Developmental Biology

Join Melanie Chan’s Renal Genomics group at the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences on Imperial’s Hammersmith campus. The project investigates gene-regulatory networks in kidney and urinary-tract development and how their disruption causes congenital anomalies. Establish iPSC-derived kidney and ureteric-bud organoids, perturb candidate regulatory elements using CRISPR interference, and profile effects with single-nucleus multiomics, CUT&RUN and low-input chromosome-conformation capture. Work combines experimental testing with collaboration with bioinformaticians and clinicians and offers training in organoid models and single-cell analysis. The appointment is full-time and fixed-term for three years, with a flexible start around 1 December 2026. It is based on site; salary is £50,733–£59,484 annually. Applications close on 13 October 2026.

Postdoctoral research with Stefanie Grosswendt’s group at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany. The laboratory investigates how neighbouring cells communicate and how these interactions influence gene regulation, cell fate and tissue function. Experimental and computational approaches combine single-cell genomics, CellMate-seq ligand–receptor measurements and imaging-based spatial transcriptomics. Projects examine neural crest development in mouse embryos and neuroblastoma, with complex in-vitro systems and bottom-up reconstruction used to connect communication patterns with their consequences. The group is recruiting postdocs with experimental or computational expertise, or both, for the September 2026 Max Planck Postdoc Program. The programme guarantees a contract of at least three years. Apply through the official programme portal by 13 October 2026 at 12:00 Europe/Berlin (CEST). An account is required; the Apply action appears after registration. Upload a CV including publications, previous-research summary, statement of interest, academic transcript and contact details for three referees.

Yun Xia presents macrophage–kidney assembloids that address missing immune and vascular components in stem-cell organoids. Directed differentiation, self-organization, genetic perturbation, xenotransplantation and single-cell analysis reveal immune–epithelial interactions. Macrophages from the same parental cells acquire resident phenotypes; diabetic and polycystic kidney models show context-dependent effects on inflammation, epithelial injury and disease progression. Minoru Takasato addresses kidney organoids’ missing urinary outflow by generating bladder tissue from human pluripotent cells. Stepwise differentiation passes through endoderm, hindgut and cloaca; FGF4 posteriorization and growth-factor screening promote urothelial identity. The resulting sacs contain stratified urothelial cell types, stretch and form a barrier, supporting developmental, disease and future therapeutic studies. Online via Zoom. Tuesday 13 October, 11:00–12:30 SGT (Asia/Singapore). Both talks share this session; individual start times are unspecified. Register through the organizer page. Professional, trainee or student status in stem cells, regenerative medicine or an adjacent field is required; organizer approval and recording restrictions apply.

Establish a tenure-track research programme in the Genetics, Genomics, Evolution, and Development division at UC Berkeley. Research may address molecular, cellular or quantitative genetics, genomic technologies, comparative and evolutionary biology, or developmental patterning and organismal form. The department seeks new conceptual or technical directions, with opportunities to collaborate with genomics, bioimaging, developmental biology and computational biology groups. The appointment includes research, teaching, mentoring and service. The anticipated start is 1 July 2027. The advertised nine-month salary is USD 84,100–132,900, with possible additional compensation. Applications close on 19 October 2026 at 23:59 Pacific Time.

Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers can seek up to GBP 3,000 for a research visit to another laboratory. Apply to the participating journal that best matches the work: Development, Journal of Cell Science or Journal of Experimental Biology. The next deadline is 23 October 2026 for travel after 7 December 2026. This recurring fellowship supports research collaboration; it is not a training-course bursary.

The Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research (CTR) provides a dynamic environment for PhD training in placental biology and reproductive science. Founded in 2007, it brings together over 30 Principal Investigators with a shared interest in the scientific study of the placenta, early development and maternal-fetal interactions during pregnancy. Our PIs are recognized international experts in their fields based across Cambridge in the Departments of Physiology, Development, and Neuroscience, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pathology, Genetics, and allied institutes, including the Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, the LMB, Babraham, and Wellcome Sanger Institute. A Loke CTR Studentship will be held within the relevant department or Institute, where an internal Departmental Postgraduate Educational Committee is responsible for administering your degree. Our PhD students have access to unique training opportunities to prepare them for successful careers in research. Students will present their research by giving seminars at our annual Away Days and international conferences, and attend a variety of seminars given by distinguished scientists with the Loke CTR and affiliated Department or Institute. There are also opportunities to participate and present in interdisciplinary seminars hosted by Cambridge Reproduction of which the Loke CTR is a founding member. Students will gain training in our Placental Biology Course and receive support from them to attend international meetings. Loke CTR PhD students will also become members of the Postgraduate School of the Life Sciences, which organises and promotes many further training opportunities. We are pleased to consider applications for fully funded, full-time study over four years or part-time over five years. Application Procedure Please investigate research projects on offer for the 2026/2027 application cycle (https://www.trophoblast.cam.ac.uk/opportunities/projects) and contact potential supervisors in advance of applying. Once you have identified a potential supervisor(s) and project(s), please make a formal application following the instructions and requirements detailed on our website https://www.trophoblast.cam.ac.uk/phd-studentships/selection-process. The application deadline is 3 November 2026. We will hold an initial round of Zoom interviews with potential PhD supervisors in late November (2026). Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a second round of interviews in early January (2027). Finance Loke CTR PhD Studentships will cover all University and College fees at home or international rates, along with a stipend of £22,000 per year. Awarded studentships also include a justified research consumables/equipment of £15,000 and up to £750 funds for conference travel over the duration of the studentship. Key experience and competencies Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK Good II.i Honours Degree. If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications (https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/international/international-qualifications) to find the equivalent in your country. We are looking for strong candidates that will contribute to the science in the Loke CTR and have potential as researchers. During the admissions process, we will consider the academic record and the comments from referees as well as the research experience and achievements of the applicants. We are mindful that the extent of research opportunity and publications can vary substantially depending on background and undergraduate training, for example some countries have longer undergraduate courses, different master requirements, offer short courses and practical research, etc, and all these are put into context when evaluating potential. Please refer to the University of Cambridge Entry (https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/apply/before/entry-requirements) requirements for further detail. Research projects available for 2026/27 entry Endometrial-trophoblast interactions in the regulation of placental invasion into the uterus, supervised by Irving Aye and Naomi McGovern Epigenetic mechanisms linking maternal choline supply and one-carbon metabolism during early perinatal development, supervised by Geula Hanin and Erica Watson GLP-1receptor agonists effects on the placenta and maternal vasculature in an obese pregnancy model, supervised by Sue Ozanne and Wei Li Imaging the dynamics of human implantation, supervised by Kathy Niakan and Naomi McGovern Investigating the role of transcription factors in regulating trophectoderm specification during human embryogenesis, supervised by Peter Rugg-Gunn and Kathy Niakan Questions If you have any queries regarding the selection process, please refer to our website (https://www.trophoblast.cam.ac.uk/phd-studentships) or email phd.lokectr@pdn.cam.ac.uk. The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society. The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.