Research Fellow in Immunity in Alzheimer’s Disease - UCL

British Neuroscience Association (BNA); Bristol; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Dementia Research Institute seeks a postdoctoral researcher to explore the role of Alzheimer's disease risk genes in microglial function. This position offers a unique opportunity to engage in impactful research within a prestigious and collaborative research environment focusing on neurodegenerative diseases.

Qualifications

• Experience with macrophage and/or microglia biology.
• Knowledge of molecular biology and cell biology.
• Proficiency in cell culture techniques.

Responsibilities

• Investigate how AD risk genes influence microglial function.
• Focus on antigen-presenting role of microglia in amyloid pathology.
• Collaborate with computational and experimental teams.

Skills

Macrophage biology

Microglia biology

Molecular biology

Cell biology

Immunology

Education

PhD in Immunology, Neuroscience, or related field

Job description

Vacancy Reference Number B02-08808 Closing Date 27 Jul 2025 Salary £43,374 £51,860 Address UK DRI at UCL, Queen Square- On site Duration The post is available from 01 September 2025 and funded by the Medical Research Council until 31 March 2028 in the first instance.

The UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI) is the biggest UK initiative supporting research to fill the major knowledge gap in our basic understanding of the diseases that cause dementia.

Research from UK DRI at UCL covers the journey from the patient to the laboratory and back to the patient with improved diagnosis, biomarkers and candidate therapies put to the test.

Based within the UK DRI at UCL, the De Strooper/Arancibia group focuses on understanding the fundamental mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on the cellular phase of Alzheimer’s disease, the neuro-immune axis, and single-cell genomics.

About The Role

We are looking for a motivated postdoctoral researcher to join our team investigating how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk genes influence microglial function in disease. The project focuses on the antigen-presenting role of microglia in amyloid pathology and the immunological impact of MHC-II–mediated responses in the brain.

You will use a wide range of techniques, including our unique human microglia xenograft model (PMID: 31659342, 38539015), and work closely with both computational and experimental teams at the Francis Crick Institute and VIB, Leuven.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact research in a world-class, collaborative environment.

About You

You’ll have a PhD in Immunology, Neuroscience, or a related field, with experience with macrophage and/or microglia biology and knowledge of molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, or related disciplines, as well as proficiency in cell culture and cell biology techniques, with a strong understanding of immunology and/or antigen presentation.

Experience with animal experiments, particularly in handling and working with mice is also essential for this role.

This role meets the eligibility requirements for a skilled worker certificate of sponsorship or a global talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. Therefore, UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.

How to apply: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs/details?nPostingId=14264&nPostingTargetId=34923&id=Q1KFK026203F3VBQBLO8M8M07&LG=UK&languageSelect=UK&mask=ext

Contact Details

Informal enquiries regarding the role can be addressed to Dr Lorena Arancibia ([e-mail]).