Head of Liver Cell Production and Research

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King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.7 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King's College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.

Job overview

Applications are invited from enthusiastic and motivated people with relevant biomedical or biological discipline with experience in the field of hepatocyte isolation and preparation for clinical use, working under GMP conditions and in hepatocyte encapsulation (microbeads).

We are looking for a conscientious and well-organised individual to lead Liver Cell Isolation Section the Hepatocyte Biology and Transplantation Group.

The post holder shall work closely with other teams isolating other cells for human use, most immediately, the Islet cell transplant team.

Main duties of the job

The individual shall lead well organised liver cell isolation, and cell preparation procedures for clinical transplantation from deceased donors. Develop hepatocyte isolation and subsequent proliferation ex vivo from explant livers. Also develop Bio-engineering techniques such as bio-printing for research and human use. Oversee day to day research lab activities, initiate and pursue improvements in the techniques used by the cell transplantation team during the isolation and preparation of clinical grade liver cells and initiate and actively participate in research & development related to liver cell transplantation including training and laboratory supervision of other researchers involved in the work.

Working for our organisation

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder is expected to:

• Be responsible for all aspects of the isolation, cryopreservation, storage and thawing of human hepatocytes (liver cells) from unused donor livers for clinical cell transplantation.
• Perform liver-processing procedures when donor organs become available outside normal working hours.
• Be responsible for preparation of human hepatocytes for clinical transplantation and maintenance of all records of cells used for clinical transplantation. In accordance with requirements for accreditation of the King's Cell Isolation Unit by the HTA as a Tissue Bank.
• Supervise scientists, postgraduate students, research fellows, and clinicians in the isolation, cryopreservation (storage and thawing) of human primary hepatocytes from donor livers.
• Develop alginate encapsulation of hepatocytes (hepatocyte microbeads) for interperitoneal transplantation in patients with acute liver failure
• Establish hepatocyte preparation and encapsulation under GMP conditions under Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) license
• Perform hepatocyte encapsulation when a patient becomes available, which could be outside normal working hours
• Responsible for maintenance of records of cell encapsulation preparations in accordance
• Train and supervise junior scientists, post-graduate students, research fellows, and clinicians involved in the hepatocyte encapsulation work and microbeads preparation for clinical use.
• Collate and present results of the work orally in national and international conferences and in peer-reviewed publications.

Scientific/Research and Development

The post holder is expected to:

Prepare and lead grant applications further development of human hepatocyte transplantation.

Develop methods to assess hepatocyte viability and function both in vitro and after In vivo transplantation.

Develop improved methods for cell isolation and handling and evaluate alternative cell sources.

Evaluate hepatocytes isolated from liver resections and other tissue sources for research (to enhance the understanding of human cell transplantation).

Carry out teaching and laboratory training of scientists, research fellows and other staff attached to the Hepatocyte Biology & Transplantation Group.

Contribute to overall operation, administration and scientific development of the hepatocyte transplantation programme.

Develop tests/methods to assess the quality, cell function and activity of the hepatocyte microbeads

Regularly review relevant scientific literature to help in the further development of the encapsulation technique

Contribute to the overall operation, administration and scientific development of the hepatocyte microbead transplantation programme.

Continue contribution to the training and supervision of postgraduate students and research fellows.

Regularly review the relevant scientific literature for developments pertinent to the cell transplantation program, its advancement and its research interests.

Administration

The post holder is expected to:

Be responsible for Health and Safety within the service, acting with the Liver Studies Safety Officer through membership of the Health and Safety committee.

Initiate and pursue policies, writing and updating standard operating proceedings related to running the Cell Isolation Unit (GMP facility) and the isolation and preparation of clinical grade cells.

Implement policies agreed with the Quality Assurance Manager.

Develop better working practices for improving the liver cell transplantation programme.

With the Quality Assurance Manager, Inform clinicians of developments in the liver cell transplantation programme.

Frequently update databases and spreadsheets used for manipulating and recording research data, cell transplantation data, and managing resources.

Person specification

quaification

Essential criteria

• PhD in a relevant biomedical or biological discipline
• Extensive experience in the field of hepatocyte isolation and preparation for clinical use

Desirable criteria

• Presentation of research data to varied audience

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Click here to see the range of benefits we offer
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust's criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Due to a high volume of applications, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. It is therefore recommended that you apply promptly

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reports and Other Corporate Publications

King's Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre Website

King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

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Documents to download

• Head of Liver Cell Production and Research (PDF, 256.4KB)
• Denmark Hill Site Map (PDF, 1.2MB)
• Princess Royal (PRUH) Site map (PDF, 1.4MB)
• Visa and Sponsorship Information (PDF, 352.6KB)