Hosting Offer to develop a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Application at the UK Dementia Research[...]

European Commission; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University invites talented researchers to apply for MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025. This role offers the opportunity to engage in groundbreaking research on neurodegenerative diseases, working alongside esteemed supervisors in a vibrant academic environment. Successful candidates will contribute to innovative projects aimed at transforming health outcomes and advancing scientific knowledge.

Qualifications

• Maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research required.
• Candidates must comply with mobility rules regarding residence.

Responsibilities

• Conduct cutting-edge research in neurodegenerative diseases.
• Develop and apply advanced analytical techniques in biostatistics and bioinformatics.
• Collaborate with leading scientists and contribute to impactful projects.

Skills

Bioinformatics

Machine Learning

Mathematics

Education

Doctoral Degree

Tools

Statistical Genetics

Computational Modelling

Job description

Organisation/Company Cardiff University Department Research & Innovation Services Research Field Neurosciences Medical sciences Pharmacological sciences Psychological sciences Other Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Country United Kingdom Application Deadline 29 May 2025 - 17:00 (Europe/London) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) at Cardiff University is looking for talented researchers to apply for the MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2025 call.

Hosting offers are open in the following subject areas (more info below):

• Exploring early disease mechanisms including endocytic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease (supervisor Dr Natalie Connor-Robson )
• Developing new therapeutics in Huntington's disease (supervisor Dr Tom Massey )
• Developing novel therapeutic avenues for expanded CAG/CTG repeat disorders (supervisor Prof Vincent Dion )
• Deciphering the Molecular Pathways Governing Mitochondrial Dynamics in Neurons: Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders (supervisor Dr Dr Gaynor Smith )
• Cell and in vivo models of neurodegenerative disease (supervisor Dr Owen Peters )

Cardiff University:

Cardiff University is seeking talented and ambitious researchers from diverse backgrounds to join our research community! We are the sixteenth largest university in the UK and at the heart of the beautiful and thriving youngest capital city in Europe. We are a member of the research-intensive Russell Group of UK universities and our world-leading research confirmed us as a top 20 university in the UK for quality, impact and environment in the most recent major independent assessment. Wales is well positioned to welcome early career international researchers, with the Welsh Government committed to international learning exchanges that support reciprocal and long-term relationships with our European partners. Cardiff University’s College of Biomedical and Life Sciences is looking to host talented postdocs as part of the European Commission's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowships (MSCA-PF) scheme, who will work with our scientists on important projects, aimed at tackling major health and life sciences challenges. The fellowship is designed to help early career researchers launch successful academic careers and supports them to move abroad to work on cutting-edge research projects that will make an original and significant contribution to their research field Postdoctoral Fellowships | Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (europa.eu website) . You will gain valuable research experience while making influential contacts and boosting your profile. We will offer you a comprehensive package of support to ensure that you get the most out of your time at Cardiff while working in a thriving research environment which attracts and supports leading academics from around the world.

UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University :

Launched in 2017, the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) stands as a beacon of scientific innovation, representing an unprecedented £300 million investment in dementia research—the largest of its kind in UK history. The purpose of the UK DRI is through research, to transform the outlook for people living with or at risk of neurodegenerative conditions. Our vision is a future of healthy brain ageing for all.

Based in Cardiff University's flagship Hadyn Ellis Building, the UK DRI at Cardiff is one of eight UK DRI Centres distributed across the UK. At Cardiff, we build on an international reputation for the genetics of brain disorders, neuro-immunity and bioanalysis. Current strengths include the discovery and functional analysis of genes underlying neurodegenerative diseases, specifically the roles of immunity and neuroinflammation, endocytosis, biomarkers and DNA repair, in Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. The Centre hosts state-of-the-art equipment and is integrated with aligned local centres of excellence, including world-leading imaging facilities in the Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), cutting-edge brain therapeutics delivery in the BrainRepair and Intracranial Neurotherapeutics(BRAIN) Unit and proven translational capacity in the Medicines Discovery Institute (MDI).

More info about the Subject Areas of our Hosting offers:

The role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease (supervisor Prof. Philip Taylor)

The Taylor Lab is using experimental mouse models and human IPSC-derived microglia to study the role of microglia in Alzheimer's disease. The studies are led by the discoveries of human genetics and focus both on monogenic risk factors, such as rare coding variants that protect from or confer risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and through an holistic assessment of polygenic risk in microglia. The lab aims to exploit the genetic findings to define mechanisms of disease that may be amenable to therapeutic manipulation.

