Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher, APC Microbiome Ireland
24 Months, Fixed-Term, Whole-Time Post
Position Summary
Applications are invited for the role of Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher within APC Microbiome Ireland.
Please note that this position can be filled at Post-Doctoral or Senior Post-Doctoral level, depending on qualification and experience of the successful candidate.
Bile acids are key molecules produced by the liver for digestion and absorption of fats and which have bi-directional interactions with the gut microbiota, including the production of secondary bile acids from primary bile acids by colonic bacteria. Both primary and secondary bile acids have multiple signalling roles in the host and have been implicated in numerous disease states, including inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) are chronic immune mediated diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
We have previously identified bile acid metabolism by the gut microbiota as being altered in inflammatory bowel disease and this project aims to identify and isolate keystone bacteria involved in bile acid metabolism in the human large intestine in both healthy volunteers and people with inflammatory bowel disease.
The project will utilise a range of techniques, including metagenomics, metabolomics and anaerobic isolation protocols to isolate target bacterial strains, associate their abundance and activity with disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease and test the isolates in pre-clinical models. Prior experience with culturing of anaerobic bacteria is essential for this position.
Project Title: Characterising uncultured bacteria associated with bile acid dysmetabolism and disease severity in IBD
Post Duration: 24 Months, Whole-Time Post
Salary: Post-Doctoral Researcher: €45,847 - €52,339 per annum (IUA PD1)
Senior Post-Doctoral Researcher: €53,770 - €58,479 per annum (IUA PD2)
Application Instructions
For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Aonghus Lavelle, Professor, APC Microbiome Ireland and the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Email: aonghus.lavelle@ucc.ie
Applications must be submitted online via the University College Cork vacancy portal (https://ore.ucc.ie/). Queries relating to the online application process should be referred to recruitment@ucc.ie, quoting the job-title and project name.
Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 27th of June 2025
No late applications will be accepted.
Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.
UCC is committed to creating and fully embracing an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated. As a University we strive to create a workplace that reflects the diversity of our student population where people from a wide variety of backgrounds learn from one another, share ideas, and work collaboratively. UCC is committed to being an employer that recognises the value of diversity amongst its staff. We encourage applicants to consult our policies at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/policies/ and initiatives at https://www.ucc.ie/en/edi/implementation/ and we welcome applications from everyone, including those who are underrepresented in the protected characteristics set out in our Equal Opportunities & Diversity Policy.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER