University College Cork Hiring for Research Assistant Job at Cork , Ireland Full Time

12 Month, Fixed-term, Whole-time Post

Position Summary

APC Microbiome Ireland (formerly Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, APC) was formed in 2003 with funding from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and key industry partners. APC represents a seamless collaboration between UCC, Teagasc and MTU. APC is a trans-disciplinary research centre, with clinicians, clinician-scientists and basic scientists from diverse backgrounds working in teams, sharing ideas and resources. Although focused upon the gastrointestinal bacterial community (the microbiota), the scale and scope of the work has become one of the fastest moving areas of biology. The microbiota is not only a target for treatment and prevention of disease, but also a repository for functional food ingredients and even new drugs and is a source of novel biomarkers of disease risk. The scientific organisation of the APC consists of a matrix of ‘spokes’ or themes of intellectual pursuit which are supported by multiple horizontal or shared technology platforms. The APC collaborates with over 20 industry partners and employs over 300 individuals, from the scientific PI’s funded by the partner Institutions, the management team, and a dedicated group of research scientists, research assistants and postgraduate students.

We are currently recruiting a Research Assistant to work under the “PreVegDiet” project, which is funded under the Joint Programming Initiative (JPI), a Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life (HDHL) by Health Research Board (HRB).

About PreVegDiet project:

Obesity is a risk factor for both susceptibility to infections including postoperative infections and other nosocomial infections and the occurrence of a more severe disease course. The main cause of obesity is energetic imbalance which induces metabolic and hormonal changes, thereby increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), heart disease, and stroke. T2DM is a non-reversible but preventable condition with overweight and obesity being major risk factors. Nutrition and diets can promote the functioning of the immune system as a preventive measure by reducing both inflammation and oxidative stress that might be caused by various factors. The main objective of the present project is to study the influence of beneficial diets such as the Mediterranean diet (rich in fruits, vegetables, fibre) and bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and seaweeds, on the immune system of prediabetic patients and its potential to counteract infections, by using a clinical, an in vitro and an in vivo approach. Partners under PreVegDiet include the University of Barcelona, Spain and the University of Roehampton, London, and APC/UCC. The selected candidate will examine the influence of a seaweed supplement and components from a Mediterranean diet on epithelial cell responses under an obesogenic environment and Salmonella typhimurium-infection.

UCC is an accredited research organisation and as such can form hosting agreements with third country nationals (and non-EEA nationals) for the purpose of conducting research in the University.

Post Duration: 12 months

Salary: €28,701 – €38,390 p.a. (IUA Salary Scale)

Project Title: Prevention in prediabetic patients of infection’s morbidity following a high fibre and vegetal protein diet

For an information package including further details of the post see https://ore.ucc.ie/.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Dr Silvia Melgar, APC Microbiome Ireland, Email: [email protected].

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 [email protected], quoting the job-title and project name.

Candidates should apply, in confidence, before 12 noon (Irish Local Time) on Friday, 17 February 2023. 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