"Cancer Molecular Biology for Targeted Radiotherapeutics - Research Assistant Professor"

Job Details

Cancer Molecular Biology for Targeted Radiotherapeutics - Research Assistant Professor

Location: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville & UT-ORII CRI

Open Date: Jul 1, 2025

Description: This position is a component of the University of Tennessee - Oak Ridge Innovation institute’s (UT-ORII) Development and Advancement of Radiopharmaceutical Therapies (DART) Convergent Research Initiative (CRI). This position will reside at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and have regular collaborations with and visits to Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) as well as collaborations with researchers at UT Health Science Center, Memphis. The position's faculty appointment will be with UT-ORII at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, situated in close collaboration with the UTK Biochemistry & Cellular and Molecular Biology department (BCMB).

Roles and Responsibilities: The hired researcher will become part of a growing network of collaborators across UTK, ORNL, and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center that is working to advance the development of targeted alpha-radiation therapy of solid tumors. The hired researcher will investigate molecular and cellular pathways in cancer that can be exploited for targeting and/or to study the downstream effects of radiotherapy on cells.

We are particularly interested in researchers with experience and future research goals in one of the following areas:

• Identifying cancer specific signatures that could be exploited for targeting
• Genomics (especially single cell genomics) of cancer
• DNA damage and repair pathways in cancer
• Molecular / biochemical characterization of potential therapeutic targets
• Cancer organoids or tumor microenvironment co-cultures for evaluation of candidate therapeutics
• Assays that will measure the impact of radiotherapeutics on cells and tissues (microscopy, genomics/proteomics, molecular pathways, DNA damage, etc.)

The hired research faculty will collaborate on DART research projects, proposal preparation, submission, and student mentoring at the graduate level. This 12-month, non-tenure track position is a five-year contract with full salary support for the first year, followed by a gradual decrease in salary coverage such that the successful applicant will receive 50% salary support in year 5 and is expected to receive extramural funding by year 3 or earlier. The applicant will be expected to recruit graduate students (from the interdisciplinary Genome Science and Technology Program) by year 3. A competitive startup package including support for PhD students and budget for equipment will be offered, and anchor investigators in this CRI will provide mentoring to the hire.

Key Responsibilities: The selected candidate will:

• Develop and lead research studies to study molecular and cellular pathways in cancer that could be targeted with radiotherapeutics and/or the downstream effects of radiotherapy on cellular systems.
• Develop a strong collaboration with the members of this CRI at UTK, UTHSC, and ORNL, as well as with other investigators in the BCMB department.
• Develop applications for extramural funding.
• Present findings to peer groups at conferences and at UT-ORII meetings.
• Advise and supervise graduate students.

Qualifications: Required:

• PhD in a field related to the molecular and cellular biology of cancer.
• A track record of relevant peer-reviewed publications relevant areas.
• Strong communication skills and an ability to collaborate with other researchers and advise graduate students.

Preferred Qualification:

• Track record in developing grant proposals and securing funding.
• A path to independence as a researcher is desired, though an ‘on-ramp’ through collaboration with more senior investigators is also encouraged.

Additional Information: This is a 12-month, non-tenure track position. The appointment will be with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The primary work location is the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville, but it may also include visits to collaborator sites on the campuses of ORNL and UTK. The position will be implemented as an initial three-year contract with full salary support for the first year, followed by a gradual increase in expected external salary funding in subsequent years. The applicant will be expected to recruit graduate students by year three. A competitive startup package, including funds for graduate students and equipment, will be offered. Salary and title/rank will be determined commensurate with experience. Benefits will be typical of exempt employees at the University of Tennessee. The candidate must be eligible for initial clearance at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Facilities and Environment at the University of Tennessee: The candidate will have laboratory space in the modern Ken and Blaire Mossman building, which houses high-level research and instructional space. There are core facilities and shared instrumentation for BSL-2 cell culture, next-generation sequencing, associated high-performance computation, flow cytometry, advanced microscopy, a vivarium which will be equipped with an X-ray irradiator and PET-CT, and a bioanalytical resource facility https://bcmb.utk.edu/research/bioanalytical-resource-facility/. The successful candidate will also have opportunities to collaborate with a diverse set of colleagues in BCMB, Microbiology, and Nutrition, as well as at the UT Ag-Vet campus, the UT Medical Center, and the National Institute for Modeling Biological Systems.

Application Instructions: All application materials must be submitted in Interfolio at http://apply.interfolio.com/169857. Applications must include: 1. a letter of interest, explaining the candidate’s experience in one of the desired areas; 2. a comprehensive curriculum vitae; a 3-page research plan; 3. the names, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of at least three professional references.