Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Medicine
Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology
Section of Experimental Oncology
Children’s Cancer Research Group
Research Technician (full-time)
Applications are invited for a research technician in the Leeds Institute of Cancer and
Pathology (LICAP) to work on a European translational research project evaluating the clinical significance of minimal disease in children with neuroblastoma.
You should have a relevant biological science degree (or equivalent) and practical experience of nucleic acid extraction, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and working with clinical samples.
The post is available for a fixed term period from 9 th November 2015 to 31 st August 2017 (with possibility of further funding)
, funded by Cancer Research UK and will be based at St James’s
University Hospital
The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and offers a range of family friendly policies (http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies).
The University is a charter member of Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award.
The School of Medicine gained the Bronze award in 2013. We are committed to being an inclusive medical school that values all staff, and we are happy to consider job share applications and requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees.
University Grade 5 (£21,605 – £25,023 p.a) depending on qualifications and experience
Informal enquiries regarding the post should be directed to Professor Sue Burchill, email: s.a.burchill@leeds.ac.uk
If you have any specific enquiries about your online application please contact Colette
Cornelly, email: c.l.cornelly@leeds.ac.uk
or Sharon Collins, email: s.collins@leeds.ac.uk
Job Ref: MHCAP1038 Closing Date: 7 December 2015

Job Description
The Project
Neuroblastoma is the second most common solid tumour in children, affecting approximately
100 new children per year in the UK. Children with neuroblastoma frequently have disseminated or metastatic disease at diagnosis, which is a powerful indicator of poor outcome. Since outcome is dependent on the presence of metastases, the accurate and sensitive assessment of this disease is clearly essential in these children. Methods currently used in clinical practice for assessing disseminated disease status in neuroblastoma depend on imaging to identify characteristic lesions and examination of bone marrow by light microscopy. However, these methods do not detect the small volume disease that is frequently difficult to treat and the cause of relapse and death. We and others have demonstrated that amplification of neuroblastoma mRNAs by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) detects clinically relevant disease in peripheral blood and bone marrow from children with neuroblastoma (Viprey et al, 2014, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 32;1074-
83). Furthermore the technique has been used to detect neuroblastoma cells in peripheral blood stem cell harvests from children with high-risk disease. In this project the independent clinical significance of disease detected by RTqPCR is being evaluated prospectively in children entered in the current clinical trial for high risk disease (HR-NBL-1/SIOPEN).
Purpose of the Post
The primary purpose of this post is to collect, store, process and analyse peripheral blood, bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell harvests from children with neuroblastoma for low level disease using RTqPCR according to standard operating procedures.
Main duties and Responsibilities
You will work under the supervision of Professor Sue Burchill within a research group comprising post-doctoral research fellows, PhD students, clinical fellows and research support staff involved in a range of translational projects related to childhood cancer.
You will be expected to:

Contact UK centres to arrange collection and transport of clinical samples to Leeds, and register these samples on Achiever (sample database that is Human Tissue Act compliant).

Isolate RNA from clinical samples, assess the quality and quantity of RNA, perform
RTqPCR for neuroblastoma mRNAs and report results in database working at GCLP.

Prepare cytospins from bone marrow aspirates received from UK children.

Generate quality control samples consisting of known numbers of IMR32 cells spiked into peripheral blood samples collected from healthy volunteers in PAX tubes. Test the quality control samples before distributing the samples to the reference laboratories in other participating countries.

Prepare fixed RNA standards consisting of RNA extracted from IMR32 cell spiked into
RNA extracted from healthy volunteer peripheral blood to include as a reference on each RTqPCR plate analysed. Ensure stocks of standards are available to send to participating laboratories in all countries. This will likely involve generating four batches a year.

Provide cover for processing of samples on neuroblastoma feasibility study and sample collection from clinical trials when other staff on holiday or absent.


Maintain accurate and up-to-date laboratory books and records

Liaise closely with the team members to plan and conduct experiments whilst working with minimal supervision on a day-to-day basis

Make and contribute to decisions on day to day matters that affect your own work.
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Communicate research updates at group and unit meetings when required

Attend departmental and Institute research seminars and meetings

Be aware of the risks in the work environment and work in accordance with the GM and
COSSH assessments; contributing to GM and COSSH assessments when appropriate.

Treat data with confidentiality and in accordance with current policies

Work collaboratively with other staff/students within and external to your own research team as appropriate.
 Support and adhere to the Institute’s commitment to Equality and Diversity.
Methods will include stabilisation and isolation of RNAs, quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR), safe handling of biological samples, collection and storage of samples according to SOPs and GCLP, data reporting.
Relationships
The appointment will be made through the Section of Experimental Oncology, Leeds
Institute of Cancer and Pathology (LICAP). The appointee will be directly responsible to
Professor Sue Burchill, and through her to Professor Tim Bishop, Head of Institute, the
Dean of the School of Medicine and Dean of Faculty of Medicine and Health.
University Values
All staff are expected to operate in line with the university’s values and standards, which work as an integral part of our strategy and set out the principles of how we work together.
More information about the university’s strategy and values is available at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/comms/strategy/
The successful applicant will work within the Children’s Cancer Research Group, based in the GCLP Laboratories and Cancer Research Building, Leeds Institute of Cancer and
Pathology (LICAP). The group work on childhood cancers, and have close links with the
Department of Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, St James’s University Hospital. The research team currently consists of two postdoctoral scientists, four technicians, one clinical research fellow and three PhD students and is part of the Section of Experimental
Oncology, LICAP ( http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/info/930/experimental_oncology ). The group is one of the leading international research teams working in childhood cancer and collaborates with pathologists, cytogeneticists, oncologists and surgeons locally, nationally and internationally.

