University of Cambridge
Research Associate (Genetics of mental health and the brain) (Fixed Term, internal candidates only)
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About the Role
We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to join an ambitious, Wellcome-funded research programme at the intersection of statistical and functional genomics, neuroimaging, and psychiatry. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a transformative research effort investigating how genetic risk for psychiatric conditions, with a particular focus on anxiety and its subtype, manifest in the brain, using transcriptomic, epigenetic, and neuroimaging correlates.
Team and Environment
Based in the Neurodevelopmental Research Group, led by Dr Varun Warrier at the University of Cambridge, you will work closely with the interdisciplinary Anxiomics team led by Prof Duncan Astle. This vibrant group includes geneticists, developmental biologists, psychiatrists, immunologists, computational scientists, and people with lived experience, united by a shared ambition: to transform our understanding of anxiety and depression through the lens of genetics, neuroimaging, immunology, and systems biology.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead efforts to understand the genetics of anxiety through a developmental lens.
- Investigate the correlates of anxiety and subtypes using single cell multimodal data from the developing brain, and neuroimaging data.
- Work with large-population cohorts such as the UK Biobank and All of Us, neuroimaging data from developing and adult cohorts, as well as multiomic data from the developing, childhood, and adult brain.
- Develop and apply novel approaches to understand how genetics of psychiatric conditions, especially anxiety, emerge in the brain.
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Requirements
- Prior experience working on neuroimaging and genetics, including working on large-scale biobanks.
- Prior experience working on psychiatric conditions.
- Experience with functional genomics data will be of benefit.
Position Details
- Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available for 2 years in the first instance.
Application Process
- For further details, please read the further particulars.
- Informal enquiries are encouraged and may be directed to Dr Varun Warrier, vw260@cam.ac.uk.
- If you have any queries regarding the application process please contact Simon Gurry, HR Coordinator(hradminpsychiatry@medschl.cam.ac.uk).
- Click the 'Apply' button below to register an account with our recruitment system (if you have not already) and apply online.
- Ensure that you upload a covering letter and a CV in the Upload section of the online application. The covering letter should outline how you match the criteria for the post and why you are applying for this role. If you upload any additional documents which have not been requested, we will not be able to consider these as part of your application.
- Include details of your referees, including email address and phone number, one of which must be your most recent line manager.
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Deadlines
- The closing date for applications is Sunday 09 August 2026.
- The interview date for the role is to be confirmed.
Application Reference
- Please quote reference RN50456 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.
Eligibility
The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.
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