Postdoctoral Fellowships in Molecular Biology, Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
USA. This postdoctoral research position is available with Dr. Steven Belinsky, Director of Molecular Biology and Lung Cancer Program. Applicants should have a PhD in molecular biology with extensive experience in techniques such as siRNA, PCR, transfection, and chromatin immunoprecipitation.
In addition, a background in cancer biology is strongly encouraged. Postdoctoral participants will receive a competitive salary, health insurance, and relocation allowance. Successful postdoctoral fellows can be promoted to Research Scientists that allows them to write grants and stay at the Institute to develop their careers as staff scientists.
This postdoctoral fellowship is focused on aberrant gene promoter hypermethylation in cancer. Research is focused in two areas. The first area is studying the interaction between deficits in DNA repair mediated through nucleotide excision repair or nonhomologous recombination and the induction of gene promoter hypermethylation.
An in vitro model using immortalized bronchial epithelial cells and reduced expression of specific DNA repair genes by SiRNA will evaluate the interaction between carcinogen challenge, transformation, and targeting of genes for silencing by promoter methylation and histone modification. Studies will also elucidate how the activity of DNA damage sensors that include gH2AX, DNMT1, and p53 are modified in repair deficient cells and their interaction with promoters that become silenced.
The second area of study will address in detail the mechanisms by which different types of DNA damage lead to aberrant methylation and histone modification and the interactions with the cytosine methyltransferases. A transient transfection model will be used to dissect temporally the changes occurring at specific gene promoters in immortalized and lung tumor-derived cell lines.
Candidates should send a cover letter referring to the above position number, CV that includes statement of research background and interests, and names of three references to Human Resources, 2425 Ridgecrest Drive SE, Albuquerque, NM 87108, or Fax to (505) 348-4976, or e-mail to hrmail@LRRI.org.
Application Deadline: 21 August 2008. Position reference number: N2908.
http://www.lrri.org/
