Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics, Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU Contract & job type: Full-time, Fixed-term until 31 December 2027 About us: At the we undertake discovery science where we reassemble physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue and systems level of organisation. In so doing we provide a bridge to translational medicine, and interface between physical and life sciences. We are committed not only to innovative research and the highest standard of teaching, but also to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment. Overview of the role: Applications are invited for a Research Assistant (Neuronal cell biologist) to work on a project to target calcium channels in Parkinson’s disease. The project, funded by the Michael J Fox Foundation and in collaboration with Lario Therapeutics, represents an exciting opportunity to undertake translation work at the interface between academic research and pharmaceutical target and drug discovery in an exceptional setting. This work will develop new inhibitors of calcium channels as a neuroprotective strategy to protect vulnerable dopamine neurons in Parkinson’s working with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived dopamine neurons generated from Parkinson’s patients. The post is available from July 2026 and runs until December 2027. Key responsibilities: • Study the phenotypic impact of pharmacological inhibitors of calcium channels on the cell biology phenotype • Undertake maintenance culture and neuronal differentiation of iPSC lines and differentiation into dopamine neurons • Contribute to wider project planning, including ideas for new research projects • Determine the most appropriate methodologies to test hypotheses, and identify suitable alternatives if technical problems arise • Gather, analyse, and present scientific data from a variety of sources • Contribute to scientific reports and journal articles and the presentation of data/papers at conferences • Manage own research and administrative activities, within guidelines provided by senior colleagues • Collaborate effectively with other team members to achieve collective goals Selection criteria: • Hold or be near to completion of a BSc or MSc degree in neuroscience or cell/molecular biology, or equivalent. • Experience in neuronal cell culture, preferably in human pluripotent stem cells • Experience in setting up cellular assays, including image-based experiments • Knowledge of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s • Must have excellent IT skills including word-processing and spreadsheet or scientific graphic packages • The candidate will be highly motivated, with the capacity to think creatively and work across teams What we offer: Your wellbeing at work matters, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including: • An excellent contributory pension scheme • 38 days annual leave • A comprehensive range of childcare services • Family leave schemes • Cycle and electric car loan schemes • Employee Assistance Programme • Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs • Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans