Salary: Research Assistant: £33,002 - £34,610 per annum Research Associate: £35,608 - 43,482 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 February 2026 The Role We are seeking a motivated and experienced Postdoctoral Researcher to join our dynamic team at the Newcastle Centre for Cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common male malignancy, affecting approximately 1 in 8 men during their lifetime. Strikingly, the disease is twice as prevalent in Black men, often presenting earlier and with more aggressive features. Yet, most existing research focuses on white populations, leaving critical gaps in our understanding of disease biology and treatment response in Black men. Our project aims to close these gaps by developing cutting-edge induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models that better reflect prostate cancer development and progression in Black men. Using advanced gene-editing techniques, spatial characterization of prostate tumoroids, and next-generation sequencing, we will identify and study key genetic alterations more prevalent in this group. We will also assess drug sensitivity in these preclinical models and complement this work with large-scale genomic analyses from thousands of Black men with prostate cancer to uncover additional drivers of disease and therapeutic response. This post is fixed term for the duration of 3 years. For informal enquiries contact: Professor Craig Robson ( c.n.robson@ncl.ac.uk ) Find out more about the Faculty of Medical Sciences here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/ Find out more about our Research Institutes here: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/medical-sciences/research/institutes/ As part of our commitment to career development for research colleagues, the University has developed 3 levels of research role profiles. These profiles set out firstly the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level and secondly the general qualifications and experiences needed for entry at a particular level. Key Accountabilities Although working under the general guidance of an academic or Principal Investigator, the postholder will contribute ideas, including enhancements to the technical or methodological aspects of their studies, thus providing substantial 'added value' Develop and carry out the specified project using appropriate techniques and equipment as outlined in the personal requirements Determine appropriate methodologies for research, with advice and support where required Contribute to grant applications submitted by others and in time develop own research objectives and proposals for funding Begin to write, with appropriate support, proposals for individual research funding or, where funders do not permit this, contribute to the writing of collective bids Assess research findings for the need/scope for further investigations Contribute to the writing up of their research for publication and 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 May be involved in the supervision, with guidance, of final year undergraduate research projects and in providing support to postgraduate research students or Research Assistants Will need to work with the support staff and, on occasions, with undergraduate and postgraduate students, and interact intellectually with other academic members of the Institute. May contribute to events celebrating the public engagement of science/social sciences/humanities Develop an awareness of University structures, policies and procedures and relevant issues in the higher education, research, social and political environment The Person (Essential) Knowledge, Skills and Experience Essential Ability to work well as part of a team and rapidly acquire new skills Detailed subject knowledge in the area of prostate cancer research Likelihood of advanced skills directly related to the research projects High level of analytical and problem-solving capability Ability to communicate complex information with clarity and to encourage the commitment of others Experience of research with clear transferable skills and some experience or awareness of the research environment Presentations at conferences and/or high-quality publications Specific experience of induced pluripotent stem cell handling and culture Experience of gene editing techniques (eg CRISPR/Cas9) Desirable Experience in molecular biology techniques (western blotting, qPCR, flow cytometry) Spatial biology experience relating to study of the tumour microenvironment eg (IHC, IF, multiplex staining) Bioinformatics experience relating to handling large datasets, such as next generation sequencing, and the use of programming languages such as R Attributes and Behaviour Essential Willingness to undertake work outside of normal working hours Willingness to present data at national and international scientific meetings Enthusiastic, well-motivated and hard working Commitment to continued professional development Willingness to take part in laboratory management tasks Desirable Willingness to contribute to research led teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate students Qualifications Good honours degree (or equivalent) with some subject knowledge in cancer research (Research Assistant) A PhD in cancer research (Research Associate) 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: 29059