Translational Cancer Researcher — Apoptosis & NEC

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package, great pension schemes, and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 26 July 2026

The Role

We are excited to launch a new opportunity for a Research Assistant or Research Associate to join a multidisciplinary translational cancer research team investigating therapeutic vulnerabilities in neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC), with a focus on prostate cancer. You will be based within the Newcastle University Centre for Cancer working with Dr Daniel Westaby and Dr Luke Gaughan and collaborating with colleagues at the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London. The post sits within a translational programme linking laboratory discovery, medical oncology and biomarker-driven therapeutic development.

The project is funded through a pump‑priming translational research programme funded by the JGW Patterson Foundation. It is focused on developing innovative therapeutic strategies that target the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in high‑grade neuroendocrine carcinomas. The expected impact is to generate pre‑clinical evidence, biomarkers and mechanistic insight to support future early‑phase clinical trial development.

The role will involve establishing and characterising neuroendocrine‑like cancer models, performing pharmacological drug‑screening studies using apoptosis‑targeting agents, and undertaking mechanistic assays to understand treatment response and resistance. You will work closely with clinicians, translational scientists and external collaborators, and will contribute to data analysis, presentations, publications and future grant proposals.

We are particularly keen to hear from candidates with a strong interest in cancer biology and translational research, and experience in cancer cell line models, molecular and cellular biology, drug screening, gene perturbation approaches, cell viability/apoptosis assays and western blotting. You should be organised, collaborative and able to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

This post is fixed term for 12 months, with potential for extension subject to funding. Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Dan.Westaby@newcastle.ac.uk. Flexible working arrangements may be considered where compatible with project delivery.

To Apply

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter. Your cover letter should briefly address:

• your relevant experience in cancer biology, molecular biology and/or apoptosis signalling
• your experience using cancer cell line models and laboratory assays relevant to this project
• your experience with drug screening, pharmacological studies or gene perturbation approaches
• your ability to analyse data, solve problems and communicate research findings
• how you would contribute to a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment

Interviews will be held on a date to be confirmed.

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project
• Determine appropriate methodologies for research
• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations
• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications
• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline
• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding

Project‑specific Accountabilities

• Establish, maintain and characterise neuroendocrine‑like cancer cell line models relevant to high‑grade neuroendocrine carcinoma and small cell/neuroendocrine prostate cancer
• Design and perform pharmacological drug‑screening studies using agents that target the intrinsic apoptosis pathway
• Conduct mechanistic apoptosis studies including cell viability assays, caspase assays, western blotting and siRNA or related gene perturbation experiments
• Analyse experimental datasets to interpret treatment response, resistance mechanisms and biomarker associations
• Contribute to development of translational outputs, including presentations, manuscripts, grant proposals and future patient‑derived or organoid model work

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Strong background knowledge in cancer biology, molecular biology and apoptosis signalling
• Experience working with cancer cell line models
• Experience with drug screening or pharmacological studies
• Experience with gene perturbation approaches, such as siRNA, CRISPR/Cas9 or related methods
• Experience performing cell viability and/or apoptosis assays and western blotting

Research Assistant

• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy
• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences
• Proven ability to analyse data and write‑up results
• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues
• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications
• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment
• High level of analytical and problem‑solving capacity
• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity
• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high-quality publications
• Experience analysing large biological datasets or bioinformatic data

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team
• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines
• Commitment to continued professional development
• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity
• Flexibility, self‑motivation and ability to work independently as well as collaboratively

Qualifications

• Research Assistant: Honours degree in a relevant subject, such as cancer biology, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, biomedical sciences or a related discipline; or close to submission of a relevant PhD
• In addition for Research Associate: PhD awarded in a relevant subject, such as cancer biology, cell biology, cancer genetics, molecular biology or a related discipline

Newcastle University is a global university where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.