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LONDON SCHOOL OF HYGIENE & TROPICAL MEDICINE
(University of London)
FACULTY OF INFECTIOUS AND TROPICAL DISEASES
Department of Immunology and Infection
POST NAME: Malaria Centre Coordinator (0.4 FTE)
FURTHER PARTICULARS
1. ADVERTISEMENT
Malaria Centre Coordinator
We are seeking to appoint a Malaria Centre Coordinator. The Malaria Centre at the
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine houses the largest number of
malaria researchers, students and support staff in Europe. The Centre is unique in its
size and breadth and draws together the diverse research and teaching activities
carried out at the School as well as developing tools, techniques and knowledge
about malaria, a strong emphasis is placed on translating research outcomes into
practice. Centre members also play an instrumental role in the world-class teaching
and training of malaria students and professionals across the world. The Centre has
a range of facilities that contribute to the diagnosis, treatment and research of
malaria. The Coordinator will bring the members together through regular seminars
and events and will provide support to research projects in malaria endemic
countries.
The successful applicant will coordinate the Malaria Centre’s day-to-day activities,
often working independently and requiring use of strong initiative to drive activities
forward in the absence of the Malaria Centre Director/Deputy Director. Organising
and promoting regular meetings and seminars held by the Malaria Centre including
annual retreats to which overseas partners are usually invited. Applicants should
have experience in budgets, monitoring expenditure & income, and providing
quarterly financial statements: Liaising with the Director of the Malaria Centre and
Faculty Administrators in respect of monitoring grant submissions and awards to
ensure that the Malaria Centre levy is applied for and/or collected. A background in
communications would be advantageous as the successful applicant will be working
with LSHTM External Relations Department to develop and implement a
communications and advocacy strategy for the Malaria Centre and producing
educational and other materials as necessary for dissemination to various target
audiences.
The post is funded by the Wellcome Trust for a period of 1 year and is available as
soon as possible. Full time equivalent Salary is £31,756 pro-rata for 0.4 FTE
(inclusive of London Weighting).
Applications should be made online via our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The closing
date is 20th June 2013 and the reference for this post is MCC13. Online applications
will be accepted by the automated system until midnight of the closing date. Any
queries regarding the application process may be addressed to [email protected].
The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience
and training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more
paragraphs addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part
of the selection process and thus a failure to provide this information will mean that
the application will not be considered. An answer to any of the criteria such as
“Please see attached CV” will not be considered acceptable.
Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on the interview date
it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an
equal opportunities employer
2.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is one of Europe’s leading
schools of Public Health and a leading postgraduate institution worldwide for
research and postgraduate education in global health.
Part of the University of London, the London School is the largest institution of its
kind in Europe with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise encompassing
many disciplines. The School was ranked one of the top 3 research institutions in the
country in the Times Higher Education’s 'table of excellence', which is based on the
2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). In 2009, the School became the first
UK institution to win the Gates Award for Global Health.
The School’s environment is a rich multicultural one: there are almost 4000 students
from 100+ countries following 22 taught masters courses delivered either in London
(~650) or through distance learning (~2700), and undertaking research degree
training (~400). Over 40% of these students are from non-European countries. The
largest growth has been in distance learning students (>40% over 3 years), though
the London-based student population (where accommodation limits growth) is at its
highest level ever. Alumni are working in more than 180 countries. The School has
about 1500 staff drawn from over 60 nationalities.
There are research collaborations with over 100 countries throughout the world,
utilizing our critical mass of multidisciplinary expertise which includes clinicians,
epidemiologists, statisticians, social scientists, economists, molecular biologists,
immunologists, ophthalmologists, anthropologists, virologists, pharmacologists and
nutritionists. At any one time around 100 School staff are based overseas,
particularly in Africa and Asia. We have a strong commitment to partnership with
institutions in low and middle income countries to support the development of
teaching and research capacity.
The School has expanded greatly in recent years. Its research funding now exceeds
£67M per annum, much of it from highly competitive national and international
sources. The commitment of staff to methodological rigour, innovative thinking and
policy relevance will ensure that the School continues to occupy a leadership position
in national and global health, adapting quickly to new challenges and opportunities.
Mission
To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership
to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation
of knowledge into policy and practice.
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases
The Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases encompasses all of the laboratorybased research in the School as well as that on the clinical and epidemiological
aspects of infectious and tropical diseases. It is headed by David Mabey, who is
Professor of Communicable Diseases. The range of disciplines represented in the
faculty is very broad and inter-disciplinary research is a feature of much of our
activity. The spectrum of diseases studied is wide and there are major research
groups with a focus on malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other sexually
transmitted diseases, vaccine development and evaluation, and vector biology and
disease control. The Faculty is organised into four large research departments
comprising: Pathogen Molecular Biology, Immunology and Infection, Disease
Control, and Clinical Research. There is close interaction between scientists in
different research teams. The Faculty has strong overseas links, which provide a
basis for field studies and international collaborations in developed and developing
countries. The teaching programme includes MSc courses, taught in-house and by
distance learning, which are modular in structure, a variety of short-courses and an
active doctoral programme (PhD and DrPH).
