Postdoctoral Research Associate (Honorary Resident Doctor) (Fixed Term)

Job description

This is a unique opportunity to carry out a period of clinical postdoctoral research focused on developing and validating new treatments and biomarkers for mitochondrial disorders, as part of a new national rare disease centre funded by LifeArc and MDUK. The post is specifically aimed at practicing clinicians with a PhD and relevant specialty training, who have extensive prior clinical and research experience with neuromuscular or neurogenetic conditions.

The Cambridge Clinical Mitochondrial Research Group (MitoCAMB) studies the genetic basis, clinical presentation and molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial diseases and other rare inherited neurodegenerative/neuromuscular disorders. Our research group is embedded within the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, University of Cambridge. We develop new and effective treatments for affected patients through investigator-led experimental medicine studies, novel gene therapy approaches, and early phase clinical trials.

The group was recently awarded a £7.5 million LifeArc Translational Rare Disease Centres Award for the next 5 years with our partners at UCL, the University of Newcastle, the Lily Foundation and MDUK. Together, we have established a national platform to translate novel treatment strategies and biomarkers into clinical trials. This platform will improve mitochondrial disease diagnosis nation-wide, connecting patient groups, knowledge and infrastructure to accelerate the clinical translation of new treatments. We have an extensive pre-clinical discovery science programme focussed on understanding the genetic basis of undiagnosed mitochondrial and neurogenetic disorders. Our laboratory research is translational, generating new insights that we develop for clinical impact through MitoCAMB.

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Associate (Honorary Resident Doctor) under the supervision of Professor Patrick Chinnery, Dr Jelle van den Ameele and Professor Rita Horvath. The post-holder will support and drive several ongoing and new academic-led and commercial studies and clinical trials in mitochondrial and neurodegenerative diseases. They will receive extensive support, supervision and training where required, but will be expected to have a high level of independence and enthusiasm to proactively take responsibility for ongoing and new clinical studies. This will also give them the opportunity to develop clinical, laboratory and computational skills that would underpin their own emerging research programme. The post-holder will have the opportunity to participate in the mitochondrial/neurogenetics NHS clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital and additional NHS services.

The successful applicant must have a PhD and have completed general medical training, hold MRCP or equivalent, and preferably be a registered medical practitioner permitted to practise in the UK or be willing to work towards this. We encourage applications from any medical specialty and from any career grade, but clear evidence of prior clinical and research interest in neuromuscular or neurogenetic conditions is desirable.

Enquiries for further information are welcome and should be sent to Professor Patrick Chinnery, or Dr Jelle van den Ameele or Professor Rita Horvath at: [email protected] , [email protected] or [email protected]

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.

Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.

Closing Date: 1st November 2026

Interview Date: TBC

This is an integrated appointment between the University and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ("NHS Trust"). You will therefore also be issued with an Honorary Clinical Contract by the NHS Trust for which an Enhanced DBS check will be required. You should be aware that if your contract with the NHS Trust is terminated your employment with the University will be terminated, and vice versa.

Please ensure that you upload a covering letter, CV and a completed Additional Information for Clinical Researchers form in the Upload section of the online application. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.

Please include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.

Please quote reference RR51252 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.