Job Description

Ref Number B02-10377 Professional Expertise Research and Research Support Department School of Life & Medical Sciences (B02) Location London Working Pattern Full time Salary £43,981-£52,586 Contract Type Permanent Working Type On site Available for Secondment No Closing Date 27-Apr-2026

About us

The UCL Cancer Institute is the hub for cancer research at University College London (UCL), one of the world’s leading universities (www.ucl.ac.uk/cancer). The Institute draws together over 400 talented scientists who are working together to translate research discoveries into better, more effective treatments to improve outcomes for cancer patients. It fosters links between basic cancer researchers across biomedicine and the clinical activities with our associated hospital Trusts, including UCL Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Foundation Trust. Embedded within the UCL Cancer Institute, the CRUK City of London Centre provides essential infrastructure to underpin cancer research within UCL and is a major catalyst in the success of UCL in integrating translational and clinical cancer research with excellent basic science.

About the role

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Cell Communication Lab (www.tape-lab.com) at the UCL Cancer Institute. The successful applicant will join the international REWIRE-CAN Cancer Grand Challenge team (https://www.cancergrandchallenges.org/rewire-can). REWIRE-CAN will explore how novel signalling activators can be used to directly kill cancer cells (hyperactivation lethality) and/or transition cells into vulnerable states (cell-state rewiring) to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). To ensure hyperactivation and rewiring strategies are actionable across a broad patient population, we will study these processes in a cohort of 100 CRC patient-derived organoids (PDOs).

The primary role of this postdoctoral project will be to generate a single-cell ‘phenoscape’ charting how pharmacological signalling activators and inhibitors can regulate CRC plasticity. The project will perform systematic high-throughput high-dimensional single-cell perturbation analysis of 100 CRC PDOs, producing unprecedented insight into therapeutic regulation of cancer cell-fate.

The primary supervisor will be Prof. Chris Tape, team leader of the Cell Communication laboratory at UCL Cancer Institute (www.ucl.ac.uk/cancer/research/department-oncology/cell-communication-group and www.tape-lab.com).

The postdoc will be supported by core facility specialists throughout the UCL Cancer Institute and expected to work alongside national and international collaborators from the REWIRE-CAN team.

The post is funded by Cancer Grand Challenges until April 2031 in the first instance.

Appointment at Grade 7 is dependent upon having been awarded a PhD; if this is not the case, initial appointment will be at Research Assistant Grade 6B, with payment at Grade 7 being backdated to the date of final submission of the PhD thesis.

Applications should include a CV and a Cover Letter: In the Cover Letter please provide evidence of the essential and desirable criteria in the Person Specification part of the Job Description. (By including a Cover Letter, you can leave blank the ‘Why you have applied for this role’ field in the application form, which is limited in the number of characters it will allow.)

About you

Experience with organoid culture techniques, including maintenance, optimisation, and scale is essential. Experience with single-cell data analysis will also be essential. Experience with liquid handling robotics would also be beneficial. The candidate must have the ability to maintain a well-organised and efficient lab environment, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards, be self-motivated, and able to work independently, while also collaborating effectively as part of an international multidisciplinary team.

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

Discounted medical insurance

41 Days holiday (including 27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)

Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)

Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan

On-Site nursery

On-site gym

Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay

Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service