Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Shock Wave Enhanced Delivery of Therapeutic Drugs

Grade 7: £30,434 - £37,394 p.a.

We are seeking a full-time Postdoctoral Research Assistant to join the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the Department of Engineering Science (Headington). The post is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of a 5-year programme grant for an Oxford Centre for Drug Delivery Devices (OxCD3). The post is fixed-term for 1 year, with the potential to extend the contract for a further 2 years (renewable annually).

The objective of the programme is to use novel methods, including acoustics, shock waves and magnetics, to more effectively deliver therapeutic drugs to the body with a particular emphasis on cancer treatment. The two major barriers to be addressed are:

• getting agents from the blood stream deep into cancer tumours and
• once agents are present in the tumour enhancing the passage of therapeutic agents into cancer cells.

The specific role of the person appointed will be to lead the effort of using shock waves to enhance delivery of therapeutic agents. A system capable of delivering shock waves to appropriate targets will need to be designed, constructed and tested. The initial agent to be delivered are antibody fragments, however, other agents within the programme are also potential targets for shock wave delivery.

Responsibilities:

• Designing an experimental system by which shock waves can be delivered to a variety of biological targets from in vitro cell preparations to animal models. This will include quantification of the acoustic field delivered to the targets, appropriate targeting of the sample (for example, by diagnostic ultrasound), and assessment of tissue state after shock wave delivery.
• Assisting life-sciences researchers with experiments on biological systems – both the delivery of shock waves, with appropriate metrology, and assessment of outcomes (damage to target regions and sparing of surround tissue).
• Liasing with shock wave companies to gain insight into their technology and how it can be adapted for the projects needs.
• Collaborating, where appropriate, with other researchers to assist with other aspects of the project as a whole.
• Attending conferences and presenting recent work and progress reports at meetings with industrial and academic collaborators.
• Preparing presentations for and reporting, at the request of the Principal Investigator (Prof. Constantin Coussios), to the International Advisory Board, Steering Committee and Management Group of the Oxford Centre for Drug Delivery Devices.
• Preparing papers for publication.
• Assisting, where appropriate, with the authoring and filing of invention disclosures in collaboration with Isis Innovation, the technology transfer arm of the University of Oxford.
• Helping with the supervision of DPhil, MSc and MEng students where appropriate.
• Contributing to the day-to-day running of an experimental laboratory.
• Carrying out teaching (this includes lecturing, demonstrating, small-group teaching, tutoring of undergraduates and graduate students and supervision of masters projects in collaboration with principal investigators).

To submit your application for this position, please click on the APPLY button. Please search for vacancy ID 115571.

Only applications received before 12.00 midday on 13 November 2014 can be considered. You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, including a brief statement of research interests (describing how past experience and future plans fit with the advertised position), CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Robin Cleveland at robin.cleveland@eng.ox.ac.uk

Essential skills:

• PhD (or near completion) in electrical, mechanical engineering or a relevant area of physics or engineering. 
• High degree of competence in experimental work involving acoustic measurements, including experience in the measurement or application of high amplitude acoustic waves.
• Good oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multidisciplinary team of researchers with a variety of both physical and life sciences backgrounds. 
• Strong evidence of research achievement to date, as might be demonstrated by a good publication record and/or academic distinctions and conference prizes.

Desirable skills:

• Prior experience with ultrasound, in particular for biomedical applications.
• Prior experience working with generation, measurement and application of shock waves.
• Prior experience of working with biological samples including cell preparations.
• Prior experience of data processing ideally using Matlab.
• Prior experience of instrument interfacing and control, ideally with knowledge of Labview.
• A general interest in the use of acoustics for imaging and therapy.
• Prior experience and/or willingness to carry out in vivo work.

Apply here: http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/work-here