Biostatistics/Bioinformatics/Machine Learning (supervisor Prof Valentina Escott-Price):

We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic researcher with a background in mathematics, computer science, bioinformatics, or a related analytical discipline to join our team. The Escott-Price Lab focuses on developing accurate and efficient risk prediction models for neurodegenerative disorders. Our research leverages large-scale remote data platforms and operates across diverse computational environments, including high-performance computing (HPC), cloud-based systems, and Windows virtual machines. We work with extensive health-related datasets, applying advanced analytical techniques and developing innovative algorithms, workflows, and procedures in biostatistics and bioinformatics. Our ultimate goal is to unravel the complexity of neurodegeneration through integrated analysis at the genetic, molecular, and clinical levels.

Bioinformatics and Stem Cell Modelling (supervisor Prof Caleb Webber)

The Webber Lab integrates bioinformatics, statistical genetics, and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) with post-mortem tissue analysis and stem cell modelling to investigate neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on Parkinson’s disease. The group is deeply focused on the generation and interpretation of single-cell data, especially using ultra-deep single-cell approaches. Its multidisciplinary team includes bioinformaticians, stem cell modellers, and technical specialists in data generation. The lab’s core aim is to understand and model cellular dysfunction underlying neurodegenerative disorders, with a strong commitment to translational research and public impact. Professor Caleb Webber serves as the national Director of Informatics and Data Science for the UK DRI, where he leads strategic efforts in informatics and AI/ML across the institute. The Webber Lab is a diverse and inclusive team, grounded in a strong ethos of open science and public good, and driven by a passion for discovery and collaboration while ensuring that interest and the fun of science is at the heart of all we do. We would be excited to welcome a Marie Curie Fellow to join our team and keen to support and develop their science.

Complement in Alzheimer's disease (supervisor Dr Wioleta Zelek)

The Zelek Lab , is a translational research group within the UK DRI, focused on targeting the complement system in neurodegenerative disease. The lab focus is on complement biology, neuroinflammation, and therapeutic interventions, bridging discovery science and clinical application. Zelek is a translational academic with over 15 years of experience in academia and industry, and recently co-founded a spinout company. Core methodologies include in vitro systems (e.g., cell lines and stem cells), ex vivo analysis of human and animal brain tissue, in vivo disease models, single-cell transcriptomics, advanced protein chemistry and engineering, biomarker discovery, and a range of complement functional assays. The lab aspires to bring better knowledge on how complement operates in the brain to drive dementias in order to facilitate effective treatments. The lab fosters an inclusive, supportive, and collaborative culture that values diversity and welcomes researchers from all backgrounds. A Marie Curie Fellow will join a dynamic team committed to scientific excellence, professional development, and real-world impact.The Fellow will help design an independent project that fits with the aims of the lab and the skills of the Fellow.

Exploring early disease mechanisms including endocytic dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease (supervisor Dr Natalie Connor-Robson)

The Connor-Robson Lab works to understand some of the earliest molecular changes in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) with a particular focus on the endocytic pathway. This pathway is linked to AD through both genetic and pathological studies. The lab uses cutting edge iPSC models to investigate single risk genes and the more complex disease genetics through polygenic risk models. We focus on understanding how these genetic changes alter the normal role of the endocytic pathway and broader cellular function in both iPSC-derived neurons and microglia to assess potential cell type specific effects. We also investigate how such changes may alter cellular interactions through more complex coculture models. The lab works towards translating our findings to potential therapeutic targets and interventions working with industrial partners with the ultimate goal of helping patients. The Connor-Robson lab uses a variety of methods including CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, iPSC reprogramming, high throughput fixed and live imaging assays and biochemical techniques. We are a collaborative lab and currently collaborate with experts in lipidomics, proteomics and biomarker discovery. The Fellow will find themselves in a supportive, inclusive and scientifically engaged lab in which they can cultivate their own science and career development.

Sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (sAD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder whose risk is largely influenced by genetic factors (h2 56-78%). Genome-wide association studies have provided great insight into the risk factors and biological mechanisms that underpin sAD. However, around half of the genetic risk for sAD remains unaccounted for, and the genetic basis for the heterogenous presentation of sAD is yet to be explored. Our group aims to utilise in house and publicly available big data to unpick the complexity of sAD and develop risk prediction algorithms for early diagnosis and personalised medicine approaches. We seek a candidate with expertise in in silico analyses and an interest in analysis and integration of genetic, omics, clinical and environmental data.

Synaptic imaging in neurodegeneration using novel MRI technology (supervisors Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly & Dr. Marco Palombo)
We are seeking a talented researcher to join an interdisciplinary team focused on pioneering MRI technologies for early detection and staging of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Our research groups, led by UKRI Future Leaders Fellows Dr Dayne Beccano-Kelly and Dr Marco Palombo, are innovate synaptic researchers with complementary tool sets. The Beccano-Kelly Lab focusses of early synaptic changes as a critical step towards understanding PD progression. Previous work from Beccano-Kelly has established robust synaptic dysfunction contributing to PD pathology. These functional changes contribute to alterations in behaviour in mouse models of PD akin to clinical changes observed in people with Parkinson’s (e.g. cognitive flexibility changes, lost sense of smell, anxious like behaviour. Findings also show genotype- and sex-specific alterations to synaptic neuroarchitecture in PD mouse models. This offers an exciting potential to translate these biomarkers to human applications if made detectable. The Palombo Lab, based at Cardiff University's world-class CUBRIC facility, pioneers the development of advanced MRI methods to image brain microstructure with unprecedented specificity. Recent breakthroughs include non-invasive mapping of brain cell morphology using diffusion-weighted MR spectroscopy, and the quantification of cell body size and density via the SANDI model. The lab has also led the development of novel metrics for probing water exchange (NEXI), morphological changes in grey matter, and ultra-realistic computational models of brain tissue microstructure.

We invite dynamic, multidisciplinary researchers with interests in a unique blend of neuroimaging, behaviour, and computational modelling to join our collaborative labs. With access to world-class imaging facilities at Cardiff University’s CUBRIC and the cutting-edge bench side tools of the UK DRI, our teams are uniquely positioned to integrate innovative imaging with behavioural assessments, setting the stage for impactful early diagnostic strategies in PD. Come and contribute to shaping the future of translational disease research with the potential to transform care for people at risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

Developing new therapeutics in Huntington's disease (supervisor Dr Tom Massey)

We are seeking an ambitious Fellow to join our dynamic team focussed on discovering and developing new therapeutic targets in Huntington's disease (HD). Although HD is caused by a single CAG repeat expansion mutation, we have recently discovered multiple other genes that have a large impact on disease onset and progression. By understanding these genes and how they affect the dynamics of the CAG repeat in brain neurons, we are rapidly uncovering new therapeutic opportunities. As a Fellow, you will be supported to develop your own programme of work, drawing on established expertise in human genetics, stem cell modelling, biochemistry and drug development in the Massey Lab . You will also have opportunities to visit the HD clinic, gaining understanding of the aspects of HD that are most important to HD gene carriers and their families. Together, this programme will enable you to put together a novel, cutting edge project that builds on human genetics to translate disease modifiers into tangible therapeutic impact for patients.

Developing novel therapeutic avenues for expanded CAG/CTG repeat disorders (supervisor Prof Vincent Dion)

Expanded CAG/CTG repeats cause at least 14 neurological and neuromuscular disorders, including Huntington disease, myotonic dystrophy type 1, and several spinocerebellar ataxias. The diseases are debilitating, leading to cognitive decline and an untimely death. There is no available cure. Individually, expanded repeat disorders are rare but together account for about 1 in 290 people worldwide. Our goal in the Dion Lab is to develop novel therapeutic avenues by targeting the unique features of expanded CAG/CTG repeats and to develop new technologies to detect (i.e., diagnose) and manipulate them. To achieve this, we use a variety of tools, including cutting edge molecular biology and genome engineering technologies, next-generation sequencing, as well as invitroandin vivopre-clinical disease models.

