"Research Assistant in the Division of Science(Biology) - Dr. Dan Ohtan Wang"

NYU Abu Dhabi is pioneering a new model of higher education for a global world, dedicated to excellence in teaching and research and to advancing cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. Drawing on the strengths of the NYU global network, it offers an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to students from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and around the world, with a distinctive focus on intercultural understanding and leadership. It supports innovative research and graduate education programs that push forward the frontiers of knowledge and respond in powerful and interdisciplinary ways to vital global and local challenges.

The Wang RNA-MIND Laboratory in the Division of Science, New York University Abu Dhabi, seeks to recruit a Research Assistant to work on projects focused on understanding RNA modification signaling pathways in the nervous system and their function in synaptic, neuronal and behavioral plasticity.

Research in the Wang RNA-MIND laboratory focuses on the study of the neural mechanisms of dynamic RNA regulation and its role in regulating synaptic, neuronal and behavioral plasticity, using behavioral, biochemical, molecular and cell biology, fluorescence imaging, and next-generation sequencing methods. Central goals of the laboratory are the study of the neural mechanisms underlying dynamic RNA modifications upon cognitive development and decline. To achieve these objectives, research projects rely on genetically engineered mice models, behavioral analysis, molecular dissection, high-throughput sequencing, and cell biological approaches. The hired Research Assistant will receive individual development plans that incorporate the researcher’s career and training goals and lab’s research goals. They will also benefit from the support of established Core Bioinformatics and Sequencing Platforms and High-Performance Computing facilities.

Principal responsibilities of a Research Assistant include conducting experiments to understand the molecular mechanism of m6A readers on synapses through a wide range of neurobiological techniques, including establishment of mice models, fluorescence labeling, imaging, super-resolution microscopy, genetic manipulation via CRISPR, in utero electroporation and other molecular manipulation approaches. They are also expected to perform experiments under guidance of senior researchers in the lab that help elucidate the molecular basis of neural network regulation modulated by m6A RNAs modifications associated with memory formation, along with the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease onset associated with aging. They should be comfortable with working in the team to contribute to scientific projects in their expertise and providing mentorship to junior lab researchers.

Applicants for the Research Assistant position must hold a bachelor’s degree in science from an accredited college or university. The ideal candidate will be highly motivated and with strong interest in RNA biology and neuroscience. Organizational skills and attention to detail are essential.

Applications will be accepted immediately and candidates will be considered until the position is filled. Please note that this is a fixed-term position with an expected end date of October 31, 2026. To be considered, all applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, statement of past research activities, transcript, and contact information for at least two references, all in pdf format. If you have any questions, please email ok2108@nyu.edu (Dan Ohtan Wang, laboratory PI).

About NYUAD: NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.

EOE/AA/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity Employer. UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.