Person Specification
Essential

A relevant first scientific degree (or similar qualification).

Practical experience of RNA extractions, RTqPCR and molecular biology methods.

A capacity to overcome experimental difficulties.

Knowledge and experience of safe handling of human tissues, working to GCLP.

Experience of recording results in databases

Willingness to work flexibly when necessary to fulfil the needs of the research project.

Effective interpersonal and communication skills.

Evidence of an ability to work individually and in a research team.

Evidence of an ability to organise own work and meet deadlines.

The ability to conduct experiments and record data with a high level of accuracy.

Computer literacy and a working knowledge of information technology.

Demonstration of maturity and judgment in planning and carrying out research, with a capacity to deal with varied tasks and work under pressure.

An understanding of and adherence to health and safety procedures within LICAP.
Desirable

Understanding of cancer and the role of metastases in development and progression.

Enthusiasm and willingness to attend external research and working group meetings.

Eagerness to learn.
This job description provides a framework for the role of Research Technician in LICAP and should not be regarded as a definitive list of duties and responsibilities, which may develop and change over time through natural progression.
In compliance with University policy, the post holder will be expected to have a basic knowledge of the financial and procurement procedures and regulations, and will be required to undertake relevant training/induction to gain this knowledge.
Faculty Information
Faculty of Medicine and Health Information
With more than 6,000 students, 1,600 staff and annual research income of £60m, the
Faculty of Medicine and Health at Leeds is bigger than some universities. Leeds has one of the largest medical and bioscience research bases in the UK, and is an acknowledged world leader in cancer, cardiovascular, psychiatric, genetic, musculo-skeletal and health services research. Treatments developed in Leeds are transforming the lives of people around the world living with conditions such as HIV, TB, diabetes and malaria.
The School of Medicine
The School of Medicine at the University of Leeds is a major international centre for research and education. Our ambition is to improve health and reduce health inequalities, locally and globally, through excellent scientific research and the translation of that research into healthcare practice, and through the education of future scientific and clinical

leaders who will advocate and practise an evidence-based approach. Our major strategic aims are to:

Deliver outstanding research including basic discovery science through to applied health research that makes a significant difference to health.
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Produce exceptional graduates, clinicians, educators, doctoral and post-doctoral fellows whose learning has been informed and inspired by our research excellence and who will form the next generation of academic and clinical leaders.

Develop and support knowledge transfer activities that flow from our academic activities.
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Create and maintain an efficient and sustainable environment for research and teaching within an organisational culture and management style that enacts and supports the university’s core values of community, inclusiveness, integrity and professionalism.
The School of Medicine is organised into seven Institutes (some of which are described below). All are committed to high quality research-led teaching, through their training of postgraduate research students, delivery of postgraduate taught courses, and its leadership in undergraduate teaching. The School works closely with the local NHS, having a number of jointly funded clinical posts to ensure this relationship is effective and strong for both research and student education.
The Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology (LICAP)
Director: Professor Tim Bishop http://medhealth.leeds.ac.uk/info/900/leeds_institute_of_cancer_and_pathology
The Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology addresses both laboratory based and clinical research into cancer with a major focus on translational science. LICAP is one of the largest cancer Institute’s in the country and has major financial support from the cancer charities. The laboratories and clinical research are all based on the St James’s site with laboratory activities being located in the Wellcome Trust Brenner Building and adjacent buildings while the clinical work is based within Bexley Wing. The Institute consists of seven Sections: Epidemiology & Biostatistics; Experimental Haematology; Experimental
Oncology; Oncology & Clinical Research (Clinical); Oncology & Clinical Research
(Laboratory); Patient Centred Outcome Research; and Pathology & Tumour Biology.
Cancer Research UK Leeds Centre http://www.cancerresearchukcentre.leeds.ac.uk
The Leeds Cancer Research UK Centre is a partnership between the University of Leeds,
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Cancer Research UK, which aims to harness the scientific power of Leeds-based cancer researchers to deliver improvements in cancer care at local, national and international level. It fosters excellence in basic and translational research and offers services to all cancer researchers in Leeds, irrespective of their funding source. Beyond research, the Centre is also keen to build stronger relationships with the local community, with patients undergoing cancer treatment, their carers, cancer survivors and the wider public.
Section of Experimental Oncology
– Professor Margaret Knowles
The Section focuses on the translation of biological information into clinical application, working closely with surgeons, oncologists, cytogeneticists and pathologists and using a range of preclinical models and human tumour samples to study basic tumour biology and

to test and validate hypotheses related to clinical application. Specific interests include bladder and breast tumours and Ewing’s Sarcoma and neuroblastoma.
Terms and Conditions
Details of the terms and conditions of employment for all staff at the university, including information on pensions and benefits, are available on the Human Resources web pages accessible via the links on the right hand side, or at http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/policies
Disclosure and Barring Service Checks
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check is not required for this position. However, applicants who have unspent convictions must indicate this in the ‘other personal details’ section of the application form and send details to the Recruitment Officer
Disabled Applicants
The post is located in the Cancer Research Building, St James’s University Hospital,
Beckett Street, Leeds LS0 7TF. Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional information may be sought from the Recruitment Officer, email disclosure@leeds.ac.uk or tel + 44 (0)113 343 1723.
Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered by the Equality Act once their disability becomes known.
Further information for applicants with disabilities, impairments or health conditions is available in the applicant guidance.