Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics and Human Tissue Modelling

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institution in Oxford is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics and Human Tissue Modelling to join their innovative Department of Oncology. The position involves characterising patient-derived tissues and developing personalised models for cancer therapy. Ideal candidates will possess a PhD in a relevant field and experience in molecular biology techniques. Benefits include a contributory pension scheme and generous annual leave. The role is full-time, fixed-term for 2 years.

Benefits

Contributory pension scheme

38 days of annual leave

Childcare services

Family leave schemes

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted bus travel

Qualifications

• Experience in handling human tissues and complex biological samples.
• Comfortable with bioinformatics approaches such as transcriptomics.
• Strong communication skills in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Responsibilities

• Collect and process tumor and blood samples.
• Collaborate with research teams and contribute to publications.
• Manage your own research project and adapt experimental protocols.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

Cellular biology

Bioinformatics

Data analysis

Education

PhD in biomedical sciences or related field

Job description

Join the innovative research team within the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford as a Postdoctoral Researcher in Bioinformatics and Human Tissue Modelling. This exciting position sits at the forefront of translational cancer research, focusing on characterising patient‑derived oesophageal, pancreatic, and colorectal tissues collected through prospectively approved clinical trials, and developing personalised models to understand therapy response characteristics. You will contribute to a pioneering tissue‑focused research programme aimed at enhancing cure rates for gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Working within the O'Neill lab, you will play a central role in the collection, processing, maintenance, and characterisation of tumour and blood samples using a perfused culture system. This work will support the validation of therapeutic targets emerging from clinical studies, contribute to early detection and monitoring research, and integrate with multidisciplinary surgical and oncology teams. This post forms part of INTREPID (IN vitro Tumour Explant models for evaluating cancer complexity and Patient Diversity), a major £15.9 million joint investment by the MRC, Wellcome, and Innovate UK to advance highly reproducible human in‑vitro models. These systems combine patient tissue with microfluidic technologies to recapitulate tissue structure and function while reducing reliance on animal models, supporting the UK Government's strategy for replacing animals in science. You will be primarily based in the Old Road Campus Research Building, with responsibilities extending to human tissue retrieval at the Churchill Hospital. As a key member of the O'Neill group, you will collaborate closely with Oxford surgical research teams—Jones (Pancreas), Owen (Oesophageal), and Buczacki (Colorectal)—as well as partners across the INTREPID consortium and industry. This is a full‑time post, fixed‑term for 2 years in the first instance.

You will be an enthusiastic, highly motivated researcher with a PhD/DPhil (or near completion) in a relevant discipline such as biomedical sciences, tumour immunology, molecular biology, cancer biology, or computational bioinformatics. You will have experience in molecular and cellular biology techniques and human tissue handling, and be confident working in a laboratory setting involving complex biological samples. You will bring experience or interest in bioinformatics approaches such as single-cell or spatial transcriptomics, tumour cell atlas analysis, immunological profiling, or ctDNA/metabolomic analysis. You should be comfortable managing your own research project, adapting and developing experimental protocols, analysing complex datasets, and contributing to publications, grant proposals, and scientific presentations. Your strong communication skills will enable you to work effectively with clinicians, researchers, and collaborators across multiple disciplines. You will enjoy working both independently and as part of a wider team, and will be committed to maintaining high standards of organisation, documentation, and laboratory practice. A willingness to handle human tissue samples and contribute to sample tracking, processing, imaging, and 3D tissue model establishment will be essential to the role.

As an employer, the University of Oxford is committed to the wellbeing and development of its staff. Benefits include:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days of annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership of a variety of social and sports clubs