Interdisciplinary Post-doctoral fellowships (2 positions) in wound healing

The Hospital for Sick Children - Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job description

2 positions: SickKids Research Institute (Toronto, Canada) and Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (France).The Zhulyn and Lagha labs are jointly seeking two talented postdoctoral fellows for a collaborative team project to uncover the cellular 'band aid' proteins that enable rapid wound healing in axolotls and flies.

Funded by the prestigious Human Frontier Science Foundation Program research grant, this project brings together complementary expertise of the Zhulyn (Canada), Lagha (France), vanOudenaarden (Netherlands) and Kelleher (US) labs for a team-driven, multidisciplinary effort to identify and visualize the translation dynamics and function of proteins that drive epithelial cell migration and rapid, scarless wound healing in axolotl wound healing and fly dorsal closure.

Successful applicants will work together as part of an international team of experts at four sites to apply cutting-edge approaches in high-resolution, single-molecule imaging; single-cell Ribo-seq and spatial mass spectrometry. They will also design and implement new tools for visualization of mRNA translation at a global and single-molecule level and develop a new framework for mRNA translation and protein analysis at unprecedented resolution in axolotls and flies. The positions require both overlapping and distinct skill sets as outlined below:

All applicants must have a:

- Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Cell Biology, Biophysics or a related field

- Competency in computational (R or Python) and statistical analysis

- Competency in experimental design and standard molecular biology, imaging, genetics techniques

- Demonstrated manual dexterity, precision, and rigor in experimental work

- Driven to learn and innovate and work both independently and as part of a team

- Minimum of one first-author publication in a peer-reviewed journal

- Fluent in English (native or bilingual proficiency)

In addition:

Applicants to the Zhulyn lab (Canada) must have:

- Experience with confocal or high-resolution imaging in live or fixed organisms, cells or tissues

- Experience with data analysis in Python, R or similar

- Experience working with animal models

AND

- Experience with mass spectrometry, including sample preparation and data analysis

AND/OR

- Experience with scRNA-Seq, CHIP-Seq or related methods, including library preparation and data analysis

AND/OR

- Extensive experience with in vitro or in vitro reporter assay design, development and implementation

Applicants to the Lagha lab (France) must have:

- Experience with high-resolution or live imaging in flies, zebrafish or other animal model, organoid or related systems

- Experience in Drosophila genetics would be a strong asset

- Knowledge in developmental, cell or regenerative biology

About the Institutions:

The Zhulyn lab is located in the Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning (PGCRL). A state-of-the-art research tower housing the SickKids Research Institute of the Hospital for Sick Children - a global leader in paediatric medicine and research. PGCRL is situated in the heart of downtown Toronto's 'Hospital Row' which features one of the world's highest densities of clinical and research talent with over 11,000 researchers spread across 9 hospitals, 37 research institutes in one of the most productive academic health centres in North America.

The Lagha lab is located in the Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier (IGMM) in the historic CNRS Montpellier "Route de Mende" campus. It is physically connected to CRBM and IRIM research institutes, forming a critical mass of 600 people who create an exceptional dynamic intellectual and technological environment. The labs at IGMM have access to high-tech facilities, in particular through BioCampus.

In addition, successful applicants will have opportunities to travel and work closely with our team members at the Hubrecht Institute (Netherlands) and Northwestern University (United States).

Qualified applicants are invited to submit an application to SickKids [[e-mail]] OR IGMM [[e-mail]] with "HFSP Post doc application" in the subject line]. Applicants wishing to apply to both labs may submit a single application to either institute and indicate “for dual consideration” in their cover letter.

The application must include:

1. Curriculum vitae with the applicant's publication record and contact information of 3 referees. Cover letter describing your interest in the position Brief description of previous research (<1 page)

Position start date is on or after December 2025. The appointment is for 3 years with possibility of extension depending on funding and performance. Salary is competitive and in accord with CNRS and SickKids Research Institute standards.