is available from 30th March 2024 and is fixed term until
March 30th 2026 in the first instance.





**Application Process**



If you would like to discuss this role, please contact Alex Gordon-Weeks via
alex.gordon-weeks@nds.ox.ac.uk





Applications for this vacancy are to be made online. You will be required to
upload a supporting statement, setting out how you meet the selection
criteria, curriculum vitae and the names and contact details of two referees
as part of your online application. Please quote reference NDSA916 on all
correspondence.





Only applications received before noon on Monday 18 March 2024 can be
considered.





Interviews will be held on Thursday 28 March 2024.





**Committed to equality and valuing diversity**