Postdoctoral Fellow – James DiFrisco - DiFrisco Lab

A full‑time, fixed‑term (4 years) position at the Francis Crick Institute.

Salary: £47,500 per annum, based on skills and experience, plus benefits.

About the Research Group

The DiFrisco Lab was established in 2023 at the Francis Crick Institute. Its mission is to develop conceptual frameworks and models to study biological complexity, focusing on the intersection of development and evolution. The group is primarily theoretical, using mathematical modelling, phylogenetic comparative methods, conceptual and philosophical synthesis, and a range of computational approaches to understand the evolution of developmental processes. It also integrates theoretical methods with data, conducting experimental research in early developmental biology in vertebrates using avian, anuran, and fish model systems.

Current activities include:

• Mapping homologies in gastrulation across gnathostomes;
• Tracing developmental system drift in regulatory networks controlling olfactory gene expression across drosophilids;
• Modelling responses to conflicting selection pressures on pleiotropically linked traits;
• Investigating how biophysical constraints on body size influence the evolution of tissues and organs.

The group comprises two PhD students and two postdocs and seeks expertise in causal reasoning and inference, homology in early vertebrate development, dynamic modelling of developmental processes, gene regulatory network evolution, and related areas.

Project Focus

The postdoctoral fellow will investigate the gene‑regulatory basis of evolutionary divergence in modes of gastrulation across vertebrates, building on multi‑omic datasets from chick and frog. The project is experimentally led but embedded in the theoretical group, with collaboration across computational and modelling colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Design, conduct, and troubleshoot wet‑lab experiments in avian and/or anuran embryos (or in vitro models), including expression analysis, gene perturbation, live and fixed imaging, and mechanical measurement or perturbation as required.
• Analyse, interpret, and integrate data with the lab’s existing multi‑omic datasets, collaborating with computational members of the group.
• Lead preparation of manuscripts and presentations at scientific meetings; support collaborative projects within the lab and with external partners; help mentor PhD students when appropriate.
• Maintain regular working hours in the allocated group space in London (remote work not possible).

Benefits

• Quiet workspace, computer, access to high‑performance computing, lab bench, and generous funding for research expenses (probes, equipment, books, software, conference travel).
• Active mentorship, feedback, collaboration, and career support from the group leader.
• Access to training and career development opportunities provided to Crick postdocs.
• A dynamic, intellectually challenging research environment to develop the fellow’s research to its full potential.

Qualifications

• PhD awarded or in final stages of submission in life sciences or a biology‑adjacent field.
• Training and expertise in developmental biology, developmental genetics, cell biology, or evolutionary‑developmental biology.
• Track record of publishing papers in reputable journals and presenting at scientific meetings.
• Motivation, drive, and ability to work independently.
• Interest and capacity for acquiring skills in theoretical biology broadly, including evolutionary modelling, comparative methods, and abstract conceptual reasoning.
• Willingness to acquire new computational skills and engage constructively with research outside one’s specialization.

Desirable Experience

• Vertebrate model systems such as chick, zebrafish, and/or frog.
• Comparative developmental anatomy of vertebrates, especially early development (gastrulation, neurulation, somitogenesis).
• Single‑cell RNA sequencing methods, scRNAseq data analysis, and comparative transcriptomic methods.
• Imaging and image analysis, knockout methods, electroporation, transgenics, in‑vitro stem cell models, and mechanical perturbation.
• Bioinformatics and biostatistics skills.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We welcome applications from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, pregnancy, age, disability, or civil partnership. We particularly welcome applicants from under‑represented minority ethnic groups. The Crick is committed to promoting dignity, respect, inclusivity and equal treatment across all strategies, policies and practices.

Applicant Requirements

All offers of employment are subject to successful security screening and continued eligibility to work in the United Kingdom. For visa support, the Crick will assist applicants who are successful in securing a role.