Cancer Genetic Scientist : Cambridge, United Kingdom

Job ID: 617523
Job date: 2017-06-19
End Date:

Company : Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute 

Country :

Role : Research Scientist 


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Job Description:
We seek a talented and highly motivated post-doctoral scientist to lead new research on cancer mutations in the COSMIC team at the Sanger institute, Cambridge, UK.

In this position you will take a leading scientific role in a new project aiming to describe every cancer mutation across multiple biological properties. We aim to take a very broad approach across millions of variants and hundreds of cancer disease types, to identify which variants act as drivers of disease, then correlate how they work together to cause disease. You will have the opportunity to characterise the biological features of every mutation in cancer, defining what might make them drive cancer. You will be aiming to compose a unique set of bioinformatic resources, generated from existing systems and databases, as well as new ones created by you, to identify key features across somatic cancer variation, primarily focused on annotating the COSMIC database.

Working in the COSMIC team, the world’s largest and most detailed database of cancer mutations will be available to you. Within the broader Sanger Institute, you will have access to global specialists in genomics with decades of experience discovering new disease genes. In addition, this information is vital for use in pharmaceutical and clinical applications, so we have partnered with AstraZeneca on this project, working closely with their Oncology division; your research will therefore impact directly on the discovery and development of new precision medicines.

We anticipate this project will create a major new resource to discover and understand new targets in cancer genetics, and your research can ultimately have an impact on the clinical treatment of cancer patients when they reach hospital. You will also have substantial opportunities to learn more about precision oncology, and how pharmaceutical development works. We also anticipate several high-impact publication opportunities from the research you drive, focused around data annotation and exploration, biomarker discovery along with novel bioinformatic methods you may develop.

Essential Skills;

• PhD in Genetics or Bioinformatics discipline

• Knowledge and experience of cancer genetics

• Highly self-motivated, able to pursue independent research

• Data handling skills

• Strong computational and/or statistical experience

Ideal Skills

• Good communication and presentation skills

• Experience of developing software for scientific research

• Experience of relational databases


Requeriments :

Skills :

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Additional Info:
Cancer Genetic Scientist

Salary range from £31,498 to £39,729 per annum plus excellent benefits.

Discovering & characterising the genetic drivers of cancer.

We are using bioinformatic techniques to characterise every genetic mutation across all forms of cancer, to define and understand the important genetic events which are creating disease. Ultimately, this is intended to identify and describe new targets for precision medicine development.

COSMIC – the Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer – is an expert-curated database describing the wide variety of genetic variations associated with all forms of human cancer. A key resource underpinning cancer genetic research, COSMIC provides large high-quality datasets, methods and graphics to scrutinise the genetics causing this disease, giving insights to pharmaceutical design and patient therapies. Built within the world-leading Sanger Institute (UK) to support global research, millions of mutations across thousands of diseases can be explored at http://cancer.sanger.ac.uk.

The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute operates at the forefront of genomics, sequencing and analyses targeting a wide range of genomes from single cell pathogens to higher vertebrates, with an emphasis on genomes relevant to human medicine and welfare. The Cancer Genome Project at the Institute has led the way in the systematic analysis of cancer genomes by using the human genome sequence and high throughput mutation detection techniques to identify somatically acquired sequence variants/mutations and hence identify genes critical in the development of human cancers (http://www.sanger.ac.uk).

Campus Life

The Sanger Institute is a charitably funded research centre focused on understanding the role of genetics in health and disease. We use state of the art large-scale genomic approaches to drive world-leading projects to uncover the basis of genetic and infectious disease. Our goal is to provide results that can be translated into diagnostics, treatments or therapies that reduce global health burdens.

The Institute is located near Cambridge, UK on the stunning Wellcome Genome Campus. This growing and dynamic site is the British hub of genomic science. It hosts the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), Open Targets, a Biodata Innovation Centre and will soon host Genomics England Limited’s 100,000 Genomes Sequencing Centre. The Campus is also home to Wellcome Genome Campus Connecting Science. Connecting Science inspires new thinking, sparks conversation and supports learning by drawing on the ground-breaking research taking place on the Campus. Its mission is to enable everyone to explore genomic science and its impact on research, health and society.

To help researchers to develop their skills and networks, the Institute hosts a range of scientific seminars with internal and invited speakers, scientific group meetings and skills development workshops.

Our Benefits include: Defined Contribution Pension Scheme, Group Income Protection, Healthcare scheme, Childcare Vouchers, Workplace Nursery and 25 days Annual Leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30, plus Bank Holidays. We also have a gym, two cafes, dining facilities, and a free campus bus service. Our thriving Sports and Social Club provides many opportunities to meet with people working across the campus.

Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute welcomes applications from all candidates irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religion or belief, or marital or civil partnership status.

Please include a covering letter and CV with your application.

Closing date for applications: 13th July 2017, however applications will be considered and reviewed on an on-going basis and therefore the post may be filled before the deadline.

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