Department of Immunology and Infection (Head: Dr Colin Sutherland)
Research in the Department of Immunology and Infection centres on analysis of the
host response to infection at the molecular, cellular and population levels. The goals
are to develop a greater understanding of basic mechanisms of immunological
protection versus pathology, and to apply this knowledge to the development of
immunological interventions and the identification of correlates of immune status. Our
work involves application of state-of-the-art cellular and molecular approaches to the
in vitro analysis of pathogen-host cell interactions, to in vivo studies in models and to
the study of immunity at the population level in disease endemic areas. Main areas of
research include the regulation of acute and chronic inflammation; macrophagepathogen interactions; cellular pharmacology; the production of cytokines during
innate and acquired immune responses; T-cell function and antigen recognition; the
mechanisms of immunopathology; the development of vaccines; and delivery
systems for vaccines and drugs.
Current research includes the role of acute phase proteins in resistance to infection,
homeostasis and inflammatory disease, mechanisms of macrophage activation,
control of cytokine synthesis and mammalian lectin interactions (J. Raynes);
intracellular trafficking and secretory pathways of cells of the immune system (T.
Ward); the role of innate responses in resistance to the bacterial pathogens,
Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Burkholderia pseudomallei, activity and regulation of
natural killer cells and their effect on macrophage activation and recruitment,
regulation of chemokine receptors during infection and granulomatous tissue
responses in the lung against Cryptococcus neoformans and Mycobacterium
tuberculosis (G. Bancroft); longitudinal studies on immune correlates of protection
against malaria in Uganda and a cluster-randomized trial on the impact of targeted
Interventions on malaria transmission in Kenya and Mali (T. Bousema); identification
and evaluation of novel drugs and formulations for the treatment of leishmaniasis,
malaria, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American
trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). This research includes projects on miltefosine,
AmBisome and topical paromomycin as well as on drug – immune response
interactions and PK PD relationships (S Croft); correlates of protection against
tuberculosis and studies of BCG vaccination, human CD8+ T-cell responses to
mycobacterial antigens and synthetic peptides, use of whole blood assays in
immuno-epidemiology (H. Dockrell); innate and adaptive immunity to malaria
including activation of natural killer cells, cytokine regulation in clinical immunity and
immunopathology, regulation of antibody production and immunoglobulin class
switching (E. Riley); induction and regulation of innate and adaptive immune
responses to malaria pre-erythrocytic stage and blood stage parasites (J. Hafalla);
using anti-malarial antibodies as a marker of malaria exposure & assessment of the
use of sero-epidemiology to monitor and target malaria control measures
www.seromap.com (C. Drakeley) transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria
including antibody responses to gametocyte-infected erythrocyte surface antigens,
effect of gamete antigen variability on transmission, gametocyte sequestration and
development and gametocyticidal drug therapy (C. Sutherland); characterisation of
protective immune mechanisms and defined antigens in attenuated vaccine models
of schistosomiasis (Q. Bickle); impact of concomitant viral, bacterial, protozoal and
helminth infections on induction of immune responses and immunopathology and T
cell regulation and induction of mucosal immune responses during intestinal
nematode infections (H. Helmby); the immunoregulatory function of L-arginine
metabolism in infectious diseases, both experimentally and in endemic areas in
Africa, with special emphasis on leishmaniasis and HIV (P Kropf); innate and
adaptive immunity to Leishmania infection by sand fly bite including the influence of
sand fly saliva and parasite glycoconjugates on macrophage and neutrophil
activation, dermal T-cell function, wound response to vector bites and
immunoepidemiology of leishmaniasis using antibodies to sand fly saliva as
serological markers of vector exposure (M Rogers); anti-protozoal chemotherapy
with focus on anti-leishmanial drug discovery and development including drug
combinations and drug delivery systems, anti-leishmanial vaccine development and
immunotherapies, models for drug and vaccine development and the role of
macrophages in context of anti-leishmanial drug treatment (K Seifert); the
identification and evaluation of novel drugs and drug delivery systems for
leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis and malaria, interaction between antiprotozoal drugs
and the immune response (V. Yardley)
(Streptococcus pneumoniae), Bluetongue viral disease of livestock, Herpesviridae,
SARS, the hemorrhagic fever virus (RVFV) and the enteric rotavirus that cause
significant diarrhoeal disease in infants developing countries.
The long-term aim of PMBD research is to gain a fully rounded understanding of the
complex and dynamic ways by which pathogens modulate virulence and interact with
the human host. Such a holistic approach will vastly increase the scope for the
rational of design of long-term intervention strategies to reduce the burden of
infectious disease. In recent years such a mission has been significantly enhanced
by the availability of whole genome sequences. Members of the Department are, or
have been, involved in several pathogen genome projects including Herpes,
Campylobacter jejuni, Yersinia pestis, Clostridium difficile, Entamoeba and
Trypanosome species. In particular, post genome studies have facilitated research
on more complex parasites such as Plasmodium, Entamoeba and Trypanosome
species. The interpretation and exploitation of this basic information is the platform
for numerous new avenues of research on pathogenesis, epidemiology and the
evolution of virulence.
