Research Associate/Fellow (Fixed term)

We are seeking a Research Associate/Fellow to join a multidisciplinary project funded by the AO Foundation. The overall project aim is to establish a novel co-assembled peptide/biological fluid biomaterial for regenerative medicine applications. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the School of Pharmacy at the University of Nottingham. 

The aim of this post will be to develop co-assembled materials displaying physical and chemical properties that resemble those of native tissues with regenerative potential towards musculoskeletal tissues. The materials will enable incorporation of relevant cells and be based on various types of biomolecules present in the extracellular matrix of tissues. The successful candidate will be responsible for the isolation and characterisation of biological fluids, synthesis of peptides and fabrication and characterization of the co-assembled peptide materials. 

This work will be based in the Biodiscovery Institute (www.nottingham.ac.uk/research/research-areas/biodiscovery-institute/biodiscovery-institute.aspx) and led by Prof. Alvaro Mata. The candidate will be required to undertake research and day-day management of this research project, requiring a high degree of competence, problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaborative work. 

Candidates should have a PhD close to completion or awarded in Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biotechnology or related discipline.

This full-time post (36.25 hours per week) will be offered for 24 months. Job share arrangements may be considered. 

Requests for secondment from internal candidates may be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role.

Relevant publications include: 

• Wu Y, Romero M, Robertson SN, Fenn S, Fisher L, Willingham I, Martinez-Pomares L, Ligorio C, Hill J, Bu W, Zhou Z, Wildman R, Ghaemmaghami AM, Sun H, Sun J, Camara M, Mata A. Co-assembling living material as an in vitro lung epithelial infection model.?Matter, 2024,?10.1016/j.matt.2023.10.029. 
• Ligorio C, Mata A. Synthetic extracellular matrices with function-encoding peptides.?Nature Reviews Bioengineering 2023,?10.1038/s44222-023-00055-3. 
• Azevedo HS and Mata A (2022). Embracing complexity in biomaterials design.?Biomaterials and
  Biosystems,?10.1016/j.bbiosy.2022.100039. 
• Hedegaard CL, Redondo-Gomez C, Tan BY, Ng KW, Loessner D, Mata A (2020). Peptide-protein co-assembling matrices as a biomimetic 3D model of ovarian cancer.?Science Advances, 10.1126/sciadv.abb3298. 

To understand more about our application process and how to complete a criteria-based application form please visit the University of Nottingham Candidate Guidance. 

Informal enquiries may be addressed to Alvaro Mata, email a.mata@nottingham.ac.uk Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.

Further details:

• Job Description/Role Profile

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