Postdoctoral Fellow – [C Swanton] Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory

The Francis Crick Institute; London; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biomedical research institute is seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to study cancer evolution in the context of lung cancer. You will collaborate in a dynamic team, contributing to pioneering research aimed at developing innovative therapies. The role requires expertise in cancer biology, wet lab competencies, and a PhD in a relevant field. This is a full-time position offering competitive salary and extensive benefits.

Benefits

Generous Leave

Pension Scheme

Health & Well-being programs

Discounted gym memberships

Subsidised on-site restaurant

Qualifications

• PhD in cancer biology / evolutionary biology / epithelial cell biology / stem cell biology or other relevant discipline.
• Good knowledge and experience in cancer biology or related fields.
• Technical qualifications: expertise in mouse models and functional assays.

Responsibilities

• Work within the multi-disciplinary team of clinicians and bioinformaticians.
• Drive the project forward using relevant experimental and computational approaches.
• Contribute to dissemination of scientific results by writing papers.

Skills

Cancer biology

Evolutionary biology

Genomics

Stem cell biology

Epithelial cell biology

Education

PhD in cancer biology or relevant discipline

Tools

Mouse models

Flow cytometry

Tissue histology

Job description

Salary for this Role:

From £45,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience.

Job Title:

Postdoctoral Fellow – [C Swanton] Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory

Reports to:

Charles Swanton [C]

Closing Date:

11/Aug/2025 23.59 GMT

Job Description:

Postdoctoral Fellow – [C Swanton] Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability Laboratory

Reporting to: Charles Swanton, Principal Investigator, Deputy Clinical Director

Contact term: This is a full-time 4 year position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Salary for this Role: From £45,500 with benefits, subject to skills and experience

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

The Cancer Evolution and Genome Instability lab are studying how cancers evolve in the body to spread and become resistant to therapy and finding new ways to treat them more effectively.

Lung cancer remains one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide, demanding innovative research to address its complexities and challenges.

Our research direction investigates the role of cell lineage upon lung cancer initiation, both in homeostasis and in the context of challenge with non-mutagenic carcinogens. Recent studies have brought to light the fact that most carcinogens do not solely rely on DNA mutations to drive cancer development.

Leveraging genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic sequencing as well as spatial immunophenotyping data from patient samples, our aim is to trace the intricate evolutionary trajectories of lung tumours across space and time

We are seeking applications from candidates with a creative approach to research with wet lab competencies, and encourage applicants with wet and dry lab skills to apply.If you have mouse experience and a PHD in cancer biology, evolutionary biology, stem cell biology or a relevant discipline, we would love to hear from you.

Please see the full job description here.

See more about the lab here.

What you will be doing

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Crick, you will be responsible for :

• Working within the multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, bioinformaticians and bench scientists in the Swanton lab, and collaborating with groups at the Francis Crick Institute and beyond, including academic and industry partners

• Driving the project forward using relevant experimental and complementary computational approaches

• Keeping up to date with the relevant literature in the field of cancer biology

• Attending and reporting research results at regular group meetings

• Contributing to the dissemination of scientific results by means of writing papers for publication and presenting orally and in poster form at national and international meetings.

About you

You will have:

• PhD in cancer biology / evolutionary biology / epithelial cell biology / stem cell biology or other relevant discipline

• Good knowledge and experience in at least one of the following: cancer biology / cancer immunology / epithelial cell biology / evolutionary biology / genomics / stem cell biology

• Technical qualifications: expertise in mouse models, functional in vitro assays and co-cultures as well as experience with tissue histology / flow cytometry methods

• Track record of writing papers as evidenced by publications or submitted manuscripts in referred journals

• Evidence of data presentation at scientific meetings

• Excellent organisational and communication skills

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture!

• We arebold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently.

• We areopen. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.

• We arecollegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. Weare aDisability Confident: Committedemployer andwant to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and sowe'llmake reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you needassistancewith applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: [e-mail]

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

• Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.

• Health & Well-being:

• 24/7 GP consultation services.

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs.

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.

• Work-Life Balance:

• Back-up care for dependents.

• Childcare support allowance.

• Annual leave purchase options.
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.

• Perks:

• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts.

• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.