Professor Roslyn Bill, Aston University’s 50th Anniversary Professor of Biotechnology and Director of the Aston Institute for Membrane Excellence, is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to join her team on the ERC Advanced Grant project, FORTIFY. The research focuses on understanding brain water flow and slowing the onset of dementia by investigating the subcellular relocalization of aquaporin 4 and its role in glymphatic clearance. Impaired glymphatic clearance is linked to the accumulation of toxic waste in the brain, contributing to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The successful candidate will be based at Aston University but will spend most of their time at the University of Oxford, collaborating with Dr Mootaz Salman. The core project involves developing a gliovascular interface on a chip to create a controlled microenvironment for detailed measurements of glymphatic regulation using advanced imaging techniques. The position is ideal for candidates with a background in bioengineering, cell biology, molecular biology, or bioscience, and who have hands-on experience with microfluidic chips, mammalian cell culture, and advanced imaging. This is a full-time, fixed-term postdoctoral position for 29 months, fully funded by the ERC Advanced Grant. The salary is between £40,497 and £49,559 per annum (Grade 08), and the role comes with a comprehensive benefits package, including generous annual leave, training and development opportunities, family-friendly policies, and access to on-site gym and pool facilities. The position may be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship, subject to assessment. Applicants should submit their CV and a statement outlining their suitability and what they will bring to the role via the Aston University job portal. Informal enquiries can be directed to Professor Roslyn Bill or Dr Mootaz Salman. The closing date for applications is 31 January 2026. For more information about the research and the team, visit the provided links to academic profiles and project pages. Keywords: bioengineering, gliovascular interface, microfluidic chips, glymphatic regulation, cell biology, molecular biology, bioscience, advanced imaging, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, brain water flow, aquaporin 4.

Aston University is offering a fully-funded PhD studentship focused on the development of novel polymers for tunable protein-lipid nanodisc formation, as part of the MEMetic project. The aim is to create a platform technology for bioinspired filtration membranes, combining expertise in polymer science, membrane technology, and protein-lipid interactions. The project is supervised by a multidisciplinary team including Professors Alan Goddard, Roslyn Bill, Paul Topham, and Dr. Matthew Derry, all based at Aston University in the UK. Applicants should have a background in chemistry, materials science, or chemical engineering, with relevant laboratory experience preferred. The studentship covers tuition and provides a stipend for living expenses. The application deadline is 30th November 2025. Interested candidates should apply online and may contact the supervisors for further information.