Post-doctoral Research Assistant

Free Radical Research Group

The RAFT Institute conducts research relevant to Plastic Surgery. Current research is in the prevention and treatment of skin cancer; abnormal wound healing; tissue repair and angiogenesis.

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to join the Free Radical Research group. This group is interested in the role of free radicals in human disease, and current work focuses on the role of free radicals in UVA-damage to skin, and the link with skin ageing and carcinogenesis.

The successful applicant will join a collaborative team, which is based both at the RAFT Institute (led by Dr Rachel Haywood) and at Newcastle University (led by Professor Mark Birch-Machin in the department of Dermatology) and at UCL (with Dr Chris Kay). The programme is to investigate ultraviolet-A (UVA) induced oxidative stress in skin and skin cells; its relation to mitochondrial  / nuclear DNA damage and skin cancer, and the improvement of skin UVA protection.

For further information on this vacancy please click here and then download the following application form and accompanying documents - Information Pack and Equal Opportunities form.

Closing Date for applications is 9th April 2010 by 5pm.

Surgical Research Fellowship Applications

RAFT is keen to support surgically oriented research within the scope of the current programmes in order to ensure maximal clinical benefit. Trainees who are interested in undertaking a research degree at RAFT are invited to apply for research fellowship funding. MRCS and an interest in Plastic Surgery are mandatory. Some clinical work/on call in tandem will be accepted. The following specific research areas are available (with a potential start date from Nov 2009):

1. Optimisation of Smart Matrix SDR for clinical performance.
2. Skin reconstruction in chronic wounds and the role of oxidative stress. Group Leader: Dr Julian Dye, Group Leader Smart Matrix synthetic dermis programme. If interested please email dyej@raft.ac.uk

3. Role of Ascorbate in melanoma prevention and adjuvant chemotherapy. Group Leader: Dr Rachel Haywood; UVA and free radical pathogenesis programme. If interested please email haywoodr@raft.ac.uk

Volunteering vacancies

Volunteers are an essential part of RAFT’s structure and help out in so many different ways, both in our laboratories and with administrative work. If you feel your skills would benefit RAFT’s aims, and you feel you can commit the time to help us, we’d be delighted to talk to you. Please contact Christine Miles on miles@raft.ac.uk to discuss how you could help.