​The Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine is a leader in medical education and research, providing a vibrant and supportive environment for its faculty and students. By joining King’s, you will be part of an institution that values innovation, collaboration, and the advancement of knowledge in genetics and beyond.

 

​The Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics is located in the life sciences cluster in historic and vibrant London Bridge. It hosts advanced research facilities for genetic investigations of both common and rare diseases, alongside studies of fundamental mechanisms of gene regulation. With internationally recognised programs in both computational and experimental genetics, the department serves as a hub for interdisciplinary research, encouraging collaboration across various scientific and clinical disciplines and maintaining strong connections with international research communities.​

This post-doctoral position is funded by a Lupus Research Alliance Mechanistic Award held jointly by Dr Deborah Cunninghame Graham (PI) and Prof Timothy Vyse (co-PI), within the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at King’s College London.

 

OX40 (encoded by TNFRSF4) and its exclusive receptor OX40L (encoded by TNFSF4), play key roles in pathogenesis of the autoimmune disease, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE).  The interaction between these two TNF-superfamily members on the surface of activated T and B cells leads to a strong co-stimulatory signal.   SLE genetic analyses support the conjecture that increased activity of the OX40/OX40L axis drives the disease.  We have shown that serum levels of soluble OX40 and its ligand are elevated in many lupus patients compared with healthy controls.  Several therapeutics have been developed that block OX40-OX40L.  This proposal seeks to: (1) explore the clinical utility and biology of soluble OX40 and OX40L; and (2) to define a subset of patients who would most likely benefit from OX40-OX40L blocking therapeutics and hence support re-purposing of the reagents already available.

 

The project forms part of an international programme of work defining the roles of OX40 and OX40L in SLE, including juvenile-onset disease.  The post-holder will work within a multi-disciplinary environment, including PhD students as well as master’s and undergraduate students undertaking research projects in the wider group.  There will be close interaction between wet-lab scientists and their analytical counterparts.  The post-doc will be expected to contribute the findings his/her work with other members of the group, thereby contributing to the overall biological interpretation.  The post-holder will take the lead in liaising with researchers in external collaborating groups to harmonise the genetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, clinical and experimental data for the study cohort.  They will take responsibility for optimising the MSD multiplex immunoassay to measure the levels of serum proteins in the study samples and contribute to the analysis methods to assess their value as prognostic biomarkers.  The post-holder will also perform pQTL analyses and use mendelian randomisation methods to seek evidence for the causality.  They will also set up and analyse multi-parameter flow cytometry panels to assess how immune cell activation correlates with serum levels of OX40/L and to identify the likely cellular source of serum OX40 or serum OX40L.

 

This is a full time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered a fixed term contract until 31/03/2028.

 

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.