Postdoctoral Training Fellow in Bioinformatics and Phylogenomics : Sutton, London, United Kingdom

Job Title: Postdoctoral Training Fellow in Bioinformatics and Phylogenomics 
Closing Date of vacancy: 5 December 2015
Division: Molecular Pathology
Team: Evolutionary Genomics and Modelling
Type of Contract: Fixed Term 
Length of Contract: 3 years
Salary Range: £29,517 p.a. – £42,187 p.a. inclusive
Work Location: Sutton (London)
Hours per week: 35

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world’s most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. We provided the first convincing evidence that DNA damage is the basic cause of cancer, laying the foundation for the now universally accepted idea that cancer is a genetic disease. Today, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) leads the world at isolating cancer-related genes and discovering new targeted drugs for personalised cancer treatment. Under the leadership of our Chief Executive, Professor Paul Workman FMedSci, the ICR is ranked as the UK’s leading academic research centre. Together with our partner The Royal Marsden, we are rated in the top four cancer centres globally. The ICR is committed to attracting, developing and retaining the best minds in the world to join us in our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.

The new Centre for Evolution and Cancer within the Institute of Cancer Research is supported by a Strategic Award from the Wellcome Trust. We focus on interrogating clonal evolution in tumours by studying the dynamics of heterogeneous cancer cell populations and their microenvironment. We make use of multi-region genomic profiling, single-cell genetics, computational histopathological analysis and mathematical modelling to reconstruct the past evolutionary history of tumours and predict their future.

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Training Fellow with expertise in bioinformatics and cancer genomics to analyse and interpret molecular data from human malignancies. In our lab we profile samples from multiple regions of a patient’s tumour using primarily next-generation sequencing and we reconstruct tumour histories using phylogenomics approaches. The successful candidate will be responsible for analysing the data and interpreting the results, with the aim of understanding fundamental underlying dynamics of cancer progression and dissemination. The candidate will have the opportunity to interact within a heterogeneous environment of biologists, clinicians, computer scientists and mathematicians, within the Centre for Evolution and Cancer at the ICR.

The responsibilities include analysis of genomic data based on next-generation sequencing (whole-exome and whole-genome), and phylogenetic reconstruction of tumour histories. The successful candidate will work closely with a diverse team to formulate hypotheses and validate predictions using quantitative genomic assays.

Applicants should have a good first degree in computer science, statistics or similar and a PhD in bioinformatics, biostatistics, statistics or similar. Applicants must have experience with the analysis of raw next-generation sequencing data and have a good publication record in the field of cancer genomics. Experience in phylogenomics methods would be advantageous. Excellent organisational and communication skills are essential.

The position is offered on a 3 year fixed term contract. The full salary scale for the post is within the range of £29,517 – £42,187 p.a. inclusive. Starting salary will be based on previous postdoctoral experience.