Postdoctoral Training Fellow - Epigenetic Tumour Dormancy

Salary: From £45,600 per annum. Dependent on relevant Postdoctoral experience. Future progression is based on annual performance review.

Duration of Contract: Fixed Term for 2 years in the first instance

Hours per week: 35 hours per week (Full Time)

Location: Chelsea

Closing Date: 2nd September 2026

This role is eligible for ICR Sponsorship. If this is your first visa in the UK, support will be provided for costs associated with Visa application. If you are considering relocating to the UK, further information can be found here.

Under the guidance of Professor Luca Magnani, we are seeking to recruit a Postdoctoral Training Fellow to join the Epigenetic Plasticity and Evolution Group, taking ownership of a mature experimental and analytical resource and drive the mechanistic phase of the project. The successful candidate will design and execute mechanistic experiments in long-term ER-positive breast cancer models, perturb candidate chromalin regulators, profile the resulting cell states and integrate the experiments with existing multi-omic datasets. You will work closely with experimental, computational and translational collaborators and will lead manuscripts arising from the work.

About You

The successful candidate must have:

• PhD (or thesis submitted) in cancer biology, epigenetics, genomics, molecular biology or closely related discipline Strong knowledge of chromatin biology, epigenetic gene regulation and transcription and of mammalian cell and molecular biology
• Working knowledge of quantitative experimental design and statistics, and an ability to design mechanistic experiments with clear controls and interpretable endpoints
  
  

Candidates who are nearing completion of their PhD may apply, but confirmation on awarded PhD is required within 6 months of employment.

The ICR has a workforce agreement stating that Postdoctoral Training Fellows can only be employed for up to 7 years as PDTF at the ICR, providing total postdoctoral experience (including previous employment at this level elsewhere) does not exceed 7 years.

For general information on Postdocs at The ICR, more information can be found here.

Team Information

This position is based in the Breast Cancer Epigenetics and Evolution Team, led by Professor Luca Magnani, within the Division of Breast Cancer Research at The Institute of Cancer Research in Chelsea, London.

The lab studies how ER-positive breast cancer cells adapt to endocrine therapy without relying on canonical resistance mutations. We combine long-term evolutionary models, lineage tracing, functional perturbation and multi-omic profiling to identify mechanisms that allow residual cells to enter dormancy and later resume growth. Our TRADITIOM study established a stochastic, non-genetic route into endocrine therapy-induced dormancy. EPIMEM now follows this transition through time at bulk and single-cell resolution, with a focus on how an early transcriptional response becomes stabilised by chromatin reprogramming.

Directorate Information

The Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre, in the Division of Breast Cancer Research at the ICR is the first centre in the UK entirely devoted to breast cancer research. Our goal is to advance research into the cause, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. It is located in state-of-the-art laboratory space, with excellent core facilities and is funded through a long term renewable programme grant from Breast Cancer Now. The Centre is directed by Clinician Scientist Professor Andrew Tutt. Professor Chris Lord is Deputy Director of the Centre. Our Breast Cancer Research Centre was recently awarded the 2022 Team Science award with our breast cancer clinical research partners int eh ICR’s CTSU clinical trial unit and Royal Marsden Hospital, and also received recognition in an award to the ICR for the 2023 Queen’s Anniversary Prize for transforming lives through world-leading breast cancer research.

What We Offer

• A dynamic and supportive research environment
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and professional development opportunities
• Collaboration with leading researchers in the field
• Competitive salary and pension
  
  

We encourage all applicants to access the job pack attached for more detailed information regarding this role.

Why work for us?

As a member of staff, you'll have exclusive access to a range of staff benefits.

The ICR is committed to supporting overseas applicants applying for roles, please click here to find out further information.

The Institute of Cancer Research, London, is one of the world's most influential cancer research institutes, with an outstanding record of achievement dating back more than 100 years. Further information about working at the ICR can be found here.

At the Institute of Cancer Research, we champion diversity as we believe it fuels innovation and drives impactful research. We welcome applicants from all walks of life, valuing diverse perspectives that enrich our work.

Don't let a checklist of qualifications hold you back – if you're passionate about the role, we want to hear from you. Your unique experiences and backgrounds contribute to the richness of our team. We are committed to being an equal opportunity for all, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other dimension of diversity. Join us in creating an inclusive environment where everyone's voice is heard and valued.