An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Clinical Research Fellow within the Academic Unit, Mental Health and Clinical Neurosciences to join our Psychiatry team in investigating neurometabolite changes during cognitive tasks in early psychosis. The post is part of the Wellcome Trust-funded project 'Glutamate changes as a new neurocognitive marker in psychosis'. Cognitive functions are often modulated in psychosis and impairments negatively affect the individual's quality of life. The goal of this project is to identify a biomarker for cognitive interventions in psychosis that can be used to personalise treatments acting on the glutamatergic system. This role is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the development of new individualised treatment pathways for psychosis.
You will be working in the School of Medicine and be part of a team to recruit participants, co-develop cognitive assessments, apply functional brain imaging and spectroscopy methods, use transcranial direct current stimulation, and develop and conduct semi-structured qualitative interviews with lived experience individuals. You will work closely with Dr Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu in the School of Medicine and collaborate with colleagues at the Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre (SPMIC; Dr Adam Berrington) and at the School of Psychology (Dr Claudia Danielmeier, Dr Laura Blackie and Dr Kathrine Dyke).
You must have GMC registration and license to practice, a minimum of 1 year specialist training in Psychiatry, and ideally obtained MRCPsych (UK) or equivalent. You will be expected to plan and conduct work using approaches or methodologies and techniques appropriate to the type of research and will be responsible for writing up your work for publication. You will be expected to register for, and undertake supervised research towards, a higher research degree (PhD/research DM) on the University of Nottingham's well-established, highly successful nTRANS Doctoral Training Programme, if you already haven't got one. You should have experience of collaborative research. You will receive training in the analysis of functional spectroscopy data and in conducting and analysing qualitative interview data, if required.
The University of Nottingham provides generous employment packages whilst supporting the well-being of our staff to help them reach their full potential. As a university employee, you will have an excellent choice of benefits and rewards, including access to fitness and health facilities, staff discounts and travel schemes, along with a competitive holiday allowance and a highly attractive pension scheme. The University of Nottingham is an equal opportunities employer.
This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract until 31st August 2026. Hours of work are full-time (36.25 hours); however, applications are also welcome from candidates wishing to work part-time (minimum 29 hours per week). Please specify in your application if you wish to work part-time and the number of preferred hours.
Requests for secondment from internal candidates may be considered on the basis that prior agreement has been sought from both your current line manager and the manager of your substantive post, if you are already undertaking a secondment role.
Informal enquiries may be addressed to Dr Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu, tel: 0115 8230438 Or email: Mohammad.Katshu@nottingham.ac.uk. Please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted.
It is a condition of this post that satisfactory enhanced disclosure is obtained from the 'Disclosure and Barring Service'.