Job
Staff Scientist - Gene Expression in Down Syndrome
Organization
National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD and surrounding area
Scientific focus area
Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Genetics and Genomics, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Molecular Pharmacology
The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), a major research component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), is seeking exceptional candidates for a Staff Scientist position in the Intramural Research Program (IRP), Center for Precision Health Research (CPHR), Prenatal Genomics and Therapy Section (PGTS, Principal Investigator Diana Bianchi, M.D.).
About the position
The PGTS seeks to advance understanding of fetal and placental biology, both through sequence analysis of nucleic acids that circulate within the pregnant woman's blood and through advancing research to develop novel therapeutics to improve fetal brain development in genetic conditions such as Down syndrome. The Staff Scientist's primary responsibilities will include leading the preclinical evaluation of small molecules that have the potential to mitigate dysregulated gene expression in primary cell lines generated from individuals with Down syndrome. This project includes the design of experiments focused on promoting differentiation of trisomic and euploid iPSCs into various cell types, including neural progenitor cells and placental trophoblasts, and the analysis of transcriptome differences between trisomic and euploid cells. The successful candidate is expected to use a variety of transcriptomic and phenotypic assays to develop testable hypotheses regarding mechanisms of action, safety, and therapeutic efficacy of specific compounds for mitigating atypical brain development. Mentoring and training junior staff, participation in CPHR research seminars, analyzing and preparing results for manuscript submission, and collaborating with NHGRI and other intramural investigators is required. Salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Apply for this vacancy
What you'll need to apply
Applicants should send curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation to Julia Wedel, jsnoops@mail.nih.gov
Contact name
Julia Wedel
Contact email
Qualifications
Candidates must have a Ph.D. in genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology, cell biology or neuroscience and should have a minimum of three years' post-doctoral experience.