Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Dentistry
Research Technician in Oral Biology
Fixed term for 4 months – available from 1 October 2016
The Department of Oral Biology is seeking an enthusiastic and hardworking individual to join an interdisciplinary team of scientists working on a project funded by a UK-China Science Bridge Award investigating the effect of a synthetic peptide P-15 in combination with human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSC’s) on implant-bone interface.
Previous experience of tissue culture techniques using cell lines and/or primary cells, immunofluorescence and fluorescence/ confocal microscopy is essential. Additional experience in histological techniques and immunohistochemistry would be an advantage.
With excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work flexibly according to the needs of the project, you will be well organised and have a ‘can do’ approach to problem solving and issue resolution.
The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. The university is a charter member of Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award. The School of Dentistry gained the Bronze award in October 2015. We will be happy to consider job share applications and are committed to flexible working for all our employees.
University Grade 5 (£21,605 – £25,023 per annum) depending on qualifications and experience
Informal enquiries regarding the post should be directed to Mrs Jackie Hudson, Laboratory Manager, Department of Oral Biology, tel: +44 (0)113 343 6160 or e-mail
If you have any specific enquiries about your online application please contact Colette Connelly School of Dentistry, tel: +44 (0)113 343 9263 or e-mail to
Job Ref: MHDEN1062 Closing Date: 5 October 2016
Purpose of the Post
Investigating the effect of P-15 with human dental pulp stem cells on the implant bone interface the work will include isolation and in vitro expansion of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Absorption of peptide onto titanium films and seeding hDPSCs. Cell viability assessment and cell distribution using immunofluorescent labelling and confocal microscopy and/ or scanning electron microscopy. Histology and/or immunohistochemistry assays on in vivo and in vitro samples.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
· Isolation and in vitro expansion of human dental pulp stem cells.
· Preparation of peptide coated titanium film and cell seeding.
· Cell viability assay using live dead fluorescence labelling of cells and fluorescence and/or confocal microscopy.
· Characterisation of cells on titanium film using confocal microscopy and/or SEM.
· Histology and immunohistochemical assays on in vivo and in vitro samples.
· Prepare verbal and written reports including data analysis for regular meetings with project lead to assess progress and agree future work.
· Responsible for ordering all chemicals / kits relating to the project.
· Attend group and team meetings to present update on progress being made and to understand the work being undertaken by others.
· Effectively manage your workload on a day to day basis to ensure delivery of the project objectives in a timely manner.
The job description provides a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list of duties and responsibilities, which will develop and change over time through natural progression.
Relationships
You will report to the Project Leader, Dr Xuebin Yang for all aspects of delivery of the project and to the Laboratory Manager, Mrs Jackie Hudson for professional line management. You will ultimately report to Professor Jennifer Kirkham, Head of Department and be accountable through the Dean of the School of Dentistry and ultimately to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health. Your post will be located in the Division of Oral Biology.
University Values
All staff are expected to operate in line with the university’s values and standards, which work as an integral part of our strategy and set out the principles of how we work together. More information about the university’s strategy and values is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/comms/strategy/
Person Specification
Essential
· HND/HNC or equivalent in biological sciences or related subject
· Experience of tissue culture using cell lines and/or primary cells and/or dental pulp explants.
· Experience in Immunofluorescence techniques
· Experience in Fluorescence and Confocal Microscopy
· Hands-on laboratory experience.
· Can do approach to problem solving and issue resolution.
· Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team as well as being independent if required.
· Evidence of the ability to document and organise work effectively.
· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
· Willingness to work flexibly, where necessary, to fulfil the needs of the research project.
Desirable
· A degree in the biological sciences or related subject or its equivalent.
· Experience in working with mammalian hard/ dental tissues.
· Experience of hard/ soft tissue histology and immunohistochemistry.
· Experience in confocal laser scanning microscopy, and/or Scanning Electron Microscopy.
· Experience of working to/developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Further information
Faculty Information
With more than 6,000 students, 1,600 staff and annual research income of £50m, the Faculty of Medicine and Health at Leeds is bigger than some universities. Leeds has one of the largest medical and bioscience research bases in the UK, and is an acknowledged world leader in cancer, cardiovascular, psychiatric, genetic, musculo-skeletal and health services research. Treatments developed in Leeds are transforming the lives of people around the world living with conditions such as HIV, TB, diabetes and malaria.
The School of Dentistry
The School of Dentistry is newly convened in August 2013 following a separation of the NHS Trust and University elements of the former Leeds Dental Institute. The School is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and works closely with partners in the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust to deliver high quality patient care and exceptional clinical training and education at all levels from undergraduate teaching through to specialist registration. We aim to underpin high quality clinical research with world class basic and applied science, in order to meet international priority needs for research in dentistry and to deliver excellent research with impact for patient and population benefit.
Dean of School, Professor Helen Whelton’s plans include an ambitious international clinical research programme, addressing unanswered questions about the links between oral health and general health.
