Technical Specialist: Neurodegenerative Disease Spatial Transcriptomics and Data Generation

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges.

We are seeking a Technical Specialist to join the Bayraktar lab at the Wellcome Sanger Institute to generate large-scale spatial transcriptomic datasets of neurodegenerative diseases. Supported by Open Targets, the technical specialist will initially optimise Xenium spatial transcriptomics and high multiplexed protein imaging on patient tissue samples. The role will subsequently expand to supervise and coordinate single cell and spatial transcriptomic data generation in the project. This position is for a 2 year contract.

About Us:

The Bayraktar lab uses spatial and single cell transcriptomics to discover the biology of human brain disorders. The team has generated large-scale single cell and spatial multiomic atlases of human brain diseases and other pathologies with deep experience in spatial transcriptomic data generation and analysis.

Open Targets is a public-private partnership involving the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a world-leading genomics institution, EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), a global leader in the management, integration and analysis of public domain life science data, and world-leading pharmaceutical companies GSK, Sanofi, MSD, Pfizer, and Genentech

The Open Targets (OT) research programme generates and analyses data to connect targets to diseases, assess the strength of this evidence, and help identify and prioritise targets for drug discovery. This includes evidence that causally links targets and diseases, as well as foundational data that helps us understand biological processes and disease progression more deeply.

About the Role:

You will join a new project to create comparative cell atlases of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). You will work with a close group of wet and dry lab collaborators to generate Xenium spatial transcriptomics datasets from brain tissue over 200 patients. Your role will initially focus on tissue handling and optimisation of spatial data generation, including a combination of Xenium with high multiplexed protein imaging. The role will subsequently expand to supervise and coordinate single cell and spatial transcriptomic data generation in the project, with support from your line manager.

This project is part of a broader programme of work also including cellular screening led by Andrew Bassett's team and collaborators across Oxford, Cambridge and London, and forms part of the Open Targets collaboration between academic and industrial partners to identify new drug targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.

Relevant Publications:

• De Jong, G. et al. A spatiotemporal cancer cell trajectory underlies glioblastoma heterogeneity. bioRxiv 2025.05.13.653495 (2025).
• Saraswat, M. et al. Decoding Plasticity Regulators and Transition Trajectories in Glioblastoma with Single-cell Multiomics. bioRxiv 2025.05.13.653733 (2025).
• Lee, J. T. H. et al. Integrated histopathology, spatial and single cell transcriptomics resolve cellular drivers of early and late alveolar damage in COVID-19. Nat Commun 16, 1979 (2025).
• Kleshchevnikov, V. et al. Cell2location maps fine-grained cell types in spatial transcriptomics. Nat Biotechnol 40, 661-671 (2022).
• Li, T. et al. WebAtlas pipeline for integrated single-cell and spatial transcriptomic data. Nat Methods 22, 3-5 (2025).

About You:

This role would be an excellent for a wet lab scientist interested in spatial omics and neurodegeneration, with a clear career progression path. Experience in spatial omics and tissue handling is desirable, but not required and training will be provided.

Essential Skills:

• MSc (or equivalent experience) in a biological science
• Experience working within a laboratory environment
• Prior experience or knowledge of histology and tissue processing
• Ability to follow instructions and protocols accurately & efficiently
• Strict adherence to SOPs and attention to detail when performing routine tasks
• Ability to test, implement, and troubleshoot new techniques and protocols
• Proven ability to work effectively within a team
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to receive and give feedback
• Good organisational skills and record keeping
• A team player who enjoys working with others in a friendly and collegiate manner
• Ability to successfully manage and prioritise multiple competing projects
• Proven experience of in training and developing others in scientific techniques

Other information:

Salary per annum(dependent upon skills and experience): £40,523-£48,143

Application Process:

Please apply with your CV and a Cover Letter outlining how you meet the criteria set out above.

Closing Date:27th July 2025

Hybrid Working at Wellcome Sanger:

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That's why we're committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Our Benefits:

We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.

Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative In March 2018. The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.