Neurobiology Curator

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Neurobiology Curator to join our Cellular Genetics Programme. You will be responsible for helping to build and publish the first brain-wide atlas of cell types in human and non-human primate (NHP) brains. You will work as part of an international consortium of labs including some of the world's leading neurobiology labs and institutes, funded by the NIH Brain Initiative Cell Atlas Network program - a set of interconnected mammalian brain atlasing consortia covering multiple data modalities and species, development and human diversity.

This position is for a 2-year fixed-term contract.

About the Role:

You will work with a team of experts using semantics technologies, large language models and the results of data analysis to index and integrate data and knowledge about cell types. Products include standards for cell type annotation, cell type ontologies for use in annotating cell types across data modalities and knowledge graphs about cell types designed for querying by biologists and as inputs to machine learning.

The atlas will define cell types based on analysis of single-cell transcriptomics data covering whole brains. Multi-modal techniques will support mapping these cell types to morphology and activity. Spatial transcriptomics will support mapping of cell types to brain regions defined in a set of new standard 3D brain atlases for all species studied, based in part on functional MRI data.

All of this data will be mapped across species allowing the more detailed data and analyses generated for NHPs to be leveraged to better understand human brains.

We work collaboratively with biologists to develop standards and tools to help them annotate, track and knit together data and analyses to build a consensus atlas and ontology that will serve as a reference for human and NHP brain cell types.

You will be responsible for:

• Collaborating with BICAN research scientists and developers to help design community curation tools and standards to annotate data.
• Extending ontologies (queryable classifications) of brain cell types and brain regions. This work will provide essential anatomical, phenotypic and general cell-type context for data-driven cell-type definitions for whole brain atlases of cell types in human and non-human primates.
• Using the outputs of the Brain Initiative Cell Atlas Network (BICAN) to develop standard, data-linked reference ontologies of brain cell types and brain regions covering the whole brains of Human and non-human primates.

About You:

You will work together with a multidisciplinary team to support the aims of the project. This will include working with developers of human and non-human primate brain region atlases to map their brain region hierarchies. You will also have the opportunity to build external collaborations with BICAN curator and developer communities.

• A higher degree in biological science
• A research background in mammalian neurobiology and/or single-cell transcriptomics.
• Knowledge of neurobiology including basic anatomy and cell types
• Self-motivated, able to work independently and organise own workload to ensure that quality and quantity targets are achieved.
• Ability to develop collaborative working relationships with collaborators and other team members
• Experience of researching unfamiliar topics in scientific literature
• Ability to consider broad project needs when prioritising your own tasks
• PhD in relevant field
• Basic programming experience in Unix shell and Python or R
• A good understanding of single-cell transcriptomics and related analysis techniques

Applications: Please include a cover letter along with your CV. In your cover letter, include detail on how your knowledge, skills and experience match the requirements of the role described.

Closing Date: Sunday 05-JAN

Contract duration: 2 years fixed-term

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That’s why we’re committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton Saffron Walden, United Kingdom