Independence Blue Cross Cardiovascular Research Center 

A position for a postdoctoral research scientist is available in the laboratory of Michael Autieri, professor of physiology, in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine’s Independence Blue Cross (IBC) Cardiovascular Research Center. This laboratory conducts research in the cellular and molecular mechanisms of several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, hypertension and restenosis. Genetically modified animal and cell culture models are used to characterize the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to vascular smooth muscle cell activation and vascular inflammatory diseases.

In addition, the laboratory currently focuses on mechanisms of mRNA stability that regulate the vascular response to inflammatory stimuli, with other projects focused on molecular mechanisms of cholesterol uptake in vascular cells and on inflammation-driven angiogenesis. The goals of these studies are to determine how anti-inflammatory therapeutics, including cytokines, may resolve vascular inflammatory diseases. Members of this laboratory have access to state-of-the-art molecular biology, mouse physiology, metabolism and imaging facilities in the Department of Physiology and the IBC Cardiovascular Research Center.

The ideal candidate is self-motivated, has the ability to develop innovative ideas and perform experiments to address them, works well in a collaborative environment and demonstrates strong communication skills. Postdoctoral research scientists are expected to

• perform primary molecular biological assays in vitro and in vivo related to animal studies, including cell transfection, cell proliferation assays, EMSA, immunoblotting, molecular cloning, primary tissue culture and qRT-PCR;
• have a functional understanding of bioinformatics;
• have some experience with rodent surgery;
• design and perform experiments, analysis, data interpretation and presentations;
• write manuscripts and grants; and
• interact with senior and junior members of the IBC Cardiovascular Research Center, as well as train undergraduate and graduate students.

Minimum requirements for the postdoctoral research scientist position include

• a PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry or a related discipline;
• hands-on experience with animals, cell culture, RNA/DNA isolation, qPCR and statistics;
• the ability to communicate both orally and in writing with staff and professional colleagues; and
• strong documentation skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

It is recommended that candidates include in their cover letter their prior research experience and interest in the relevant research work currently conducted in the laboratory.

Candidates should submit their cover letter, current CV and three references (one reference should be from the candidate's doctoral supervisor) via email to 
Michael Autieri, professor in the Department of Physiology and associate director of the IBC Cardiovascular Research Center.
Email: mautieri@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Oct. 31, 2018

Center for Translational Medicine 

A two-year postdoctoral position is available in the Stem Cells and Cardiac Development Laboratory, led by Conchi Estarás, assistant professor of physiology. This new research laboratory is part of the Center for Translational Medicine in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. It is part of a diverse and highly collaborative scientific community that encourages interdisciplinary collaborations between the basic and translational research programs.

The Estarás laboratory focuses on identifying the molecular mechanisms that control stem cell differentiation toward specific cardiac lineages. The aim is to decipher signaling pathways, as well as transcriptional and epigenetic mechanisms that regulate specific cardiac cell fates. This knowledge is used to identify mechanisms and factors important for cardiac cell development and to provide new tools to design stem cell-based strategies for cardiac repair.

The laboratory’s main models of study are human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Directed differentiation strategies are used together with cardiac organoids to mimic early cardiac cell development. A wide range of techniques are applied to obtain a comprehensive panel of the transcriptome and the epigenome of the cells during cardiac cell fate acquisition, from conventional western-blot and qPCR to next-generation sequencing (RNA-seq, GRO-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq) and single-cell sequencing.

Enthusiastic candidates who hold an MD and/or PhD degree should apply. Candidates should have experience in bioengineering, bioinformatics, cardiac development, epigenetics, genomics, stem cells and/or transcription.

The position is expected to start in early 2019, and it offers salary consistent with National Institutes of Health guidelines and a competitive benefits package.

Candidates should send their CV, cover letter that details their motivation for this position and the names of two academic references to 
Dolores Hatch, administrative coordinator in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. 
Email: lorhatch@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Oct. 24, 2018

Center for Metabolic Disease Research

A position for a postdoctoral research scientist is available in the Stem Cell Biology and Cardiac Regeneration Laboratory, led by Mohsin Khan, assistant professor of physiology, at the Center for Metabolic Disease Research in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine.

The laboratory conducts research in the field of stem cells and cardiac regeneration with the goal of identifying physiological mechanisms and cellular signaling pathways that regulate adult stem cell function under diseased and aged conditions. Using different stem cell models, the goal is to characterize basic cellular properties and develop an exosome-based translational approach for myocardial repair. Laboratory members have access to state-of-the-art molecular biology, mouse physiology, metabolism and imaging facilities in the Department of Physiology and the Center for Metabolic Disease Research.

The ideal candidate

• is self-motivated,
• has the ability to develop innovative ideas and perform experiments to address them,
• is able to work in a collaborative environment, and
• demonstrates strong communication skills.

Functions of the postdoctoral position include 

• being involved in primary molecular biological assays in vitro and in vivo related to animal studies, tissue culture, qRT-PCR, immunoblotting, metabolic parameters analysis, cell transfection, molecular cloning and the like;
• designing and performing experiments, analysis, data interpretation and presentations;
• interacting with senior and junior members of the center, as well as graduate and undergraduate students; and
• writing manuscripts and grants.

Minimum requirements for the position include 

• a PhD in molecular biology, biochemistry or a related discipline; 
• hands-on experience with animals, RNA/DNA isolation, qPCR, cell culture and statistics; 
• strong documentation skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment; 
• ability to communicate both orally and in writing with staff and professional colleagues; and
• experience with RNA-seq, epigenetics and Chip-seq.

