The University of Edinburgh
Postdoctoral Research Associate
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Job Description
Grade UE07: £41,064 - £48,822 per annum
CSE / School of Biological Sciences / Institute of Immunology and Infection Research
Full-time: 35 hours per week
Fixed-term: 36 months
The Opportunity
We are seeking a highly motivated and creative Postdoctoral Research Associate to join an interdisciplinary research team investigating the biology of cell wall-deficient bacteria (CWDB) and their potential to establish long-term endosymbiosis within mammalian cells. The project, led by Dr Maddie Moule, will commence on 1 September 2026 with appointment for three years.
While bacteria are typically surrounded by a rigid peptidoglycan cell wall, under conditions of environmental stress many bacterial species undergo a remarkable physiological transition to a CWDB state in which they completely or partially lose their peptidoglycan cell wall. Despite this, the bacteria retain the ability to grow and divide. These variants, also known as L-forms or L-phase bacteria have been repeatedly identified in clinical samples from patients with recurrent or chronic infections, suggesting that they could play a role in the establishment of latent bacterial reservoirs. Although the role of CWDBs in disease remains debated, their lack of a highly immunogenic cell wall is thought to reduce recognition by the host immune system, enabling long-term intracellular persistence. These unique biological properties suggest that CWDBs may represent a naturally evolved strategy for prolonged, immunologically silent residence within mammalian cells.
This role based in the Moule lab (https://biology.ed.ac.uk/moule) will be part of a larger project funded by a Human Frontiers Science Program (HFSP) research grant that brings together microbiology, mammalian cell biology, synthetic biology, quantitative imaging, spectroscopy, metabolomics, and mathematical modelling to push the boundaries of our understanding of endosymbiosis. The successful candidate will work closely with other team members at the University of Oxford, University of Paris-Saclay and the University of Waterloo in Canada to contribute to an ambitious programme aimed at understanding the physiology of CWDBs, their interactions with mammalian host cells, and their development as metabolically active intracellular symbionts with the ultimate goal of developing synthetic mitochondria. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to a high-risk, high-reward research programme at the interface of bacteriology and future medicine.
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This post is full-time (35 hours per week), however, we are open to considering flexible working patterns.
How To Apply
Please include the following documents in your application:
- CV
- Cover letter
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
- A competitive salary.
- An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.
- To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community.
- Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.
Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion
The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also Stonewall Scotland Diversity Champions, actively promoting LGBT equality.
We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.
Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages.
The University may be able to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. This will depend on a number of factors specific to the successful applicant.
Key dates to note
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- The closing date for applications is 30th July 2026.
- Unless stated otherwise, the closing time for applications is 11:59 pm (UK time). If you are applying from outside the UK, the closing time shown on our adverts will automatically adjust to your browser’s local time zone.
- Interviews will be held in August 2026
About Us
As a world-leading research-intensive University, we are here to address tomorrow’s greatest challenges. Between now and 2030 we will do that with a values-led approach to teaching, research and innovation, and through the strength of our relationships, both locally and globally.
About The Team
IIIR conducts fundamental research across the areas of immunology, infection, genetics and epidemiology, in order to develop new interventions to control human and animal diseases. The Institute encompasses an exceptional breadth of pathogen research, from viruses to helminth parasites, on a wide platform of scientific approaches from functional genomics to mathematical biology. IIIR's environment and facilities offer outstanding opportunities for interdisciplinary research into immunology and infection. Our four main themes are: fundamental immunology; immune regulation of disease; molecular biology and genetics of parasites; and host-pathogen population biology. Research is funded by a wide range of sponsors including MRC, the Wellcome Trust, other charities, industry and the European Union.
IIIR has strong links with the Institute for Evolutionary Biology, in particular through the Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution (http://ciie.bio.ed.ac.uk) (supported by the Wellcome Trust)), which promotes collaborations between basic and clinical scientists (through joint projects with the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine), between empirical and mathematical scientists, and between immunological and evolutionary biologists.
Find out more at https://www.ed.ac.uk/biology/immunology-infection
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