A post-doctoral position is open to join the Burns laboratory in the Department of Oncologic Pathology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Our group studies high copy number repeats in the human genome, and the biology of the retrotransposons and endogenous retroviruses that generate these sequences.
We and others have shown that subsets of these normally silenced elements are expressed as a hallmark of human cancers, and that this results in somatically-acquired retrotransposon insertions in cancer genomes. We aim to more fully characterize this phenomenon; to probe its consequences for cancer biology using models of cancer growth and tumor immunology; and to leverage our understandings to inform cancer detection and treatment.
Accomplished and motivated candidates with a recent Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and significant experience in molecular biology and cell biology are encouraged to apply. Technical skills in molecular biology, cell culturing techniques, and protein expression are essential. Experience generating and using complex datasets (e.g., from ChIPseq, RNAseq, single cell analyses, or CRISPR-Cas9 forward genetic screens) or experience in chemical compound screening are highly desirable. Experience with murine models of cancer may be advantageous, but is not necessary, and working with animal models is not a requirement of the position.
A background in transposable elements and repetitive sequences is not required and can be ‘learned on the job’. Rather, projects will lie at the interface of this field with another area of expertise brought by the successful candidate. These areas of expertise may include, but are not limited to: cancer cell biology; a specific type of malignancy (e.g., ovarian, lung, colon); DNA repair; epigenetics; tumor immunology; and protein translation or turn-over. Postdoctoral fellows departing the lab for independent faculty positions will have significant license to take projects with them.
The research environment at Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School is one of the finest in the world. Enjoy significant intellectual freedom, substantial technical support, and ample opportunities to form collaborations and develop a national and international reputation in this potentially impactful and understudied field.
Apply at the link below, or email
[email protected].
Include a short statement of your research and career goals, a CV, and contacts for three references. A letter of recommendation from a Ph.D. advisor is welcome as part of the initial application, but is not required.
