"Postdoctoral Associate"

Work Arrangement: 

Requisition Number: 241215

Regular or Temporary: Regular

Location: Durham, NC, US, 27710

Personnel Area: MEDICAL CENTER

Date: Aug 20, 2024

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

Occ Summary

Conduct independent research activities under the guidance of a facultymentor in preparation for a full time academic or research career.

Job description: The lab of Dr. Ayasoufi at Duke University is currently recruiting for the position, Post Doctoral Associate to join our neuroimmunology team. Our lab focuses on mechanisms of immunosuppression induced by various neurological injuries. The successful candidate will perform a variety of assays including high parameter flow cytometry, analysis of bulk RNA-Seq, single cell RNA-seq, and analysis of methylation arrays. The projects specific to this position will be related to immunological changes in mice and patients with glioblastoma, viral encephalitis, and epilepsy. In addition, we are interested in evaluating human and mouse local and systemic immune changes in the context of Alzheimer’s disease setting. Diverse and underrepresented minorities are highly encouraged to apply.

About us: The Ayasoufi lab is interested in mechanisms of immunosuppression in patients with acute and chronic neurological trauma. Patients with brain tumors and many other brain injuries are in a state of lowered immunity and have severe immunosuppression. This mechanism of how this immunosuppression occurs is not well-understood. Immunosuppression following brain trauma is a critical barrier to development of immune-modulating therapies for patients. We are interested in understanding how brain tumors and other brain injuries induce immunosuppression. We are a neuroimmunology lab that will be using both mouse models and patient samples to investigate immune changes during brain tumor growth or following brain injury. Our lab is focused on studying the neuroimmune connection between acute and chronic brain insults and changes in the immune system. We will be working with mouse and patient samples in order to determine specific immune changes that occur in primary and secondary lymphoid tissues including the blood, the thymus, the spleen, lymph nodes, and the bone marrow. In addition, we will be analyzing mouse and human brain tissues for immune cell infiltration and perform mechanistic studies related to glioblastoma and other brain tumors. Our studies will help design novel therapeutics for patients with acute and chronic neurological disease including glioblastoma.

Eligibility: PhD, MD, MD/PHD, or equivalent degree in Biology, Medicine, Immunology, Neuroscience, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related field.

Responsibilities will include:

Performing experiments independently following a brief period of training

Analyzing data

Presenting data locally and at conferences

Mouse handling including small animal surgery and imaging, mouse monitoring, euthanasia and tissue collection

Tissue processing and flow cytometry

Tissue culture and aseptic technique

Applying for independent funding

Training graduate students and technicians in the lab

Specific experiences in the following areas are a plus, but not required:

Experience with flow cytometry, especially spectral flow cytometry

Mouse husbandry and handling

Tissue processing and staining

Small animal surgery

MRI imaging or analysis

Analysis of sequencing data

Minimum Qualifications

Education

See job description for education requirements.

Experience

See job description for requirements.

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