Outstanding, motivated candidates are sought for a postdoctoral position in a newly formed, trans-disciplinary program in network biology and its application for dose-response modeling in chemical risk assessment at The Hamner Institutes for Health Sciences in Research Triangle Park, NC. The successful applicant will be part of team, including bioinformaticians, computational modelers, cell biologists, and toxicologists, examining cellular signaling pathways affected by estrogenic xenobiotics. The project, supported by a diverse group of sponsors, seeks to map the detailed circuitry controlling dynamic responses to estrogenic compounds in uterine and mammary tissue and cells and to create computational dose-response models based on the detailed circuit structure at various doses. This project and several others at The Hamner are directed at speeding implementation of key recommendations from the National Academy of Sciences report, “Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century: A Vision and A Strategy”, by developing in vitro test assays and interpretive pathway analysis tools that will suffice for human health risk assessment without recourse to animal experiments.
The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of extension. The funding period for the project is 3 years.
Responsibilities will include integrating genomic, CHIP-seq, metabolomics, limited proteomic and other data streams to develop pathway models and applying the validated dynamic circuit structure as a basis for informed dose response modeling. Data sets on estrogen signaling through multiple receptors – ER-a, ER-b and GPER-1 – will be from the published literature initially, but will be quickly augmented by broad, ongoing Hamner studies. The position will require occasional travel to professional society meetings to present research findings or to visit sponsoring organizations to describe progress and conclusions. A major goal of the project will be publication of important findings in peer-reviewed journals.
The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in biology or toxicology with experience in genomics, bioinformatics, computational modeling, and complex network applications. Ph.D.s in engineering disciplines or other natural sciences with a strong computational background and experience or interest in quantitative biology/bioinformatics are also encouraged to apply. Prior experience with biological modeling is desirable but not essential.
The Hamner Institutes is an independent, non-profit research institute and offers competitive salaries, medical & dental insurance, 401K savings and flex reimbursement plans, paid vacation and holidays, and a stimulating work environment.
Qualified candidates need to submit their resume and Postdoctoral Fellowship application, which can be found at http://www.thehamner.org/careers/application-forms/, to koverman@thehamner.org or fax to 919-558-1430. Please refer to the “Postdoctoral Fellow –Network Biology and Dose-Response Modeling” position. “Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer – m/f/d/v”
