Research Fellow - Department of Inflammation and Ageing - 105764 - Grade 7

Department of Inflammation and Ageing, School of Infection, Inflammation and Immunology, College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,130 to £45,413 with potential progression once in post to £48,149. As this vacancy has limited funding the maximum salary that can be offered is Grade 7, salary £38,249.

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to August 2028

Closing date: 15th June 2025

Background

We are seeking an industrious, independent, and ambitious postdoctoral researcher to join a three-year multi-institutional project funded by Versus Arthritis focused on developing a novel peptide-siRNA conjugate for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a degenerative joint disorder and a leading cause of pain and disability, affecting over 500 million people worldwide. Currently, no approved treatments exist that can halt or reverse disease progression. Existing pain relief options are often ineffective or associated with adverse side effects. Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have emerged as a promising new class of therapeutics with unique advantages over traditional drugs. Six siRNA-based therapies are already approved for clinical use. However, a major hurdle in applying siRNA therapeutics to OA is the efficient and targeted delivery of siRNAs to joint-resident cells. To address this, we have identified a cell-surface receptor (referred to here as “receptor X”) that is highly expressed on chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts in inflamed OA joints. Our central hypothesis is that conjugating siRNAs to peptides that bind receptor X will enable targeted delivery of disease-modifying agents directly to affected joint cells.

This project will:

• Identify optimal siRNA sequences targeting three key genes involved in OA pathogenesis.
• Develop and optimise peptide-siRNA conjugates for efficient and specific delivery to human OA joint cells.
• Assess functional outcomes, including gene knockdown efficiency, siRNA stability, off-target effects, and modulation of OA-related biomarkers in human cell and ex vivo tissue models.
• Evaluate in vivo delivery, knockdown efficacy, and effects on behavioural pain responses using preclinical OA models.

The appointed person will primarily be supervised by Prof Simon W Jones (Department of Inflammation and Ageing, University of Birmingham) but will also work closely with colleagues at the University of Bath (Prof Mark Lindsay, Dr Ian Eggleston) and University of Nottingham (Prof Vicky Chapman and Dr Federico Dajas-Bailador).

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of next-generation therapeutics in a collaborative and innovative research environment. This position will involve the selection and functional screening of siRNA-peptide conjugates across multiple human, primate and mouse cell lines. We are therefore seeking a highly motivated and organised individual with proven expertise in human tissue processing and cell culture, cellular transfection, RNA expression analysis (qRT-PCR, RNA-seq), FACS analysis, Western blotting, ELISA, and bioinformatics. A background or interest in osteoarthritis, drug discovery, RNA biology, or therapeutic screening is highly desirable.

Role Summary

• To lead the laboratory studies on the research grant at the University of Birmingham which will involve the selection and functional screening of peptide-siRNA conjugates across multiple cell types in humans, primates and mouse.
• To engage and work collaboratively with researchers at the University of Bath and the University of Nottingham.
• To analyse and interpret research findings and disseminate results.
• To contribute to generating research funding.

Main Duties

The responsibilities may include some but not all of the responsibilities outlined below.

• Analyse and interpret data.
• Disseminate research findings for publication, research seminars etc.
• Contribute to developing new models, techniques and methods.
• Undertake management/administration arising from research.
• Contribute to Departmental/School research-related activities and research-related administration.
• Present research outputs, including drafting academic publications or parts thereof, for example at seminars and as posters.
• Provide guidance, as required, to support staff and any students who may be assisting with the research.
• Deal with problems that may affect the achievement of research objectives and deadlines.
• Promote equality and value diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.

Person Specification

• Relevant first degree and PhD in the area of biomedical/biological sciences.
• Experience of drug screening in cell lines.
• Experience of collecting and processing human tissue samples/fluids with familiarisation of HTA guidelines and ethics.
• Experience with RNA expression analysis, including the isolation, quantification and quality assessment of RNA, and analysis of expression by qPCR and RNA sequencing.
• Experience of primary cell culture and human tissue processing, flow cytometry, ELISA and WB.
• Knowledge and/or experience of determining activity of inflammatory signalling pathways within the inflammatory disease area, particularly inflammation of the joint.
• High level analytical capability.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.
• Ability to assess resource requirements and use resources effectively.
• Understanding of and ability to contribute to broader management/administration processes.
• Contribute to the planning and organising of the specific research project.
• Co-ordinate own work with others to avoid conflict or duplication of effort.
• Knowledge of the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010, and how to actively ensure in day to day activity in own area that those with protected characteristics are treated equally and fairly.

Informal enquiries to Lisa Powell, email: l.h.powell@bham.ac.uk

We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy.