Research Assistant (Ref: AD2), APC Microbiome Ireland

7 Months, Fixed-Term, Whole-time Post

Position summary

APC Microbiome Ireland is a trans-disciplinary research centre, with clinicians, clinician-scientists and basic scientists from diverse backgrounds working in teams, sharing ideas and resources. Although focused upon the gastrointestinal bacterial community (the microbiota), the scale and scope of the work has become one of the fastest moving areas of biology. The microbiota is not only a target for treatment and prevention of disease, it is a repository for functional food ingredients and even new drugs and is a source of novel biomarkers of disease risk.  The scientific organisation of the APC consists of a matrix of ‘spokes’ or themes of intellectual pursuit which are supported by multiple horizontal or shared technology platforms.

The Research Assistant will work within APC’s “Microbes to Molecules” theme which mines biological entities (‘pharmabiotics’) from the gut, including probiotics, prebiotics, bacteriocins, bacteriophages and other bioactive molecules with potential in food and pharmaceutical applications. The successful candidate will play an important role on an industry-funded project that investigates the phenotypic and genotypic properties of a lactic acid bacteria fermentate used for the treatment of diarrhoea and gastritis. He/she will work closely with the PI and industry team to perform research into the mechanistic basis of the bacterial product.

The ideal candidate will have:

• An MSC which focussed on microbiology and molecular biology
• A proven ability to conduct independent research

The Role will include and require:

• Basic microbiology skills including colony counting, bacterial growth curves etc.
• Growth of anaerobic bacteria in anaerobic chambers/jars
• Molecular microbiology techniques, such as PCR, cloning and nucleic acid extraction
• Proficiency in graphical and statistical reporting and analysis of data
• Ability to perform independently in the lab with the advice and support of the PI and industry team

Project Title: Microbes to Molecules

Post Duration: 7 months

Salary: €23,061 - €35,922 p.a. (IUA Salary Scale)

For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/. Job ID: 044951.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Colin Hill, Professor of Microbial Food Safety, Principal Investigator-APC Microbiome Ireland. Tel: + 353 (0) 21 490 1373; Email: c.hill@ucc.ie.