"Postdoctoral Research Associate (Genetics and Genomics of Neurodegeneration) - Psychiatry"

Position Summary

The Cruchaga Lab at WashU Medicine is recruiting multiple Postdoctoral Research Associates. The NeuroGenomics and Informatics Center generates and analyzes Whole-Genome Sequencing data and high-throughput, multi-dimensional -omic data to study neurodegeneration and diseases of the central nervous system, with an emphasis on Alzheimer disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other dementias. The ultimate goal of the NGI is to understand the biology of these diseases, to define novel biomarkers, and to identify novel therapeutic targets. WashU Medicine is renowned for its research cohorts of neurodegenerative disorders, which include clinical, neuroimaging, and fluid biomarker phenotypes.

Characterization of the genetic topography of Alzheimer's disease (AD) provides a unique opportunity to understand the disease. We are looking for investigators with expertise in Whole Genome and Exome data, colocalization, Mendelian Randomization, and TWAS/Fusion approaches to lead our effort to identify new genes involved in AD etiology.

Job Description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Information on being a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis can be found at https://postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs-2/.

Recent publications on the subject:

• Fernandez et al., Genetic and multi-omic resources for Alzheimer disease and related dementia from the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Sci Data. 2024 [PMID: 38997326]
• Cruchaga et al., Novel early-onset Alzheimer-associated genes influence risk through dysregulation of glutamate, immune activation, and intracell signaling pathways, Res Sq, 2024. [PMID: 38883718]
• Wang et al., Proteo-genomics of soluble TREM2 in cerebrospinal fluid provides novel insights and identifies novel modulators for Alzheimer's disease, Mol Neurodegenr. 2024. [PMID: 38172904]
• Ray et al. The Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease Whole-Genome Sequencing Project: Study design and methodology, Alzheimers Dement. 2023, [PMID: 37390458]
• Ali et al., Large multi-ethnic genetic analyses of amyloid imaging identify new genes for Alzheimer disease, Acta Neuropathol Commun, 2023 [PMID: 37101235]

Working Conditions:

This position works in a laboratory environment with potential exposure to biological and chemical hazards. The individual must be physically able to wear protective equipment and to provide standard care to research animals.

Salary Range:

Base pay is commensurate with experience.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by the personnel so classified. Management reserves the right to revise or amend duties at any time.

Required Qualifications

Education:

Ph.D., M.D. Or Equivalent Terminal Or Doctoral Degree.

Certifications:

No specific certification is required for this position.

Work Experience:

No specific work experience is required for this position.

Skills:

Not Applicable

Driver's License:

A driver's license is not required for this position.

More About This Job

Required Qualifications:

• A PhD in Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Data Science, Statistical Genomics, or a related discipline involving the interrogation of ‘omics’ datasets, or expect to obtain a degree in the near future.
• Hands-on experience using PLINK, SKAT, FUSION, BWA, and/or GATK with large-scale human genomic or other omics (preferably related to neurodegeneration) studies.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience performing colocalization, Mendelian randomization.
• Solid skills in at least one programming language (R, Python, or Perl) and experience working in Linux and/or high-performance cluster environments.
• A strong ability to perform analytical reasoning to extract biological insights from data-driven approaches.
• Familiarity with interrogation of publicly available resources (highly beneficial).

Preferred Qualifications

Education:

No additional education unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Certifications:

No additional certification unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Work Experience:

No additional work experience unless stated elsewhere in the job posting.

Skills:

Bioinformatics, Biomarkers, Computer Science, Data Analysis, Etiology, Exome Sequencing, GATK, Genetic Research, Linux, Neurodegeneration, PLINK (Software), Python (Programming Language), Statistical Genomics, Work Collaboratively