Research Fellow - Psychiatry/Stem Cell Lab

eQuest; Rochester (MN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits

Education and advancement opportunity

Job summary

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN invites highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to join Dr. Ming-Fen Ho’s lab in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology.

The role focuses on stem cell-based disease modeling for neuropsychiatric disorders, including alcohol and opioid use disorders, using iPSC-derived neurons and brain organoids. The successful candidate will lead projects, develop mechanistic hypotheses, and contribute to publications and grant applications while working in a collaborative,

Qualifications

• PhD in biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, or a related field.
• Ability to work independently and supervise team members.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques and omics methods.
• Familiarity with iPSC culture and cell models is a plus.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead a project on human iPSC–based disease modeling and therapeutic development.
• Write progress reports and manuscripts; assist with grant applications.
• Perform routine iPSC culture and brain organoid work; analyze data from scRNA-seq and generate hypotheses.

Job description

Why Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is top-ranked in more specialties than any other care provider according to U.S. News & World Report. As we work together to put the needs of the patient first, we are also dedicated to our employees, investing in competitive compensation andcomprehensive benefit plans– to take care of you and your family, now and in the future. And with continuing education and advancement opportunities at every turn, you can build a long, successful career with Mayo Clinic.

Benefits Highlights

• Medical:Multiple plan options.
• Dental:Delta Dental or reimbursement account for flexible coverage.
• Vision:Affordable plan with national network.
• Pre-Tax Savings:HSA and FSAs for eligible expenses.
• Retirement: Competitive retirement package to secure your future.

Dr. Ming-Fen Ho’s lab is looking for highly motivated and productive postdoctoral research fellows for stem cell research projects within the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

This study is designed to identify novel therapeutics for substance use disorders. We will apply novel network biology approaches, pathway modeling, and simulation computational tools to prioritize potential candidates for functional genomic studies. The approaches we are taking could help us to develop mechanistic hypothesis for experimental validation. Our findings will enhance the general understanding of drug mechanism(s) of action and the underlying the pathophysiology responsible for substance use disorders, thus opening new avenues for discovering novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of substance use disorders.

Dr. Ho’s laboratory has established protocols for differentiating human iPSCs into a variety of cell types, including neurons, astrocytes, and brain organoids, and has developed cellular models and cell therapeutic candidates for diseases including alcohol use disorder, and opioid use disorder.

Basic education, experience and skills required for consideration:

1. The successful applicant should have completed a PhD in biology, neuroscience, pharmacology, or a related field. While ideal candidates should have expertise in one of the following areas, we also appreciate candidates in other fields who are committed to learning new skills and keen to bring their unique expertise to study neuropsychiatric disorders in a collaborative environment.
2. Proven ability to work independently, supervise team members and drive complex projects.
3. Experience in basic fundamental molecular biology techniques (such as gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, qPCR, molecular cloning, CRISPR editing, plasmid construction, virus packing, iPSC culture, RNA-sequencing, multi-omics studies).
4. Experience in molecular biology, biochemistry and / or omics techniques; cell culture / iPSC experience is a plus
5. Candidates are expected to lead a project and establish collaborative research and must have excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Key Responsibilities include:

1. The postdoctoral fellow will lead a project on human iPSC-based disease modeling and therapeutic development for neuropsychiatric disorders such as alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder.
2. The postdoctoral fellow is expected to write progress reports and high-quality manuscripts for publication. Applying for postdoctoral fellowship and participating in grant applications are encouraged.
3. Dr. Ho will provide training for iPSC generation and maintenance, and lab techniques for functional genomic studies. The postdoctoral fellow will be responsible for routine cell culture for iPSCs and brain organoids. The postdoctoral fellow will use the data generated from the scRNA-seq and generate hypothesis and test in the lab. She/he will work closely with Dr. Ho for this grant to pursue the function and mechanisms of genes and pathways identified in the course of this project. She/he will have their own projects and build their bibliography during their postdoctoral training.

Must have a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in a field deemed relevant by the program. Research Fellow is appropriate for individuals who have completed no more than one prior postdoctoral fellowship, at Mayo Clinic or elsewhere.