Teaching
The School offers 22 one year full-time taught courses leading to the Master of
Science (MSc) degree of the University of London and the Diploma of the London
School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (DLSHTM). The Faculty of Infectious and
Tropical Diseases runs or contributes substantially to ten of these courses and the
“Immunology of Infectious Diseases” course is run from within the Department of
Immunology and Infection. In addition, the Faculty is responsible for the three-month
Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) and offers a range of specialist
short courses lasting usually one or two weeks. Three MSc courses are also offered
by Distance-based Learning, including one on Infectious Diseases.
Teaching requirements
For research assistants and research fellows:
To contribute to the Faculty teaching programme, up to 10% of your time per annum,
subject to the policy of any funding agency (by agreement, some staff may make a
greater contribution than this).
For lecturers and above:
To contribute to the Faculty teaching programme, up to 15% of your time per annum,
subject to the policy of any funding agency (by agreement, some staff may make a
greater contribution than this).
Research Training
The School offers two doctoral training programmes. The MPhil/PhD degrees are
designed for those who wish to go on to a full time research career. The DrPH is
directed towards those who expect their careers to be more in the practice of public
health.
3.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Post: Malaria Centre Coordinator (12 month post, 0.4 FTE)
Grade: PSP 5
Responsible to: Dr Chris Drakeley, Director Malaria Centre
Dept: Immunology and Infection
Start date: As soon as possible
Main duties and responsibilities:
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Coordinating the Malaria Centre’s day-to-day activities, often working
independently and requiring use of strong initiative to drive activities
forward in the absence of the Malaria Centre Director/Deputy Director
Organising and promoting regular meetings and seminars held by the
Malaria Centre including annual retreats to which overseas partners are
usually invited
Managing the Malaria Centre budget: monitoring expenditure & income,
and providing quarterly financial statements for the Director/Deputy
Director and the LSHTM Executive Officer (EO)
Assisting, when necessary, in the administration of funds grants received
by the Malaria Centre from external funding bodies: monitoring
expenditure & income (as above), and providing any required reports to
the funding bodies as stipulated in the funding agreement(s)
Liaising with the EO, Director of the Malaria Centre and Faculty
Administrators in respect of monitoring grant submissions and awards to
ensure that the Malaria Centre levy is applied for and/or collected
Working with LSHTM External Relations Department to develop and
implement a communications and advocacy strategy for the Malaria
Centre and producing educational and other materials as necessary for
dissemination to various target audiences
Work with the focal points persons for different activities (epidemiology,
clinical trials, economics etc) to support them to bridge/engage individual
researchers with the Malaria Centre.
Maintaining, developing and updating regularly the Malaria Centre’s web
pages including an inventory of malaria studies
Collating information for, preparing and disseminating the biennial report
on the Malaria Centre’s activities
Receiving enquiries and distributing information to Malaria Centre
members, such as calls for research proposals, job opportunities and
handling enquiries from prospective students and collaborators
Acting as the first point of contact about malaria activities in the School for
outside enquirers
Providing administrative support, as necessary, to the Director and
Deputy Director of the Malaria Centre based at LSHTM.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
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Proven experience in the administration of scientific, research or other
projects in a relevant area
Proven experience in preparing and monitoring budgets and preparing
financial reports
Proven experience of organising meetings and workshops
Excellent written and oral communications skills including a high level of
accuracy and a proven ability to write reports to a high standard
Proven ability to take initiative, to work independently and to escalate
issues appropriately
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Excellent organisational skills including a proven ability to prioritise
effectively
Excellent IT skills including the use of word processing packages,
databases and an advanced working knowledge of Excel
Excellent interpersonal skills, including a proven ability to establish and
maintain effective working relationships with individuals from different
backgrounds and cultures
Proven experience of designing and maintaining web-pages and a good
working knowledge of Web authoring tools and content management
systems
Proven experience of using desk top publishing software (e.g. Abobe
InDesign or QuarkXpress) to produce documents for publication
An interest in developing countries and/or malaria
A willingness to undertake UK or non-UK work related travel
Desirable
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Experience of/or interest in developing countries and/or malaria
SALARY AND CONDITIONS OF APPOINTMENT
The post is funded by the Wellcome Trust for a period of 1 year in the first instance
and is available from 1st June 2013 Salary is on the Professional Support Pathway
Grade 5 salary scale at £31,376 (inclusive of London Weighting) pro rata for 0.4 FTE.
Annual leave entitlement is 30 working days per year for all staff (pro-rata for parttime staff). In addition to this there are 6 fixed-date "Director's Days".
6.
APPLICATIONS
Applications should be made online via our website at http://jobs.lshtm.ac.uk The
reference for this post is MCC13. Applications should also include the names and
email contacts of 2 referees who can be contacted immediately if shortlisted. Any
queries regarding the application process may be addressed to [email protected].
Closing date for the receipt of applications is 20 June 2013.
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an equal
opportunities employer