The Department of Infectious Diseases brings together researchers and students to understand the pathogenic mechanisms, diagnosis and treatment of human infections.

 

Our research bridges our strengths in laboratory-based enquiry using molecular genetics, metagenomics, biochemistry, cell biology, bioinformatics and structural biology, with rich clinical resources in microbiology, virology, sexually transmitted diseases and clinical trials.

 

A major thread running through our research is understanding how viruses and bacteria interact with and subvert their human hosts to replicate and transmit, and how infection- and vaccine-induced immunity protects us in the face of new and ever-evolving pathogens.

 

The Wanford Group, led by Dr Joseph Wanford, is a molecular microbiology and infectious diseases research group based within the Department of Infectious Diseases at King’s College London, specialising the pathogenesis of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. 

The bacterial pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) is a major antibiotic-resistant pathogen responsible for high levels of mortality worldwide. Development of novel therapies and preventative vaccines is hampered by an incomplete understanding of the pathogenesis of Kp infection. The extracellular polysaccharide capsule is a major Kp virulence determinant, but the molecular regulation of its expression during infection remains poorly understood. The Wanford group uses comparative genomics, molecular genetics and infection biology techniques to understand how Kp regulates expression of the capsule to transition between states of asymptomatic colonisation and invasive disease.

 

We are seeking a driven Research Associate with a strong infection biology skillset to lead a high impact project with two key aims: (1) defining bacterial factors required for systemic dissemination (2) characterising the regulation of capsule expression during transition between host compartments. 

 

The successful candidate will combine cutting-edge in vitro and in vivo infection models, and both microscopy and flow cytometry-based readouts of infection to develop their independent research project and will also be expected to collaborate more widely within the group, department, and with external collaborators. The candidate will be expected to contributed data and writing to peer reviewed manuscripts and will be supported for applications for independent fellowships towards the end of the post.

 

This is a full time post (35 hours per week), and you will be offered an fixed term contract for 24 months, starting no earlier than 1st October 2025.

 

Research staff at King’s are entitled to at least 10 days per year (pro-rata) for professional development. This entitlement, from the  Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, applies to Postdocs, Research Assistants, Research and Teaching Technicians, Teaching Fellows and AEP equivalent up to and including grade 7. Visit the  Centre for Research Staff Development for more information.