Research Fellow

Position Details

Department of Cardiovascular Sciences and Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £36,636 to £46,049 with potential progression once in post to £48,822

Grade: 7

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to September 2031 

Closing date: 20th October 2026

There are 2 positions available

Background

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is the process by which tumour cells imitate blood vessels allowing tumours to grow far more aggressively and independent of a traditional blood vessel network. We have found this process to be abundant in paediatric soft tissue sarcomas (particularly Rhabdomyosarcoma RMS), driven by developmental plasticity and enriched in relapsed and metastatic cases where there are few effective treatment options and 5-year survival below 20%.

The Wragg group is looking for an exceptional candidate to work on a 5-year UKRI Medical Research Council funded project to define the mechanism of vasculogenic mimicry in RMS, identify therapies that modulate VM and understand their mechanisms and Develop VM-targeted therapeutics. The project combines in vitro and in vivo tumour and blood vessel modelling, tissue histology, advanced imaging, single cell transcriptomics and bioinformatics approaches.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to collaborate with researchers across the College of Medicine and Health in cancer and genomic, cardiovascular and metabolic sciences, as well as national and international collaborators with opportunities for personal and professional development within research leadership, teaching and fellowship mentoring.

Role Summary

• To design, perform and record experiments that inform this area, including developing new methodologies.
• Work within specified research grants and projects and contribute to writing bids 
• Operate within area of specialism and develop ideas beyond that area.
• Analyse and interpret research findings and results 
• Contribute to generating funding 
• Support other members of the research group and work with lab members towards publications and long-term projects.
• Contribute to licensing or spin out deals with demonstrated commercial success (such as revenues, asset or company sales, IP generated) and/or public understanding of the discipline or similar).

Main Duties

• Develop research objectives and proposals for own or joint research, with assistance of a mentor if required