Transition Research Fellow

Contract & job type: Full-time, fixed-term for 30 months


About us:
At the Department of Physiology Anatomy & Genetics (DPAG) we undertake discovery science where we reassemble physiological processes at the molecular, cellular, tissue and systems level of organisation. In so doing we provide a bridge to translational medicine, and interface between physical and life sciences. We are committed not only to innovative research and the highest standard of teaching, but also to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment.




Overview of the role:
We seek to recruit two highly motivated senior post-doctoral researchers onto a transition fellowship award as part of the MRC-BHF Centre in Advanced Cardiac Therapies (REACT). Established in 2025, REACT aims to develop novel therapeutic approaches to regenerate the injured heart and reverse established heart failure. This new Centre brings together world-leading scientists and clinicians from King's College London and the Universities of Oxford and Edinburgh, combined with other academic partners and biotech and pharmaceutical industry representatives, to develop new medicines and deliver them to the injured or failing heart. The Centre will widely disseminate its progress and key findings to the public and patients and is firmly committed to training, career development and promoting early career researchers.


The REACT transition fellow will be based at the Institute of Developmental & Regenerative Medicine (IDRM) within the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics and hosted by Professor Paul Riley – the Director and Cardiovascular lead for the IDRM and Co-Director of REACT.
The IDRM is a flagship research institute at the University of Oxford and provides a dynamic, collaborative research environment. With 15-20 research groups and, at full capacity, around 240 research staff, IDRM investigates how understanding normal development can inform strategies to regenerate diseased or injured tissues. Research spans three major themes: cardiovascular science, neuroscience and immunology, addressing key organ systems targeted by non-communicable diseases.


The REACT Transition Fellowship programme aims to support and develop outstanding postdoctoral researchers, enabling them to secure competitive external funding and to foster the next generation of leaders in advanced cardiac therapies aligned with the strategic mission of REACT and the IDRM.
The successful Fellow will receive a £150,000 transitional award over two and a half years in addition to salary. This funding may be used flexibly, for example to support a research assistant (where justified), consumables, and travel for conferences or collaborative placements. The Fellow will retain full budgetary control of the award.


The Fellowship is intended to facilitate researchers in transitioning to independence through externally funded, highly competitive fellowship or career development awards to enable them to progress to Group Leader status through securing substantial external funding.
Within the first 18-24 months, the Fellow is expected to apply for follow-on external funding, aiming to secure a competitive 5-8-year fellowship or Career Development Award (CDA) from UKRI (BBSRC, MRC, EPSRC), BHF, Wellcome Trust, or an equivalent funder. The Fellow will be supported by Professor Paul Riley and senior REACT and IDRM colleagues throughout the application process, with successful funding representing the next step toward full independence.
During the Fellowship, the awardee will be affiliated with Professor Riley’s research group and listed accordingly on the IDRM website, to ensure mentoring and support. However, the Fellow will manage their own budget, recruit staff as appropriate, and lead their research programme and outputs, including academic publications.


Selection criteria
Applicants should have a PhD in a related field and already have demonstrated several years of postdoctoral experience; distinctive research achievements, a strong publication record, and a compelling long term-year research vision. The successful candidate must actively pursue interdisciplinary collaborations and demonstrate emerging independence in areas such as target discovery, cardiac delivery and clinical translation that will add strategic value to REACT and the IDRM.


How to apply:
Please provide a supporting statement outlining how you meet the selection criteria along with your CV, and the details of two referees as part of your online application.
The closing date for applications is 12 noon on Monday 15th June 2026.
Interviews are likely to take place during the week commencing 29th June.
Applications are particularly welcome from women, black and minority ethnic candidates who are under-represented in academic posts in Oxford.


DPAG’s Statement of Inclusion:
We, as a Department and Community, will be considerate and welcoming of all people, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and socio-economic background. We acknowledge societal inequalities and how these impact us, and those around us, personally and professionally. Our policies, practices and Respectful Behaviours Framework underpin this commitment.