Postdoctoral Fellow in Beta Cell Biology
To join the Kubicek laboratory at CeMM, the Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna, we are looking for a Postdoctoral Fellow working on the interface of pancreatic islet biology, epigenetics and chemical biology.
The Project: The successful applicant will systematically explore the molecular mechanisms governing islet cell type identity, aiming at the identification and characterization of potential therapeutic targets for the regeneration of beta cell mass. This project is based on our recent publications of the first single-cell transcriptomes from primary human pancreatic islets (Li et. al EMBO Rep. 2016) and the identification of artemisinins as compounds causing alpha cell transdifferentiation (Li et al. Cell 2017). We aim to further improve our existing assays for islet cell identity in cell lines and primary islets, including functional analysis and detailed molecular characterization by proteomics, metabolomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics. We will then apply genome-wide and targeted screens to fully map cellular transdifferentiation pathways. Finally, we will use chemical approaches (Sdelci et al. Nat. Chem. Biol. 2016) to develop first compounds for selected chromatin targets in islet cell biology. This project is conducted in the context of a long-standing international consortium funded by the JDRF.
The Candidate: The successful candidate will have a proven scientific track record (including at least one first author publication) in islet biology, epigenetics, or chemical biology. Expertise in genome editing, small molecule probe development, functional screening and bioinformatics is considered a plus. The working language at CeMM is English, and excellent written and oral communication skills as well as high accuracy, reliability and excellent interpersonal and organizational skills are a requirement.
The Laboratory: The Kubicek laboratory is working on the role of chromatin in the definition of cell types and cell states, and the use of chemistry to modulate epigenetic states. Beyond beta cell biology, projects in the laboratory focus on development of chromatin-targeting chemical probes, chromatin-modifying enzymes as synthetic lethal targets in cancer and host factors in infectious disease in the context of the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Chemical Epigenetics and Antiinfectives. Through shared tools and technologies, these efforts are highly synergistic with the proposed project.
The selected candidate will have the opportunity to work in an innovative research environment and collaborate closely with other groups at CeMM. Our unique setup includes high throughput screening at PLACEBO (Platform Austria for Chemical Biology), and access to chemistry, mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, next generation sequencing, and clinical expertise.
The Institute: CeMM is a biomedical flagship institute in the heart of Europe, Vienna. We are committed to highest scientific standards and provide an international environment representing approximately 40 nationalities. The working language is English. CeMM has been ranked by The Scientist as one of the Best Places to Work Academia worldwide (link:
http://goo.gl/51VMO). In the past 3 years CeMM groups published numerous ground-breaking studies in prestigious journals such as Science, Cell, Nature, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature Immunology, Immunity etc. CeMM is located within the medical campus of Vienna and operates several technology platforms (chemical biological screening, proteomics, metabolomics, next-generation sequencing) as well as extensive bioinformatics infrastructure.
Your Application: Interested candidates are encouraged to upload their application documents including a cover letter, a CV and names and contact details of at least 2 referees online (
https://cemm.jobbase.io/job/ngk38zqa). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
For more information please visit the CeMM website:
www.cemm.at
