Research Assistant/Associate (Paediatric Brain Tumour Group)

Salary:

Research Assistant: £33,951 to £35,608 per annum

Research Associate: £36,636 to £46,049 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 16 August 2026

The Role

We are excited to announce a new Research Assistant or Associate role within the Paediatric Brain Tumour Research Group, based at the Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Herschel Building, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer. This role will focus on the field of medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumour of childhood, and sits within a wider collaborative program of translational research investigating high-risk MYC-driven medulloblastoma. 

The project team comprises of PI Dr Rebecca Hill (Senior Clinical Lecturer), a vibrant group of Early Career Researchers; Dr Melanie Beckett, Dr Louisa Taylor and Dr Saimir Luli, and Professor Steve Clifford (Director of Newcastle University Centre for Cancer). More broadly, you will be embedded in a collaborative, diverse and internationally renowned research group comprising of over twenty researchers from a variety of backgrounds including clinician scientists, basic scientists and bioinformaticians.

In this Little Princess Trust funded project entitled ‘Developing advanced medulloblastoma models for the rapid translation of new therapies into frontline radiotherapy-containing regimens’ we are looking to develop two novel medulloblastoma models of radiotherapy to facilitate the assessment, and clinical translation of new therapeutic approaches into frontline treatment.

Our ex vivo model will expand on our emerging expertise in organotypic slice culture (OSC) systems, whereby we co-culture medulloblastoma tumour spheroids within normal mouse brain slices. Utilising our OSC system we will develop. and dually assess the effect of novel MYC-targeting drug and radiotherapy combinations on tumour and normal tissue. Excitingly our second model will look to recapitulate humanised radiotherapy regimens in vivo, exploiting our already well-established repertoire of orthotopic mouse models of MYC-driven medulloblastoma. These in vivo models will enable us to more accurately model radiotherapy regimens used in children and facilitate the selection of our most effective and safest MYC-targeting drugs that work alongside radiotherapy. Furthermore, the use of molecular barcodes in our in vivo models will provide the foundation for future discovery work, (beyond the lifetime of this project), into the driving mechanisms of radiotherapy resistance and disease relapse.

Throughout this project you will be exposed to a wide variety of research techniques and supported to expand your skill set in ex vivo/in vivo modelling strategies, drug screening, data analysis and optimization of radiotherapy regimens utilising the recently acquired Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP). We are committed to the professional development of all our colleagues and opportunities to enable individuals to reach their full potential include mentoring, annual research planning discussions, pooled research funding to support career development and research activities, peer review support for the development of research, and innovation funding applications. During the lifetime of this project there will also be fantastic opportunities to work with our international collaborators (located at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, Uppsala University, Columbia University, and the Telethon Kids Institute) and networks such as the Innovative Therapies for Children and Adolescents with Cancer (ITCC) and the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE), to expedite translation of findings into the clinic.

We are therefore particularly keen to hear from applicants with transferable skills in ex vivo and in vivo/mouse modelling systems, an enthusiasm to expand on existing animal skills, a passion for collaboration, and the ability to interact and engage with a diverse network of partners.

Please note that if you are successful to this role, you will require medical clearance before you can commence in the role

As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of Research Innovation Role Profiles.pdf.  These profiles set out firstly the generic competencies and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and, secondly, the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level.

Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/

Find out more about our Research Institutes: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/translational/

Contact for the post is Dr Rebecca Hill. If you’d like an informal discussion to clarify any points, please contact [email protected]. We are committed to making the process accessible to everyone and can provide additional support to adjustments to meet your needs.

Duration of post is fixed term for 24 months (2 years).

Key Accountabilities

Research Assistant

• Collect, analyse and interpret research data and draw conclusions on the outcomes


• Co-ordinate own work with that of others, use problem solving to affect the achievement of research objectives and contribute to the planning of the project(s)


• Present information on research progress and outcomes to a Principal Investigator or groups overseeing the research project


• Write up results from own research activity and provide input into the research project’s dissemination, in whatever form (report, papers, chapters, books)


• Use research resources (including, where required, laboratories, workshops and specialist equipment) as appropriate


• Contribute to the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate and postgraduate research students


• Contribute to Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) events

Research Associate

• Contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of the project


• Determine appropriate methodologies for research


• Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations


• Contribute to the writing up of the research and its dissemination, either through seminar and conference presentations or through publications


• Present research findings, either at conferences or through publications in reputable outlets appropriate to the discipline


• Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and develop own research objectives and proposals for funding

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

Research Assistant

• Detailed knowledge of the molecular basis of childhood cancer


• Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills


• Proven cell and molecular biology skills with extensive practical experience in in vitro work including, but not restricted to, development and validation of drug screens and molecular assays


• Experience of more complex ex vivo and in vivo/mouse modelling systems including proven experimental work with live animals


• Attention to detail and ability to work at high levels of accuracy


• Ability to present complex information effectively to a range of audiences


• Proven ability to analyse data and write-up results


• Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues


• Excellent IT skills in all major office applications


• The ability to use personal initiative and creativity to solve research problems

In addition for Research Associate

• Awareness of the research environment


• High level of analytical and problem-solving capacity


• Ability to communicate complex information with clarity


• Experience of presentations at conferences and/or in high quality publications

Attributes and Behaviour

• Commitment to working positively as a member of a multi-skilled research team


• Ability to negotiate and prioritise multiple, competing responsibilities and to work to deadlines


• Commitment to continued professional development


• Understanding of good practice in equality, inclusion and diversity

Qualifications

Research Assistant

• Honours degree (or equivalent) with subject knowledge in the relevant research area for example Cancer Biology, Genomics, Molecular Biology or Molecular Genetics


• Home Office PILAB

In addition for Research Associate

• PhD in the relevant research area, for example Cancer Biology, Genomics, Molecular Biology or Molecular Genetics

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 29617