Senior/Research Associate in Genetic Epidemiology Or Statistical Genetics Or Bioinformatics Or Computational Biology
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UCL SCHOOL OF LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES FACULTY OF POPULATION HEALTH SCIENCES UCL INSTITUTE OF CARDIOVASCULAR SCIENCE Senior/Research Associate in Genetic Epidemiology or Statistical Genetics or Bioinformatics or Computational Biology (UCL Excellence Fellowship in Translational Genomics) Unit Genetic Epidemiology Group Grade 7/8 Salary (inclusive of London Allowance) Grade 8 £40,216-£47,441 per annum; Grade 7 £32,375-£39,132 per annum Reporting to Professor Aroon Hingorani and Dr Juan Pablo Casas Duration 3 years Hours of Work 36.5 per week Annual Leave 27 days Probation Period 9 months We are looking to appoint to a key full time, three year position in the UCL Faculty of Population Health Sciences. The appointee will help to develop the opportunities provided by UCL’s healthy cohort studies, disease registries and linked electronic health record datasets for research based on genomics and other –omics technologies. The post would suit someone whose background is in genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, bioinformatics or computational biology and, in particular, those whose expertise extends across two or more of these areas. We expect the appointee to have a PhD or equivalent degree, to have an exceptional record of doctoral and post-doctoral research, and the ability to obtain research grants. We place a strong emphasis on potential for independence and on supporting career development and are willing to consider applications from exceptional individuals who have only recently obtained their PhD degree. The appointee will receive support from the UCL academic career office and appropriate mentorship to develop applications for personal fellowship funding during the period of the post. The Faculty hosts numerous high-profile richly phenotyped, healthy cohort studies recruited in early, mid and later life, national and local patient registries, as well as datasets based on routinely collected healthcare data linked through the electronic health records. UCL, University College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Great Ormond Hospital for Children incorporate three National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centres and a Biomedical Research Unit, providing access to patient samples from a range of disease areas, supported through the UCL NIHR Bioresource. UCL is also a major partner in the UCL Partners Academic Health Sciences Network, which encompasses over 20 hospital trusts and eleven higher education institutes, serving a population of over 6 million people. New opportunities exist to apply and exploit cutting edge technologies including population-scale genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, lipid- and metabolomics based on stored samples for translational research and to develop new biological resources based on these datasets. Expertise exists in UCL in the deployment of these technologies through UCL Genomics, the Biological Mass Spectrometry Centre at UCL Institute of Child Health, and the UCL Biological NMR Centre; and in the analysis of the resulting high dimensional datasets through UCL Genetics Institute and the Bloomsbury Institute of Genetic Epidemiology and Statistics, joint with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. There is substantial interest and expertise in translating technologies of this type into clinical care to aid the diagnosis, prediction and treatment of disease. This is one of three related posts under recruitment, others being a senior post-doctoral research associate in genetic epidemiology or bioinformatics, and a junior post-doctoral research associate in computational biology. In parallel, a UCL Clinical Excellence Fellow/Senior Research Associate (Grade 8) in the Centre for Health service and Academic Partnership in Translational eHealth Research (CHAPTER), CHAPTER, was recently recruited as part of the eHealth Research Centre Network (HeRC-UK), also based in the Faculty of Population Health Sciences, with a number of further recruitments in this related area expected over the next 12 months. Collectively, these recruitments emphasise UCL’s commitment to building capacity in –omics, bioinformatics and health and bioinformatics linked to translational research. 1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Genetic Epidemiology Group The post will require close working with groups across the campus and Faculty but will be based in the Genetic Epidemiology group, based in the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, led by Professor Aroon Hingorani (Professor of Genetic Epidemiology) and Dr Juan Pablo Casas (Reader in Genetic Epidemiology). The group works to identify genes for common diseases, and to apply these advances for improvements in personal and public health. The work of the group is currently expanding to embrace information provided by other -omics technologies, including metabolomics and microRNA analysis, to help improve understanding of disease mechanisms. Much of the group’s work is in the field of cardiovascular disease and there are established and expanding links with the basic sciences and clinical research within the UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science. There are also close links with the UCL Division of Medicine and the UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care. The Genetic Epidemiology Research Group is also affiliated to the UCL Genetics Institute which offers centralized core support for bioinformatics, and statistical genetics as well as providing a framework for interfaculty research in human genetics across UCL. Members and affiliates of UGI include clinicians, geneticists, epidemiologists and statisticians. It is expected that the successful applicant would also become affiliated with UGI. An important aspect of the group’s activities is the strong link with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine particularly with the Bloomsbury Institute of Genetic Epidemiology and Statistics. UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science (ICS) ICS brings together basic and clinical scientists from UCL and expert clinicians from UCL partner hospitals to provide: Innovative research for the prevention and treatment of diseases of the heart and circulation World-class teaching and training in the cardiovascular sciences Forward-thinking policy development for effective cardiovascular disease management ICS research is broad, spanning discovery-based laboratory science, clinical translation and experimental medicine, as well as healthcare evaluation, implementation and policy. Much of the work is interdisciplinary, integrating with UCL Engineering, Nanotechnology, Chemistry, Behavioural Science, and the UCL Genetics Institute. There is a flourishing link with leading cardiovascular scientists and clinicians at Yale University through the Yale-UCL Collaborative. 2. DUTIES OF THE POST Accountable to: Professor Aroon Hingorani, Director, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Dr Juan Pablo Casas, Reader in Genetic Epidemiology, UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. Location: 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 7HB Key working relationships: The postholder will work closely with investigators of UCL cohort studies, key staff in CHAPTER, UCL Biomedical Research Centres and Unit and with key staff in UCL Genetic Epidemiology Group, UCL Genomics, UCL Genetics Institute, the Biological Mass Spectrometry Centre at UCL Institute of Child Health, the UCL Biological NMR Centre the Bloomsbury Institute of Genetic Epidemiology and Statistics, joint with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 2 Main duties and responsibilities Research Play a leading role the application of –omics technologies in population and patient collections for the purposes of understanding the causes of human disease. The appointee may wish to focus on or more disease areas, including Neuroscience, Cardiometabolic Disease, Cancer, Inflammation, Infection and Immunity and Rare Disorders. Exploit research opportunities arising from established bio-repositories. Help ensure the efficient co-ordination of research based on –omics technologies based on UCL population and patient datasets. Helping to inform development of new biological resources in less well-studied disease areas. Help inform the establishment of bio-repositiories using samples obtained at the point of clinical care, and integrating biological to electronic health record data, working with the CHAPTER Core Data Resource and existing UCLP resources and genomic data repositories. To establish a personal portfolio of internationally leading research in genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, bioinformatics or computational biology Main duties and responsibilities Research Play a leading role in the application of –omics technologies in population and patient collections for the purposes of understanding the causes of human disease. The appointee may wish to focus on one or more disease areas, including Neuroscience, Cardiometabolic Disease, Cancer, Inflammation, Infection and Immunity and Rare Disorders. Exploit research opportunities arising from established bio-repositories. Help ensure that efficient co-ordination of research based on –omics technologies based on UCL population and patient datasets. Teaching To contribute to Masters and Doctoral Training Programmes, and Clinical Professional Development activities relevant to the expertise of the appointee. Collaborate and contribute to relevant patient engagement, public engagement and citizen science programmes. Supervision of postgraduate students. Management To contribute towards