PDRA in Bioengineering

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, creating a community where colleagues feel respected and valued. We aim to reflect the diversity of our students and communities, and to strengthen our university through collaboration and diverse perspectives, across all roles at the University.

This 12-month Postdoctoral Research Assistant (PDRA) position is supported by Breakthrough T1D funding award focused on the development of advanced, specific and highly reproducible human in vitro models – lab grown systems which mimic real human tissues to improve understanding of disease, accelerate drug discovery, and reduce reliance on animal models. This individual project focuses on establishing a vascularized human pancreas model using advanced extrusion 3D bioprinting and microfluidics to create perfusable, multicellular constructs that replicate pancreatic architecture, nutrient delivery, and exocrine-islet interactions.

The post-holder will work under the supervision of Dr Amin Ardestani at CfB/HYMS alongside Dr Amirpasha Moetazedian at the School of Engineering and Technology. The post will be based in a vibrant Diabetes and Metabolism research group that will offer an excellent opportunity to work across multiple disciplines (Biomedical Engineering and AI) as part of a diverse multidisciplinary team to progress research objectives.

We are now inviting applications from candidates with a strong background in tissue engineering, preferably with prior experience and skills in cell and molecular biology, as well as a clear commitment to advancing research in human disease modelling. The successful candidate will be responsible for optimising the microenvironments of the pancreas by synthesising hydrogel systems containing various ECM proteins suitable for 3D bioprinting. Analysis of constructed tissues involves cell culture, fluorescence microscopy (confocal and super resolution), as well as genomic and proteomic experiments.

The PDRA will be based at Hull University but will be expected to collaborate or visit external collaborator sites (including Wellcome Sanger Institute), and to engage productively with other research units at the University of Hull as required. The PDRA will report research results to the project supervisory team on a weekly basis, and relevant governance committees. The PDRA will produce an appropriate quantity and quality of progress reports and contribute to generating research publications. They will work closely with the Knowledge Exchange Office of the University of Hull on preparation of materials for filing for IP protection.

For any informal queries relating to this role, please contact Amin Ardestani (Senior Lecturer in Metabolic Signalling/Biomedicine) via email to a.ardestani@hull.ac.uk. All applicants should submit a CV and covering letter. Please note, the covering letter is uploaded on the same screen as the CV. After uploading the CV, click “Select File” again and upload the covering letter. Applications close at 00:01am of the closing date listed. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications. If you are interested in this role, please submit your application as early as possible.