Jobs
Postdoctoral fellow in Parkinson's disease cell biology
Posted 04 Apr 2024
Employer
Harvard Medical School / Brigham and Women's Hospital
Location
Boston, Massachusetts
Principal Investigator
Contact
Description
A postdoctoral position is available under the mentorship of Gary Ho and Dennis Selkoe at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The overall goal of the laboratory is to understand the cell biology of Parkinson's disease and translate these findings into therapeutic development. To that end, Ho and Selkoe have recently found that modulation of palmitoylation, a lipid modification of proteins, ameliorates Parkinson's disease related phenotypes in α-synuclein-based cellular and mouse models. Current projects include identifying and characterizing palmitoylated mediators of α-synuclein toxicity and investigating α-synuclein-dependent changes in the “palmitoylome.”
The work involves biochemical assays of palmitoylation and measurement of α-synuclein-related readouts such as synaptic vesicle trafficking in patient-derived iPSC neurons and primary rodent neurons. Candidates with relevant experience in these areas and a Ph.D. within one to three years are strongly encouraged to apply.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.
Advantages of working in the group:
- Top-notch, quality mentorship from both a junior PI for close, hands-on guidance (Dr. Ho) and a well-established investigator (Dr. Selkoe) with decades of experience training scientists for future careers in academia and industry.
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, including the Brigham and Women’s (BWH) Neurotech Studio for imaging resources and iPSC Neurohub for assistance in procuring and culturing patient-derived neurons, plus Harvard Medical School cores including the Taplin mass spec facility and electron microscopy core
- A positive, vibrant lab environment with frequent collaborations and interactions with other labs in our center, all working on neurodegenerative disease.
- Location in Boston, a city at the forefront of academia and biotech
- Competitive salary and generous benefits package.
Requirements
- A Ph.D. in neuroscience, cell biology, biochemistry, or a related biological field, or M.D. with substantial research experience in the above.
- Excellent track record of publications.
- Extensive experience with cell culture, biochemical and molecular biologytechniques, and imaging. Please describe these in detail in the CV.
- Experience in rodent handling and isolation of primary neurons preferred.
- Self-motivated and driven individuals able to work both independently and in a team environment.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
- Minimum three-year commitment.