Cell Culture Scientist

This post is positioned within the Culture Collections Unit on the Porton Down site. Culture Collections provides authenticated biological resources (bacteria, viruses, fungi and cell cultures) and associated services to the biomedical research and diagnostic communities. It is essential that incoming cultures (new accessions) and the data associated with all the Culture Collections biological resources are relevant for emerging diseases and technologies. The post forms part of the wider European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC), Human Genetic Services (HGS) and Quality Control (QC) teams which focuses on procuring new human and animal cell lines and includes the maintenance and supply of these for public health research and diagnostic testing. The HGS operation provides a range of products and services to life science researchers. These include the extraction of DNA from cell lines and blood,preparation of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) from blood and generation of new cell lines by Epstein Barr virus transformation. The QC team performs product testing prior to release including molecular and microbiological method,

• To play a main role in the cell culture team offering an efficient service for both internal and external customers.
• Maintain the stocks of all the cell lines deposited within Culture Collections. Support efficient working in the ECACC laboratories, adhering to safe working practices at all times.
• Supporting the existing quality control (QC), authentication and characterization processes for cell cultures. This may involve the development of new assays to improve authentication and characterization of cell lines within the collection.
  
  We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently under represented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.