Postdoctoral Fellow V Li Lab

Salary for this Role:

From 45500 with benefits subject to skills and experience.

Job Title:

Reports to:

Closing Date:

Job Description:

Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow Cancer Biologist V Li lab

Details of the role:

Reports to: Vivian Li Senior Group Leader

Working pattern: This is a full-time fixed term 4 year position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Salary: From 45500 with benefits subject to skills and experience.

Application closing date: 30th of March 2026 at 23.59pm

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europes largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer heart disease infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions.

The Crick is a place for collaboration innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure cutting-edge facilities and a creative and curious culture. Weve removed traditional boundaries of departments divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy.

About the role

Dr Lis laboratory investigates the functional implication of Wnt signalling pathway in intestinal stem cells regeneration and cancer with emphasis of finding new tumour-specific targets. Her lab combines genetically engineered mouse models patient-derived organoids and advanced genomic tools to investigate how Wnt signalling and cell state plasticity contribute to homeostasis and disease particularly in the context of therapy resistance in colorectal cancer.

We are looking for an ambitious cancer biologist to work in Dr Li laboratory who can integrate functional CRISPR screens with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to uncover the mechanisms driving cell state rewiring and therapeutic resistance in cancer.

Details of research projects currently being undertaken can be seen at: Project

Cell state plasticity is a fundamental process in both health and the intestine plasticity plays a pivotal role in cell fate decision injury-induced regeneration and cancer. Upon tissue injury the intestinal epithelium regenerates through transient reprogramming of committed adult cells to a fetal-like state a process that is ultimately cancer dynamic shifts in cancer cell states promote tumour progression and therapeutic resistance across multiple cancer types. Despite extensive knowledge documenting cellular plasticity within the intestinal crypt it remains unclear how cell state rewiring is initiated and resolved during tissue regeneration and why plasticity fails to resolve in cancer.

Understanding the role of cell state rewiring in cancer represents a critical frontier for overcoming therapeutic resistance in cancer. The Li laboratory hypothesise that oncogenic mutations and therapeutic pressure drive dynamic cell-state rewiring through intrinsic and extrinsic signals and that decoding this rewiring will expose novel targetable vulnerabilities to overcome therapeutic resistance. To systematically uncover therapeutic vulnerabilities we will conduct unbiased CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screens in colorectal cancer (CRC) organoids in vitro and in engrafted tumour models in vivo. We will also perform single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to map cancer cell state transitions under therapeutic pressure.

This project is funded by CRUK Cancer Grand Challenges REWIRE-CAN programme.

What you will be doing

In this project some of the specific aims include but are not limited to:

• Assess therapeutic response in primary CRC organoids in vitro and implanted tumours in vivo

• Loss-of-functional whole-genome/sub-genome CRISPR screen in vitro and in vivo to reveal treatment vulnerability

• Single-cell and spatial transcriptomic analysis of treated organoids and tumour

• Computational modelling of cell state rewiring network

• Functional validation of identified targets in various tumour models

• Drug efficacy testing in mice

You will be responsible for:

• Performing CRISPR screen and testing drug efficacy in organoids and in mice

• Liaising with members of the REWIRE-CAN team to perform experiments and communicate data and results

• Writing and contributing to the preparation of scientific manuscripts reports presentations and records of experimental plans and results

• Supervising and providing technical advice to more junior members of the team when appropriate

Please click here for full job description

About you

You will have:

• PhD in Developmental Biology Stem Cell or Cancer Biology or in the final stages of PhD submission*

• Experience in 3D cancer organoid culture and tumour implantation studies*

• Experience in functional CRISPR screen*

• Excellent track record of research as evidenced by publications in referred journals*

• Experience in advanced genomic sequencing and data analysis

• Experience in spatial transcriptomic data analysis

• Animal work experience

• Experience in drug safety and efficacy studies

• Evidence of data presentation at scientific meetings

Minimum criteria*

About Working at the Crick

Our values

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Cricks mission and shaping our culture.

• We arebold. We make space for creative dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. Were not afraid to do things differently.

• We areopen. Were highly collaborative and interactive and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world.

• We arecollegial. We show respect for one another work cooperatively and support the wider community.

At the Francis Crick Institute we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued respected and empowered to succeed regardless of their background identity or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders ethnicities abilities and experiences. Weare aDisability Confident: Committedemployer andwant to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and sowellmake reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you needassistancewith applying (i.e. would like to apply by phone or post)please email:

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive

At the Francis Crick Institute we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development:

• Visas: Applicants for this role will be eligible for sponsorship to work in the UK

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%.

• Health & Well-being:

• 24/7 GP consultation services.

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs.

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans.

• Work-Life Balance:

• Back-up care for dependents.

• Childcare support allowance.

• Annual leave purchase options.

• Crick Networks offering diverse groups support community and inclusive social events.

• Perks:

• Discounted gym memberships bike-to-work scheme and shopping discounts.

• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile to have your application reviewed.

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.