Postdoctoral Research Associate in Cell membrane biophysics

Post-doctoral Research Associate in Cell membrane biophysics Department/Division/Faculty: National Heart and Lung Institute, Faculty of Medicine

Campus/Location

Hammersmith Campus

Job Family/Level

Research Job Family, Research Associate ( salary scale)

Responsible to

Dr Jorge Bernardino de la Serna, Associate Professor in Inhalation Toxicology and Pharmacology

Line management for

N/A Key working Relationships

Members of the Bernardino de la Serna group; (Internal): collaborating researchers across the National Heart and Lung Institute and Prof. Alejandra Tomas at the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction

Key Working Relationships

Collaborating laboratories in advanced fluorescence (External): microscopy, GPCR pharmacology and computational membrane biophysics, as part of the group's wider international research network

Contract type

Full-time and fixed term for 2 years Purpose of the Post This Postdoctoral Research Associate post aims to reveal how cholesterol—long regarded as little more than membrane scaffolding—acts as an allosteric modulator of GLP-1 receptor (GLP1R) signalling, and to trace what that means for the alveolar epithelium. While cholesterol's influence on GPCR conformational dynamics is increasingly recognised in other physiological systems, its specific role in shaping GLP1R behaviour within the alveolar epithelium remains unexplored. This 24-month project, funded by a Wellcome Trust Discovery Award, will bridge that gap by combining advanced single-molecule and fluorescence fluctuation microscopy with the development of a bespoke

Research

Alveolus-on-a-Chip: a breathing, physiologically faithful model of the alveolar epithelium, built to host receptor biology in a setting far closer to its native context.

Imperial College London

The researcher will focus on three primary objectives

• Resolving how membrane cholesterol content allosterically modulates GLP1R conformational dynamics and downstream signalling, using advanced microscopy, fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FCS/FCCS, RICS, N&B) and spectral-lifetime imaging (FLIM/phasor analysis).
• Designing, fabricating and validating an Alveolus-on-a-Chip platform capable of sustaining physiologically representative alveolar epithelial cell populations under breathing-mimetic mechanical conditions.
• Integrating the molecular pharmacology findings with the organ-on-chip system to determine how cholesterol-dependent GLP1R signalling shapes epithelial responses in a lung-relevant, tissue-level context.

Work will involve quantitative super-resolution and single-molecule fluorescence imaging, membrane biophysics, receptor pharmacology, and microfluidic organ-on-chip engineering, carried out in close collaboration with international partners across structural pharmacology, computational membrane biophysics and photonics. Beyond scientific discovery, the role is designed to support the researcher's professional growth: the PDRA is expected to develop advanced analytical and bioengineering expertise, and is encouraged to identify a unique research niche and prepare for a future independent academic career.

Key Responsibilities

Research Duties

• To conduct and plan own experimental work and perform data analysis.
• To lead responsibility for project planning, scheduling, and implementation and independent preparation, execution, analysis, and interpretation of experiments.
• To take initiatives in the planning of research
• To identify and develop suitable techniques for the collection and analysis of data
• To always ensure the validity and reliability of data
• To conduct and plan own scientific work with appropriate supervision.
• To maintain highly organised and accurate records of experimental work.
• To keep up to date with manuscripts published in the field or other related areas of interest.
• To direct the work of small research teams
• To provide guidance and training and assist in the supervision of undergraduate and postgraduate research students and research assistants as required.
• To actively participate in the research programme of the Group, Section and Department.
• To regularly participate in Group/Section weekly research meetings and attend internal seminars.
• To contribute to the smooth running of the Group’s laboratories and facilities with other scientists, clinicians, technicians and students within the laboratories.

