Open Postdoctoral position, faculty mentor Daniel Delitto

Postdoctoral Training Position Description:
 
Our laboratory incorporates mouse models of solid tumors and human tumor specimens to explore mechanisms behind the development of tumor-associated fibrosis and subsequent effects on antitumor immunity, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets. Aligned with this goal, the successful candidate will be involved in preclinical studies of novel therapeutic targets.
 
Seeking a motivated postdoctoral (PhD or MD is ideal, master’s in science discipline also considered) researcher to conduct experiments as directed by the PI and co-investigator (both are MD/PhD surgeon scientists). The research is under the umbrella of the Hagey Laboratory, run by a highly successful senior PI. The successful candidate will contribute to the research by discussing the experimental plan with the PI/co-investigator, performing the experiments required of this project, recording the results, and conducting analysis of the data produced. The researcher must be comfortable working closely with others in the laboratory and collaborators, but also working independently.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will perform the experiments according to the previously agreed-upon plan as discussed with the PI and co-researcher. While strictly adhering to the guidelines of the Institutional Animal Care Committeeand Internal Review Board (as applicable), this person will continuously update the protocols to comply with the latest requirements for animal survival surgery and collection/analysis of human specimens and modify as needed.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will be caring for multiple mouse colonies housed in animal facilities by monitoring their condition (particularly for tumor growth), setting up breeding cages, genotyping and other colony management activities. The successful candidate must have experience handling mice and be comfortable anesthetizing as well as euthanizing mice and conducting tissue harvest.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will assist in performing survival surgeries on mice. These will primarily include operations to inject or implant tumor cells and related treatments. Techniques required include anesthetizing the mice, monitoring the mice under anesthesia, performing surgeries, understanding mouse anatomy, monitoring mice following their operations, and providing the mice with food and water. Additional surgical procedures may include procedures designed to evaluate intra-abdominal fibrosis in mice.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will perform cell isolation from fresh tissue (mouse and human from specimens isolated in the operating room during cancer operations), cell culture experiments, expanding cell lines for experiments, and freezing cells for storage. Strict sterile technique will be observed, and techniques for handling cells with pipettes and tubes under the tissue culture hood are required, as are careful labeling of tubes and organization of frozen specimens. This researcher will also assist with and/or conduct flow cytometry experiments, image tissue using confocal microscopy, digest human tumor samples for cell isolation, and conduct single cell sequencing experiments.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will spend a portion of time assisting with a collaborative project studying abdominal fibrosis using both mouse and pig models. Experimental skills and data analysis would be similar as described for tumor experiments above.
 
This postdoctoral researcher should be comfortable working independently and will work under the supervision of the PI and co-investigator in the laboratory and collaborators. This researcher will discuss findings with PI primarily in the form of a weekly lab meeting, but with ample opportunity for informal discussion in between as well. This researcher will perform the work discussed with the PI, and any deviation from the plan will be discussed with the PI.
 
This postdoctoral researcher will work with other members in the laboratory as needed. This person’s work is part of a larger research project and further analysis of the work may be done by others in the laboratory and/or collaborating laboratories.
 
This postdoctoral researcher may be asked to train new members of the laboratory under the supervision of the PI. Additional activities are likely to involve assisting with drafting materials for grant submission and preparation of data (figures and writing) for paper publication.