The School of Dentistry is situated in the Worsley Medical and Dental building, which also accommodates the Dental Hospital, the Medical School and the University of Leeds Health Sciences Library. It is situated on the southern side of the University campus half a mile from the city centre. The School recently expanded its estate and the basic sciences, in the Division of Oral Biology, are situated in the Wellcome Trust Brenner Building on the St James’ campus, providing high quality and purpose built laboratory provision and access to a wide range of cutting edge facilities. New plans to further enhance facilities and the student experience are currently being finalised.
The School is organised into five administrative academic Divisions:
· Division of Applied Health and Clinical Translational Research - Head of Division: Professor S. Pavitt
· Division of Oral Biology - Head of Division: Professor J. Kirkham
· Division of Oral Surgery, Medicine and Pathology - Head of Division: Dr A. Mighell
· Division of Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics - Head of Division: Professor M. Duggal
· Division of Restorative Dentistry – Head of Division: Professor D.V. Clerehugh
Student Experience and Education Overview
· Professor Michael Manogue - Director of Student Education
The School of Dentistry is the second largest school for undergraduate dental education in the UK.
Student education at the University of Leeds’ School of Dentistry is internationally renowned for being both flagship and innovative and this is evidenced by the School offering the only undergraduate Masters’ programme in Dental Surgery in the UK.This programme offers an outstanding clinical experience with clinical education integrated across the curriculum from years 1-5. In tandem with our undergraduate Masters’ Dental Surgery programme we also offer a Graduate Diploma in Dental Hygiene and Dental Therapy and, in partnership with the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, we are also involved in the provision of Dental Nursing and Dental Technology education. This makes us unique, as we are the only school that is involved in training all members of the dental team on one site. In tandem with our undergraduate programmes we also offer an expanding portfolio of taught and research postgraduate dental programmes.
The quality of teaching on our undergraduate programmes has been rated very highly in the National Student Survey over a number of years and the School is committed to continually developing our taught programmes. Recently, the General Dental Council inspected all our undergraduate programmes with all programmes being found to be of the highest standard.
Our programmes are completely modular and benefit from having Year, Module and Programme Leads managed under the direction of the Director of Student Education. We offer high quality outreach placements in Hull, Bradford and Leeds which are highly evaluated and provide additional clinical experience for our students.
The School has excellent support mechanisms available to students. We have a Student Advice Team, which supports all students within the school offering study advice and one-to-one support, along with our academic personal tutoring system.
Research Overview
· Director of Research and Innovation – Professor David Wood
In REF2014 the School of Dentistry (returned in Unit of Assessment 3: Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing & Pharmacy) was rated very highly, with 91% of its research rated as world leading or internationally excellent. The successful candidate will join a group of high quality, highly active researchers. The School of Dentistry enjoys a lively, multi-disciplinary research environment and has a long held reputation for excellence in interdisciplinary research. We contribute to a number of the Faculty of Medicine and Health research themes.
Our vision is to use interdisciplinary expertise to understand the fundamental mechanisms of disease, to identify and treat early, improve outcomes, restore function and address the needs for prevention. We seek to extrapolate the findings and tools developed for dental research across to biomedicine in general and position our research at the forefront of biomedical and health sciences research. We have three Research Groups, each with internationally recognised leadership:
· Basic Dental Sciences Research Group led by Professor J. Kirkham
· Clinical Dental Research Group led by Professor D.V. Clerehugh
· Dental Education Research & Scholarship Group led by Professor M. Manogue
The Groups collaborate extensively with each other and with colleagues within our Faculty (Medicine and Health), as well as in other Faculties (e.g. Biology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences).
International Profile and Initiatives
In line with the University of Leeds strategy the School of Dentistry is committed to enhancing our international profile through the development of key strategic partnerships. Formal collaborative agreements between Leeds and Dental Schools in the Universities of Michigan, Osaka and Nanjing have been established to promote excellence in international, multi-centre collaborative research, particularly in clinical and translational research and regenerative technologies. Building on shared expertise and knowledge amongst our partners we aim to work together to improve oral health outcomes in our own communities and across the globe.
In addition to formal Memoranda of Understanding with the Universities of Michigan and Osaka we have established a Joint Centre for Oral Health Sciences with the University of Nanjing. We are also founder members of the World Universities Network for Oral Health Sciences, a network of research intensive universities committed to addressing global challenges in Oral Health. The impact from the development of our Strategic partnerships has included joint research through staff/student exchange, resulting in publications, grant income and enhanced opportunities for dissemination of research advances to a global audience.
Additional Information
Terms and Conditions
Details of the terms and conditions of employment for all staff at the university, including information on pensions and benefits, are available on the Human Resources web pages accessible via the links on the right hand side, or at http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/policies
Disclosure and Barring Service checks
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check is not required for this position. However, applicants who have unspent convictions must indicate this in the ‘other personal details’ section of the application form and send details to the Recruitment Officer
Disabled Applicants
The post is located on Levels 5 & 6 of the Worsley Building. Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional information may be sought from the Recruitment Officer, email or tel + 44 (0)113 343 1723.
Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered by the Equality Act once their disability becomes known.
Further information for applicants with disabilities, impairments or health conditions is available in the applicant guidance.