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We are looking for a Research Practitioner to join the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience (NDCN).This full time post is based at the Oxford Parkinson’s Disease Centre Clinical Team (OPDC: https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/opdc/opdc-home) and the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital. The primary research focus will be on comprehensive longitudinal clinical phenotyping of subjects with REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD).The newly-established multidisciplinary Oxford-GSK Institute for Molecular & Computational Medicine (IMCM) will improve tools in, and knowledge from, genetics, genomics, molecular and single cell biology, spatial imaging, machine learning and novel methods of data handling to study the pattern of diseases in new ways.

Approximately 6-8% of RBD subjects convert to PD or Dementia with Lewy Bodies every year, and RBD is the strongest known risk factor for future PD. Supervised by Professor Michele Hu, Consultant Neurologist, the research practitioner will join a team comparing clinical motor rating scales (eg MDS-UPDRS III) to digital smartphone motor testing, ambulatory gait and polysomnography (PSG) in this promising PD prodromal at-risk group. RBD subjects will be recruited and assessed at 3 UK sleep clinics following PSG diagnosis (Oxford, Papworth-Cambridge and Sheffield). The Research Practitioner will also assist in the collection of biosamples (such as DNA, serum, plasma) and following appropriate training and supervision, skin biopsy and cerebrospinal fluid.

The Research Practitioner will benefit from working within a well-established OPDC group (since 2010) with a track record of leading cohort digital biomarker work, a well-established OPDC imaging group within the Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (WIN: https://www.win.ox.ac.uk, Dr Johannes Klein), Genetic/omics expertise through the Oxford-GSK IMCM (Prof John Todd) and Cognitive Neuroscience (Dr Sanjay Manohar, Prof Masud Husain).The OPDC clinical team and related cohort of over 1000 participants have an established track record of publications in the field of PD risk and stratification biomarkers (for complete list see https://www.dpag.ox.ac.uk/publications). Research will continue to build on established themes within the OPDC in identifying the earliest changes in Parkinson’s Disease applying clinical, MRI, digital and wet biomarkers to living RBD and PD individuals.

The post is suitable for somebody wishing to pursue a research career in neurology or a related medical speciality and will be at the level of Research Practitioner/Research Nurse. Postgraduate -level exposure and experience (ideally with a Master of Science qualification) in PD, dementia and related movement disorders is essential to meet the post requirements. The successful candidate should also have computing experience, experience of working with patients with PD/Movement Disorders/atypical parkinsonism, and the ability to write concisely, coherently and logically.

Please see the below 'Job Description' for more details on the responsibilities and selection criteria, as well as further information about the university and how to apply.