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

 

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

 

A major theme in the department is understanding how pathogens interact with their hosts to replicate, transmit, and evolve, and how infection- and vaccine-induced immunity protects us in the face of new and emerging threats.

 

The Odendall Laboratory, led by Dr Charlotte Odendall, is based within the Department of Infectious Diseases at King’s College London. Our research focuses on innate immunity and host–pathogen interactions, with a particular emphasis on how host signalling pathways are activated and subverted during infection. We combine molecular and cellular approaches with in vivo models to uncover the mechanisms that determine infection outcomes. 

The Odendall Laboratory investigates innate immune responses to enteric bacterial pathogens, with a particular focus on the pathways that integrate microbial detection with inflammatory signalling. Our aim is to understand how pathogens such as Salmonella and Shigella are sensed by host cells, and how bacteria subvert these processes to promote infection.

 

Among these regulatory nodes are calcium-regulated kinases, including the calmodulin-regulated kinase CaMKII, which we and others have found to be activated during infection and targeted by bacterial effectors (Alphonse et al, Cell 2022). Our recent work shows that CaMKII is required for signalling downstream of multiple innate immune receptors, highlighting it as a central node in the host–pathogen interface.

 

We are seeking a motivated and driven Postdoctoral Research Associate with a strong cell biology and molecular microbiology skillset to lead a high-impact project investigating how calcium-regulated kinases control cell signalling pathways during infection and how pathogens manipulate these processes. The post-holder will develop an independent research project using molecular and cellular approaches to map infection-driven signalling networks. They will have opportunities to employ advanced live-cell imaging in collaboration with the Advanced Microscopy platform at the Francis Crick Institute, as well as transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to define the downstream pathways controlled by these kinases.

 

The successful candidate will join a team within the Department of Infectious Diseases, a collaborative and supportive environment with strong links across King’s and the Francis Crick Institute. Applicants should hold a PhD in cell biology, molecular microbiology, or a related discipline. Experience with mammalian cell culture and molecular biology is essential, and expertise in advanced fluorescence microscopy is strongly desired. A strong interest in innate immunity and host–pathogen interactions, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively, are essential. The candidate will be expected to contribute 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 a fixed-term contract for 2 years.

 

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.