Imperial College London

• To develop and manage contacts and research collaborations within the College and the wider scientific community, in the UK and international institutions.
• To present findings to colleagues and at conferences
• To prepare manuscripts for publication in high impact journals and to present data at national and international meetings.
• To attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary
• To contribute to bids for research grants
• To write reports for submission to research sponsors
• To promote the reputation of the Group, the Department and the College
• To comply with the College, Department and Section safety practices and to attend courses on safety when appropriate.
• Any other duties as may be deemed reasonable by Head of Group, as well as Head of Division/Department/Section.

Other Duties

• To undertake appropriate administration tasks
• To be responsible for ensuring that data is accurate, up-to-date and complete.
• To attend relevant meetings
• To undertake any necessary training and/or development, and safety courses where appropriate.
• To ensure that all work done in the laboratory complies with the applicable regulations concerning biohazards, radiation, and human tissue use, and maintain all documentation relevant to the above and any other requirements.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post as directed by line manager / supervisor

Person Specification

Requirements

Essential (E)/ Candidates/post holders will be expected to demonstrate the following:

Desirable (D) Education

PhD (or close to completion*) or equivalent qualification in a relevant biological

E discipline such as pharmacology, biophysics, cell biology, or bioengineering.

• This is defined as first version of thesis has been submitted, and awaiting viva

**Candidates who have not yet been officially awarded their PhD will be appointed as Research Assistant.

Imperial College London

Experience

Practical experience within a research environment and show evidence of E publications in relevant refereed journals

E

Proven experience in membrane biophysics, receptor pharmacology, or GPCR signalling research.

Technical proficiency in advanced fluorescence microscopy techniques (e.g.

E

FCS/FCCS, FLIM, super-resolution/STED, phasor analysis).

Experience with epithelial cell culture and standard molecular and cell biology

E techniques.

Proficiency in advanced imaging techniques and analysis, including confocal

E microscopy and high-resolution multiplexed imaging.

E

Experience in the design, fabrication or operation of organ-on-chip or microfluidic platforms.

Experience with structural or computational approaches to GPCR pharmacology

D (e.g. molecular dynamics simulations).

Knowledge

Deep understanding of membrane biophysics and lipid–protein interactions, E particularly the role of cholesterol in modulating membrane protein function.

Knowledge of GPCR pharmacology and allosteric modulation mechanisms.

E

Knowledge of alveolar epithelial biology and/or lung physiology.

D

Knowledge of research methods and statistical procedures

E

Skills & Abilities

Ability to direct the work of a small research team and motivate others to E produce a high standard of work.

Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and E succinctly for publication.

Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide range of E people.

Ability to communicate science and discuss scientific questions in a E constructive way.

Ability to develop and apply new concepts.

E

Creative approach to problem-solving.

E

Ability to conduct a detailed review of recent literature.

E Imperial College London

Ability to organise own work with minimal supervision, and to prioritise own work

E in response to deadlines.

Further Information

Please note that job descriptions cannot be exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key responsibilities.

Our values are at the root of everything we do and everyone in our community is expected to demonstrate

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• Respect
• Collaboration
• Excellence
• Integrity
• Innovation

Employees are also required to comply with all Imperial policies and regulations.

We are committed to equality of opportunity, to eliminating discrimination and to creating an inclusive working environment for all. We encourage candidates to apply irrespective of age, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion and belief, gender reassignment, sex, or sexual orientation. You can read more about our commitment on our webpages.

Imperial is a proud signatory to the San-Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), which means that in hiring and promotion decisions, we evaluate applicants on the quality of their work, not the journal impact factor where it is published. For more information, see https://www.imperial.ac.uk/researchand-innovation/about-imperial-research/research-evaluation/ Imperial believes that the use of animals in research is vital to improve human and animal health and welfare. Animals may only be used in research programmes which are ultimately aimed towards finding new treatments and making scientific and medical advances, and where there are no satisfactory or reasonably practical alternatives to their use. Imperial is committed to ensuring that, in cases where this research is deemed essential, all animals in our care are treated with full respect, and that all staff involved with this work show due consideration at every level. Find out more about animal research at Imperial.

[October 2026] Imperial College London