Deciphering the Molecular Pathways Governing Mitochondrial Dynamics in Neurons: Implications for Neurodegenerative Disorders (supervisor Dr Gaynor Jones)

The Smith Lab at Cardiff University uses cutting edge genetic techniques in Drosophila and human cells in vitro to study Neurobiology in health and disease. The Smith lab is particularly interested in understanding novel mechanisms of mitochondrial biology and dynamics in the long axon stretches of neurons. The lab is also focused on finding mechanisms that contribute to metabolic dysfunction in age-related neurodegenerative disease. A Marie Curie fellow will have access to a wide range of techniques and equipment including: Drosophila genetics (including behavior, forward/reverse screening with RNAi/mutagenesis, ex vivo analysis of the brain), Drosophila models to explore mechanisms of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and mitochondrial disease, confocal microscopy (including live cell imaging), molecular biology (assays for proteins and RNA), single-nuclei transcriptomics, metabolomics and human iPSC-derived neuronal cultures. Using the resources and expertise available in the Smith lab and collaborating labs the fellow will be supported in developing an independent research programme, aligned to the labs portfolio of research.The Marie Curie Fellow will join a collaborative team committed to inclusivity and diversity and scientific excellence. The fellow will receive opportunities for outreach, teaching and strong research mentorship to reach future career goals.

Cell and in vivo models of neurodegenerative disease (supervisor Dr Owen Peters)

Dr Owen M. Peters’ lab at Cardiff University combines Drosophila melanogaster and human stem cell models to investigate the complex cell biology underlying neurodegeneration. The Peters Lab focuses on two principal research programmes: (1) improving our understanding of the genetic risk factors associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and (2) determining how familial ALS/FTD genes contribute to glial dysfunction. The lab employs a broad range of methodologies, including invertebrate genetics and behaviour, confocal microscopy, live-cell imaging, functional assays, and molecular biology techniques. Ongoing collaborations with experts in transcriptomics, epigenomics, and lipidomics further support and expand the lab’s research capabilities. A Marie Curie Fellow joining the Peters Lab will be welcomed into a supportive, inclusive, and ambitious research environment. Dr Peters is committed to mentoring and regularly supervises undergraduate students, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral research associates. The team is also active in public engagement and develops outreach activities, particularly in partnership with the local motor neuron disease community in South Wales. The Fellow will be supported in developing an independent research programme aligned with the lab’s objectives and will have access to extensive expertise and resources to advance their work.

Applicants must have an excellent track record and an exciting research project idea that will make an original and significant contribution to their research field.

Specific Requirements

All domains of research are eligible for funding.

Please contact your nominated supervisor to determine if they are prepared to support an application prior to submitting an Expression of Interest. You will need to identify the supervisor yourself - you may already know a CU academic from meetings or conferences, or you can have a look at Cardiff University'sAcademic Schools webpages where you can view the research profiles of our academic staff.

Expressions of Interest will be evaluated by the relevant Academic School based on the project's alignment with the school/supervisor's research interests, and its potential for meeting the MSCA-PF scheme's evaluation criteria (excellence, impact and quality/efficiency of the implementation).

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

Researchers must have:

• amaximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research, measured from the date that the researcher was in possession ofa doctoral degree to the 10th September 2025

Researchers must comply with the followingmobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies etc.,) in the country of the beneficiary (for European Postdoctoral Fellowships), or the host organisation for the outgoing phase (for Global Postdoctoral Fellowships) for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before 10th September 2025.

Researchers can be of any nationality. However, researchers going to a third country (as part of a Global Postdoctoral Fellowship) must be nationals or long-term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries. Long-term residence means a period of legal and continuous residence within EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries of at least five consecutive years.

Additional comments

If you are interested in applying for a MSCA-PF at Cardiff University, then we can offer support and guidance throughout the application process. For further details and to submit your Expression of Interest, please refer to theCardiff University MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships page .

Please note: there are two types of MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships:

European Postdoctoral Fellowships:

• Open to researchers moving within Europe, or coming to Europe from another part of the world
• Take place in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
• Last between 1 and 2 years
• Researchers of any nationality can apply
• For example, 2 year postdoc at Cardiff University

Global Postdoctoral Fellowships:

• Fund the mobility of researchers outside of Europe
• Last between 2 and 3 years
• Fellow must spend the first 1 to 2 years in an organisation in a non-associated Third Country, followed by a mandatory return phase of 1 year to an organisation based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe Associated Country
• Only open to nationals or long term residents of EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries
• For example, 3 year postdoc with Cardiff University, with the first two years at aUS-based university, and the final year at Cardiff University