Job Description

The posts are based within the Departments of Upper Gastrointestinal (UGI) Surgery at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine at the University of Liverpool. The successful applicant will be expected to register for a higher degree at the University of Liverpool (the post is designed to support research for a PhD, subject to satisfactory progress) and will receive research training, close supervision and mentorship.



The successful applicant will have a commitment to participating in the general surgical on call registrar rota at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital and limited service requirements in the UGI Surgery department. We have a strong track record of candidates completing higher degrees, achieving publications in high impact clinical and scientific journals and in obtaining external funding support such as Royal College of Surgeons of England Research Fellowships. The posts are funded by the Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and attract a full salary on the specialist registrar pay scale with appropriate on call supplements.



The post is open to candidates who are currently in UK surgical training programmes who wish to take time out of programme to develop their research skills and academic portfolio. Interested candidates should contact: Mr Nathan Stephens; nathan.stephens@liverpoolft.nhs.uk and Professor Mark Pritchard; mark.pritchard@liverpool.ac.uk



It is expected that the successful candidate will spend their working week (Monday-Friday) carrying out hands-on laboratory based research in the Henry Wellcome Laboratory at the Nuffield Building of the University of Liverpool. The laboratory is home to the North-West Organoid Hub and it is anticipated that the candidate will be involved in organoid based translational research closely aligned with the aims of the Hub. Core activities will include:



Tissue acquisition from biopsy and resectional specimens at the Royal Liverpool Hospital Organoid derivation, culture and cryopreservation Drug screening, including chemosensitivity assays Data integration & analysis of in-vitro and in-vivo results

The candidate will be expected to present their progress through monthly meetings with their supervisory team and contribute to departmental seminars and away day presentations. There will also be opportunity to lead and assist with new and ongoing clinical research projects within the UGI department.



The candidate is also expected to take advantage of the University's resources and complete additional courses which are relevant to their field of study, further aiding their personal and professional development.



In addition, there will be participation on the on-call general surgery registrar rota and weekend days. There will also be a small teaching commitment of 3-4 hours every 6 months.



Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.



We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.



UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.



For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.



Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.



For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page .



JOB PLAN



It is expected that the successful candidate will spend their working week (Monday-Friday) carrying out hands-on laboratory based research in the Henry Wellcome Laboratory at the Nuffield Building of the University of Liverpool. The laboratory is home to the North-West Organoid Hub and it is anticipated that the candidate will be involved in organoid based translational research closely aligned with the aims of the Hub. Core activities will include:



Tissue acquisition from biopsy and resectional specimens at the Royal Liverpool Hospital Organoid derivation, culture and cryopreservation Drug screening, including chemosensitivity assays Data integration & analysis of in-vitro and in-vivo results

The candidate will be expected to present their progress through monthly meetings with their supervisory team and contribute to departmental seminars and away day presentations. There will also be opportunity to lead and assist with new and ongoing clinical research projects within the UGI department.



The candidate is also expected to take advantage of the University's resources and complete additional courses which are relevant to their field of study, further aiding their personal and professional development.



In addition, there will be participation on the on-call general surgery registrar rota and weekend days. There will also be a small teaching commitment of 3-4 hours every 6 months.



UPPER GI UNIT AT LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST



The UGI unit is run by an established team of Upper GI cancer surgeons, working within the RLUH providing an upper GI cancer resection service for Liverpool and surrounding areas. This comprises a population in excess of one million patients, and generates approximately 150 resections per year. This will include patients from across the region including patients from the catchment area of North and South Liverpool, the Wirral, St Helens and Knowsley, North Cheshire, Southport, Chester and the Isle of Man. The service is supported by three SpRs, three specialist nurses and two dedicated Upper GI Dieticians. There is also a dedicated team of anaesthetists that support the service for both assessment and single lung anaesthesia; with provision for CPET testing. The regional SMDT is held weekly at RLUH, and is a joint collaboration between Upper GI Surgeons at RLUH, Gastroenterology, Medical/Clinical Oncology, Radiology as well as palliative care, Specialist Nurses and pathology. The unit is also responsible of carrying out complex benign upper GI work but specifically excludes bariatric surgery.



THE DEPARTMENT OF MOLECULAR AND CLINICAL CANCER MEDICINE



The Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine (DMCCM) is one of six departments within the Institute of Translational Medicine. The Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine provides a vibrant home to approximately 200 staff including 30 principal investigators who collectively lead a comprehensive programme of basic, translational and clinical cancer research. Clinical focus areas include neuroendocrine cancer, upper GI cancer, pancreas cancer, ocular oncology, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, hepatobiliary cancer, haematological oncology, urological cancer and breast cancer while areas of particular scientific strength include DNA repair, p53 biology and tumour Microenvironment.



The Department hosts several important underpinning structures including the Liverpool Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (LECMC), The Liverpool Cancer Trials Unit and the North West Surgical Trials Centre.