Careers

The research group led by Claudia Contini, based at Imperial College London in the UK, is looking to expand its team.

NEW: Research Associate in Motile Vesicle Engineering for Mitochondrial Matrix Delivery – Deadline: 17 September 2026

About the position: You will contribute to pioneering research at the interface of synthetic biology, soft matter biophysics and membrane engineering, leading the development of autonomous, motile synthetic vesicles within an ambitious UK consortium spanning Imperial College London, the University of Birmingham and partner Institutions, funded through the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency’s (ARIA) Precision Mitochondria programme.

You will take the lead on the design, development, and testing of motile synthetic vesicles capable of delivering genetic cargo into the mitochondrial matrix. You will work closely with collaborators across disciplines, gaining experience in cutting-edge methods at the interface of synthetic biology, soft matter biophysics and membrane engineering.

Specifically, you will:

• Contribute to manuscripts, grant reporting, milestone reviews, and present at consortium and international meetings.
• Design and fabricate motile synthetic vesicles with controlled morphology, topology and membrane composition, optimised for structural stability, autonomous motility and mitochondrial compatibility.
• Implement and quantify biocompatible propulsion mechanisms that drive sustained, directional vesicle motion.
• Develop biological assays using cell-mimetic membrane systems (GUVs with cell-mimic composition), isolated mitochondria and cell cultures, to evaluate membrane engagement, penetration and matrix delivery.
• Combine motility with mitochondrial-targeting ligands to develop a dual strategy of active intracellular exploration followed by selective anchoring.
• Work closely with consortium partners to hybridise vesicle systems with complementary delivery components and contribute to a shared benchmarking and validation framework across the programme.

Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship

The group is looking for self-motivated candidates who are pursuing external funding and are interested in applying for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. The Postdoctoral Fellowships action targets researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. Deadline: 9 September 2026.

If you are interested, please email Claudia Contini.

About the Contini Lab

The Contini lab is interested in how molecules, macromolecules, vesicles, and both biological and synthetic elements can be combined to create life-like behaviours and bio-inspired biotechnologies. The group focuses on designing and constructing synthetic cells, minimal systems built from the bottom up using biomolecules and synthetic components. Read more on the Contini Lab website