Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Sciences

The Role

Applications are invited for the position of a BHF-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the laboratory of Dr Ioannis Smyrnias, University of Surrey. 

The post-holder will investigate the role of a novel signalling complex in the regulation of mitochondrial quality control pathways in the failing heart by utilizing a range of molecular and cell biological techniques in vitro, as well as genetically-engineered disease mouse models in vivo.

The successful candidate will join an ambitious BHF-funded research programme aimed at uncovering how cardiomyocytes sense and respond to mitochondrial dysfunction during cardiac stress. This project will dissect, for the first time, the role of the NRF2-KEAP1-PGAM5 signalling complex as a stress-sensitive hub coordinating activation of the mitochondrial stress response, and mitophagy. Working with cutting-edge mitochondrial biology, stress-response signalling, and metabolic profiling techniques, the fellow will investigate how this newly identified regulatory axis determines the balance between mitochondrial repair and clearance, which is an essential determinant of cardiac resilience in disease. This role offers the opportunity to drive a high-impact research direction with direct translational relevance for heart failure therapeutics, within a collaborative network involving the University of Dundee, King’s College London, and the Pirbright Institute.

The post-holder will employ a powerful combination of approaches, including primary cardiomyocyte models, advanced mitophagy reporters, state-of-the-art metabolic assays, and a novel in vivo ultrasound imaging–guided myocardial infarction induction method. This innovative in vivo platform enables precise, minimally invasive generation of cardiac injury and will be central to modelling mitochondrial quality control pathways in heart failure disease. 

The fellow will work within a highly collaborative environment involving experts in mitochondrial biology, cardiovascular physiology, metabolomics, and cellular stress signalling. They will gain exceptional experience in designing and executing mechanistic studies, generating sophisticated in vivo disease models, integrating multi-omics datasets, and shaping new conceptual frameworks for how quality control pathways interact during cardiac stress. 

About You

This position is ideally suited to individuals seeking to build an independent research trajectory in mitochondrial biology, cardiac pathophysiology, or stress-response signalling. The fellow will have the opportunity to write and publish results of research studies in high impact score peer-reviewed journals and report research results at national and international conferences.

This a full-time, fixed-term post for upto 36 months and is funded by the British Heart Foundation. The successful candidate will be based at the widely recognised for world-class research Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Surrey. The Faculty provides an excellent and highly multidisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Our beautiful campus in Guildford is located just 30 miles from London with convenient road and rail connections.

How to Apply

Please apply with your CV and cover letter on the University website. For more information and informal enquiries, please contact Dr Ioannis Smyrnias ([email protected]).

Please note interviews are scheduled for beginning of February 2026. 

The University of Surrey reserves the right to close this vacancy early or extend based on Volume and Calibre of applications.

Closing Date: 21 Jan 2026

Area: Research & Teaching

Salary: £37,694 to £38,784 per annum