It is recommended that candidates include in their cover letter their prior research experience and interest in the relevant research work currently conducted in the laboratory.

Candidates should submit their cover letter, current CV and three references via email to 
Mohsin Khan, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology in the Center for Metabolic Disease Research.
Email: mohsin.khan@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Oct. 24, 2018

Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center 

A position is available for a postdoctoral researcher in the Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. The position focuses on gene therapy-related projects. Candidates should have good technical and theoretical knowledge and expertise in animal model study, molecular biology and virology.

The postdoctoral researcher is responsible for performing a wide range of research functions based on agreed protocols and objectives. The researcher will work on one or multiple projects, including

• studying the mechanism of factor VIII secretion and inhibitor formation,
• developing the next generation of factor VIII molecules for gene delivery technology,
• studying the mechanism of AAV vector transduction,
• developing the next generation of AAV vectors for human gene therapy, and
• developing new strategies for cardiovascular-related diseases or infectious diseases.

Methods used in these projects include cell biology, immunology procedures, in vivo experiments, molecular biology and tissue culture in various mouse models. The successful candidate will also perform literary research and participate in the development of research protocols.

The minimum requirements for this position include the following skills and experience.

• An MD or PhD in biology.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise students at the undergraduate level.
• Ability to work with potential hazardous specimens.
• Ability to keep accurate records of research performed to National Institutes of Health standards.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment and software, including MS Office.
• Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to interact with a diverse population of students, faculty and staff.
• Demonstrated organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks.
• Ability to prioritize and focus on completion of tasks while under stress of a demanding work schedule.

Candidates must submit a statement of research interests, current CV and contact information for three professional references via email to 
Weidong Xiao, professor of microbiology and immunology.
Email: weidong.xiao@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Sept. 10, 2018

Department of Neuroscience 

A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the research laboratory led by Tricia Burdo, associate professor of neuroscience, in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. She studies monocyte biology and immune activation during human immunodeficiency virus, and her research interests include

• examining mechanisms of HIV-associated cardiovascular diseases and viral gene editing in large animal models,
• examining the role of monocyte traffic and activation in the peripheral and central nervous system in the rhesus macaque model of AIDS, and
• identifying biomarkers of HIV infection and HIV comorbidities (HIV-associated neurological disorders and cardiovascular disease).

Research covers a number of different disciplines, and candidates should have experience in immunology, virology, molecular biology or neuroscience, as well as a strong desire to learn about the areas in which they are not experienced. Expertise in immunological, cell and molecular biological techniques is also expected, along with the ability to collect, analyze and communicate data. All experiments will be performed in consultation and collaboration with the head of the laboratory.

Functions of this postdoctoral position include but are not limited to the following.

• Running experiments and developing, adapting and implementing novel research techniques.
• Attending and presenting data at seminars, journal clubs and domestic/international meetings.
• Assisting in the preparation of grant proposals.
• Preparing publications, abstracts and oral/poster presentations.
• Helping maintain equipment.
• Assisting other lab members.

The minimum requirements for this position include the following skills and experience.

• Completion of a PhD with specialty in cardiology, immunology, neuroscience or virology.
• Willingness and ability to work with human and rhesus blood and tissue products under BSL2 or BSL2+ conditions.
• Ability to perform basic cell and molecular biology techniques such as cell culture, ELISAs, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, immunohistochemistry, western blotting and qRT-PCR.
• Strong desire to learn about and study immunology and HIV pathogenesis.
• Strong, proactive work ethic and a friendly, cooperative demeanor.
• Outstanding problem-solving skills.

The position offers salary consistent with National Institutes of Health guidelines and a competitive benefits package.

Candidates must submit a letter of interest that details their research experience and career goals, current CV and contact information for three references via email to 
Tricia Burdo, associate professor of neuroscience.
Email: burdot@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Aug. 27, 2018

Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biochemistry 

Postdoctoral fellow positions are available in the laboratory led by Ling Yang, assistant professor of medical genetics and molecular biochemistry, in the Lewis Katz School of Medicine. The Yang laboratory combines biochemistry, bioinformatics, cellular biology, CRISPR-mediated genome engineering, genetics, genomics, molecular biology and physiology to explore the complex regulatory networks of metabolic disorders and to translate findings into novel therapeutic approaches for treating metabolic disorders.

Current research interests include long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and protein-coding genes in metabolic disorders, including but not limited to dyslipidemia, fatty liver diseases and obesity; RNA or RNA-targeted therapies to treat metabolic disorders; and the multiomics approach to dissecting the pathological process of metabolic disorders. Learn more about current research in the Yang laboratory.

Candidates must meet the following minimum education and skills. Experience in bioinformatics or computer science is a plus.

• PhD in biochemistry, cellular biology, molecular biology or related areas.
• First authorship in high-quality publications.
• Extensive experience in molecular biology and mouse models.
• Extensive experience in liver, metabolism or lncRNAs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Candidates must submit a letter of interest that details their expertise, a current CV and contact information for three references via email to 
Ling Yang, assistant professor of medical genetics and molecular biochemistry.
Email: ling.yang@temple.edu

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University is an equal opportunity, equal access, affirmative action employer interested in recruiting diverse faculty and staff.

Posted Aug. 24, 2018