Postdoctoral or research scientist

University of Oklahoma Health Science Center; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Oklahoma City invites applications for postdoc positions in the Neurotoolbox Lab under Prof. Yiyang Gong. The roles focus on engineering protein sensors and microscopy tools to optically record and control neural activity, with NIH/NSF funding supporting expansion of the toolbox.

Candidates should hold a Ph.D. or be near completion in related fields, with strong experimental backgrounds and publications.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or nearing completion in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, biophysics, electrical engineering, optics, molecular or cell biology, or related fields.
• Strong experimental background, academic history, and publication record.
• Experience in molecular biology, cell culture, and high throughput screens is desirable.
• Experience with optical microscopy, system automation, data acquisition, and image analysis (Python and LabVIEW preferred, but not required).

Responsibilities

• Engineer and expand the optogenetics toolbox with new sensors and imaging methods.
• Develop and apply protein tools for optical recording and control of neural activity.
• Contribute to computational methods and optics development to enable parallel recordings and analysis.
• Prepare to establish an independent research program within the biology-neuroscience interface.

Skills

Molecular biology

Optical microscopy

Python

LabVIEW

Data analysis

Education

PhD in bioengineering/biomedical engineering/biophysics/electrical engineering/optics or related fields

Tools

LabVIEW

Image processing tools

Job description

Postdoc Positions: Engineering of Optogenetic Tools for Biology

The Neurotoolbox Lab is recruiting two positions at the postdoctoral or research scientist level in the Department of Cell Biology at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus (Oklahoma City, OK, USA) in the group of Prof. Yiyang Gong. The lab is interested in expanding the set of novel protein tools and microscopy tools to optically record and control neural activity. Recent publications of the lab were geared toward optical voltage imaging of many neurons simultaneously in live animals. Under recent NIH and NSF funding, the lab is expanding the optogenetics toolbox by producing new protein sensors, computational methods, and optics: (1) The lab engineers protein sensors geared toward parallel recordings (Gong et al. Science, 2015; Beck et al. Scientific Reports 2019); (2) The lab creates fast and accurate algorithms for processing large imaging datasets (Bao et al. Nature Machine Intelligence, 2021); (3) The lab creates innovative one-photon and two-photon microscopy imaging technologies (Wang et al, Biomedical Optics Express, 2019, 2021). Together, the diverse opportunities for research will prepare candidates to establish an independent research program in modern biology, investigating the complete pathway from molecular biology to animal behavior.

Applicants should have completed a Ph.D. or is nearing completion of a Ph.D. in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, biophysics, electrical engineering, optics, molecular or cell biology, or related fields with a strong experimental background, academic history, and publication record. Because of the broad nature of studies in protein engineering and neuroscience, prior experience could significantly accelerate progress. The lab is interested in candidates with experience in any of the following:

• Molecular biology, cell culture, and high throughput screens
• Optical Microscopy, system automation, data acquisition, and image analysis (experience with python and Labview preferred, but not required)

The lab has open positions starting in October 2026 for durations of up to two years.

Webpage: https://sites.google.com/view/neurotoolbox