The Opportunity
We are seeking an outstanding Research Fellow to join an ambitious translational oncology programme focused on improving precision treatment approaches for patients with gastrointestinal cancers.
This funded programme brings together laboratory scientists, clinicians, and molecular researchers to develop clinically relevant approaches for understanding therapeutic response and resistance in cancer.
The post offers a rare opportunity to contribute to a highly translational initiative operating at the interface of discovery science and patient care. The successful candidate will play a central role in shaping experimental strategy, generating clinically relevant biological insights, and supporting the progression of the programme towards future clinical application.
This is not a conventional postdoctoral role centred on a predefined set of experiments. It is an opportunity to contribute to the development of an evolving translational research platform with clear real-world relevance.
The Role
The Research Fellow will contribute to the scientific and translational development of the programme, including:
- developing and optimising advanced experimental cancer models
- leading functional studies examining therapeutic response and resistance
- integrating biological and molecular data to support translational interpretation
- contributing to clinically relevant reporting and communication of findings
- supporting regulatory, governance, and translational preparation activities
- helping shape experimental direction in collaboration with clinical and scientific investigators
The role requires a high degree of scientific independence, critical thinking, and translational judgement.
What we are looking for
We are seeking an individual with strong experimental expertise and an interest in clinically relevant cancer research.
Essential:
- PhD (or equivalent) in cancer biology or a related discipline
- Strong background in experimental oncology or cellular/molecular biology
- Experience developing or optimising complex biological assays or model systems
- Ability to interpret multifaceted biological data critically
- Excellent communication and organisational skills
- Evidence of scientific writing and publication
Desirable:
- Experience working with translational or clinically aligned research programmes
- Familiarity with cancer therapeutics, resistance biology, or tumour modelling
- Experience integrating molecular and functional datasets
- Understanding of research governance, ethics, or regulatory frameworks
- Experience working within multidisciplinary environments
The Environment
The successful candidate will join a collaborative multidisciplinary research environment spanning:
- translational cancer biology
- clinical oncology and surgery
- molecular profiling and computational analysis
The programme provides access to established infrastructure, high-quality clinical material, and strong translational support across Southampton and partner clinical centres.
Why this role is different
This position offers the opportunity to work within a genuinely translational programme designed with future clinical application in mind.
You will contribute not only to experimental delivery, but also to the development of approaches capable of bridging laboratory discovery and clinical decision-making.
The role is particularly suited to candidates interested in:
- translational cancer research
- clinically impactful science
- multidisciplinary programme development
- future leadership in translational oncology
Career Development
The post provides excellent opportunities for career progression and scientific development, including exposure to:
- translational programme leadership
- multidisciplinary clinical–scientific collaboration
- clinically aligned research strategy
- future grant and fellowship development
Informal enquiries
For informal discussion of the role, please contact the Innovation for Translation Research Group leads:
Professor Zoë Walters (Z.S.Walters@soton.ac.uk)
Professor Tim Underwood (T.J.Underwood@soton.ac.uk)
As a university we aim to create an environment where everyone can thrive and are proactive in fostering a culture of inclusion, respect and equality of opportunity. We believe that we can only truly meet our objectives if we are reflective of society, so we are passionate about creating a working environment in which you are free to bring your whole self to work. With a generous holiday allowance as well as additional university closure days we are committed to supporting our staff and students and open to a flexible working approach.
This role does not qualify for Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship. To explore alternative UK visa options, see gov.uk.
Apply by 11.59 pm UK time on the closing date. For assistance contact Recruitment on +44(0)2380 592750 or recruitment@soton.ac.uk quoting the job number.