ACTREC LCN2 Research Associate 2026: First-Author Paper Essential, ₹73,660 Walk-in

🧬 ACTREC Research Associate 2026: LCN2, ferroptosis and cancer-cell invasion

ACTREC's 19 October 2026 notice (ACTREC/ADVT-220/2026) invites eligible researchers to a 4 November walk-in interview at its Kharghar campus. The work is attached to Dr Sorab Dalal's Department of Biotechnology-funded project, “LCN2 functions required for invasion, ferroptosis and therapy resistance.” This is a temporary Research Associate (on project) position, not a permanent Tata Memorial Centre appointment. The one-page advertisement does not state a numeric vacancy count; it would be inaccurate to claim that an unspecified count means one guaranteed seat.

🎓 Two degree pathways — but a first-author paper is essential for both

The notice accepts a PhD in Biological Sciences or allied areas, or an MD/MDS/MS degree. The word or matters: an applicant need not possess both a doctorate in biological science and a medical postgraduate qualification. However, the next condition applies to the advertised candidate profile: at least one first-author publication already published or accepted in a peer-reviewed journal. A manuscript merely in preparation, a submission receipt, or a publication on which the applicant is not first author should not be presented as proof of satisfying that specific condition.

The notification does not prescribe a numeric minimum percentage, minimum number of employment years or a named preferred medical specialization for the MD/MDS/MS route. It also does not provide an 'appearing' or degree-result-awaited exception. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate that their completed degree and first-author publication satisfy the printed requirements, rather than reading additional alternatives into them.

🔬 What the LCN2 project means for the research role

The project title names LCN2 (lipocalin-2), cellular invasion, ferroptosis and treatment resistance. These are connected research questions, but the advertisement does not announce the project's findings or publish a fixed experimental protocol. The candidate is expected to bring molecular-biology capability, Mass Spectrometry experience and animal-handling expertise to investigate the questions under the principal investigator. It would be misleading to advertise this as a purely computational bioinformatics role or to invent particular model organisms, instruments, biomarkers or therapies not identified in the notice.

For the interview, a useful preparation exercise is to explain one completed first-author study: its research question, the applicant's own experimental contributions, how evidence was checked, what controls or limitations mattered, and which methods are transferable to this project. Applicants should be able to substantiate the specific Mass Spectrometry and animal-handling experience claimed on their CV. This is candidate preparation guidance, not an announced ACTREC interview syllabus or marking scheme.

💰 ₹73,660 monthly: remuneration and the five-month limit

The advertisement gives ₹73,660 per month consolidated, not a 7th CPC pay matrix level. It does not itemize basic pay, HRA, statutory deductions or a guaranteed take-home figure. Do not add 24% HRA again on top of ₹73,660 because this particular notice does not provide such a calculation.

The engagement is initially five months from appointment, or ends earlier when the project terminates. ACTREC will review progress; a possible extension depends on satisfactory research progress, but no further fixed extension length is promised. Before deciding whether to travel for interview, candidates should distinguish the advertised monthly figure from both the total possible five-month remuneration and the uncertainty of actual engagement duration. A five-month term cannot be represented as an assured multiyear research appointment.

📅 Walk-in sequence: different reporting and interview times

The two official time windows serve different purposes:

The advertisement does not require advance online registration or an email application for this notice. The qualifying action is appearing in person for the walk-in with evidence of eligibility. The venue is ACTREC, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai, not Tata Memorial Hospital's main Mumbai address. Candidates traveling from outside Navi Mumbai should plan around the earlier reporting window, not the interview-session end time.

🧾 Document checklist and evidence checks

Bring a recent CV, original certificates plus photocopies of education and work experience, a recent passport-sized photograph and ID proof (preferably Aadhaar). Because the first-author publication is an essential criterion, keeping the paper's accepted/published bibliographic evidence readily available is sensible interview preparation, even though the advert does not separately enumerate a printed-publication attachment in its document list.

No application fee, category-wise reservation, age limit or relaxation, selection scoring, shortlisting list, written examination, admit-card or result schedule is specified in this one-page notice. Unspecified does not mean 'zero fee officially confirmed' or 'no age limit is legally possible'; those are simply not advertised facts. Monitor the official ACTREC jobs listing for changes.

⚕️ Selection and official-source checks

The confirmed selection event is the physical walk-in interview with presentation of original documents. Do not add a CBT, online test, medical examination, answer key or cutoff record to this recruitment without another official announcement. The employer is Tata Memorial Centre / ACTREC, and the correct existing organization master should be used; this notice is distinct from earlier ACTREC Research Associate advertisements involving similar project titles.

Primary source: ACTREC/ADVT-220/2026 original official PDF
Current official listing: ACTREC Jobs — Walk-in Interviews