Postdoctoral Researchers
The Research Department of Structural and Molecular Biology (SMB) is committed to supporting the training and development of our postdoctoral researchers. Below you will find resources for developing research skills, career development, and funding for current and prospective postdocs.
A warm welcome to prospective, new and current postdocs in SMB. As one of the world's leading academic centres for research in biochemistry, we provide a stimulating and diverse research and training environment of international standing in cutting-edge, modern biochemistry.
Our postdoctoral researchers are an integral part of this department. They represent the future of scientific trajectory, and we strive to provide them with a nurturing and exploratory environment supporting their academic and personal growth. We are proud of our postdoctoral alumni and of the successful career paths that they have built.
I look forward to meeting all of you!
Snezana Djordjevic
Department Head
If you have just started as a postdoc at SMB, or want to get a better sense of what it could be like to be a postdoc at SMB, these resources will help you with settling into our department.
Your Postdoctoral Representatives and Academic Liaison
The UCL Division of Biosciences has a postdoc committee that is formed by postdocs from its four research departments. The purpose of the committee is to work to improve postdoctoral life. We encourage the postdoc community to reach to us with your inquiries, questions, complaints, or with any idea or issue that affects you as a postdoc. We can work together to make the postdoc experience at the Division better.
SMB has three postdoctoral representatives:
Our Post Doc Academic Liaison is Flemming Hansen. Flemming is a Professor and Chair of NMR spectroscopy.
Why SMB for your Post Doc?
- UCL's Research Department of Structural and Molecular Biology is one of the world's largest academic centres for research in biochemistry
- ISMB is composed of over 65 Research Groups, one of the largest groupings of Research Labs in structural and molecular biology in the world.
- Sophisticated high-end instrumentation including cryogenic electron microscopy and electron tomography, nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and single-molecule biophysics
We are pioneering both multi-disciplinary approaches aimed to bridge across the scales of biology, and methods to integrate disparate data across the disciplines.
We are particularly recognized for electron microscopy and integrated structural biology approaches. We aim at fostering and leading this field on the global stage.
We pride ourselves in doing world-class research in the most collegial and collaborative environment, with emphasis on a positive research culture of mentoring and promoting equal opportunities for researchers at all levels
We have a very persuasive track record in supporting women in science and pay heed to all aspects of equality, diversity and inclusion.
We provide continuous support and mentorship to support our fellows in their research and career progression
Development and Training Opportunities
Early Career/Independent Fellowship
- UCL Excellence Fellowship The UCL Excellence Fellowship scheme is run by the School of Life and Medical Sciences and is open to the full range of disciplines in basic and applied life sciences. The UCL Excellence Fellowship offers salary and research funding, as well as generous funding supplements for individuals bringing externally funded fellowships to UCL.
- Royal Society University Research Fellowship The URF is for outstanding scientists in the UK who are in the early stages of their research career and have the potential to become leaders in their field. The award covers the fellow’s salary and a fixed contribution to research expenses for five years.
- NERC Independent Research Fellowships The IRF is designed to develop scientific leadership among the most promising early-career environmental scientists. The remit ranges from atmospheric and earth sciences to ecology to evolutionary genetics. The award covers five years of salary and research expenses.
- Wellcome Trust/Royal Society Sir Henry Dale Fellowship This scheme is for outstanding post-doctoral scientists wishing to build their own UK-based, independent research career addressing an important biomedical question. The award covers the fellow’s salary and research costs (including technical assistance) for five years.
- MRC Non-Clinical Career Development Award The scheme supports talented post-doctoral researchers in the biomedical sciences to lead their own research plans and establish their own, independent research team. The award includes the fellow’s salary and support for research staff, consumables expenses, travel costs and capital equipment for up to five years.
- European Research Council Starting Grants The scheme targets promising researchers who have the proven potential of becoming independent research leaders. The five-year award has a flexible budget that can be used to cover the fellow’s salary, PhD and postdoc posts, consumable, travel and equipment.
- Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellowship These awards are equivalent to the University Research Fellowships, but specifically targeted at individuals who require a flexible working pattern due to personal circumstances such as parenting or caring responsibilities or health issues.
- Wellcome Career Development
This scheme provides funding for mid-career researchers from any discipline who have the potential to be international research leaders. They will develop their research capabilities, drive innovative programmes of work and deliver significant shifts in understanding that could improve human life, health and wellbeing.
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