Job at a glance
Job summary The Virus Reference Department (VRD) is a national and international reference centre for a wide range of virus infections. The Antiviral Unit (AVU) sits within VRD and provides specialist diagnostic services and advice on HIV, Hepatitis C Virus, and Herpes Simplex virus types 1 & 2. The unit also has a research and development programme with projects related to correlating genotypic markers with phenotypic resistance profiles as well as continuous improvement of our diagnostic repertoire.
The unit works closely with epidemiology colleagues and academic collaborators, delivering on national public health surveillance programmes for HIV and HCV. The key objectives for this post will be: To support the HCV, HIV and HSV antiviral resistance testing service functions of the unit. To support the R&D project work. Job description To perform molecular and viral culture diagnostic tests for genotypic and phenotypic antiviral resistance as required by the Unit to deliver its clinical services.
To compile and update data and supporting documentation for inclusion in technical files. To support the validation of assays used within the Unit. To help maintain the standards required for UKAS accreditation. To contribute to project work where possible. To work to appropriate quality standards, including the maintenance of appropriate records associated with the projects. Identify, discuss and action own professional performance and training and development needs with your line manager through appraisal and individual development plans.
Attending internal and external training events, as appropriate. To participate in all mandatory training as required, i.e. fire safety, information governance and all other mandatory training. Develop and maintain working relationships and communicate regularly with a wide range of individuals, both clinical and non-clinical, and both internal and external to UKHSA. The unit comprises a Principal Clinical Scientist, a Principal Data Scientist, two senior Healthcare Scientists, a Technical Manager, and four HEO-level Healthcare Scientists.
Our test repertoire comprises the UK’s first fully validated and accredited viral whole genome sequencing assay (for HCV), Sanger sequencing of antiviral targets for HIV and HSV, and phenotypic characterisation of HSV isolates obtained from clinical samples (specifically drug susceptibility profiling). We are in the process of upgrading our Sanger sequencing assays by PCR multiplexing and moving to NGS.
and also aiming to transform our HSV phenotyping work by increasing speed and throughput without compromising accuracy or cost. All assays within the core list are UKAS accredited to ISO15189, and the objective is for all new developments to meet the same standards. We have a number of research projects around the use of recombinant virus technology to relate herpesvirus genotype to clinical phenotype, NGS surveillance sequencing of HIV and HCV to discover novel viral strains and novel determinants of resistance, evaluate assay breadth, and to link our extensive sequence datasets with clinical, epidemiological, and virological outcome data.
The majority of this EO role will be to support the work of the HEO Healthcare Scientists in their delivery of routine diagnostic service work, and the maintenance of the required standards. This includes, but is not limited to, LIMS management, stringent record keeping, ongoing quality management, sample retrieval and storage, automated and manual nucleic acid extraction, PCR and sequencing, and viral tissue culture (isolation, titration and drug susceptibility testing).
Training will be provided where necessary; prior exposure to many of these techniques will be an advantage. The remainder of the role will be to support the R&D activities of the unit. No additional techniques beyond those listed in the preceding paragraph will be required, although some familiarity with NGS would be useful. This list id not exhau