A postdoctoral researcher position is available in the Lammerding laboratory to investigate how migration through confined spaces, for example, in the context of cancer metastasis or immune cell infiltration, can modulate chromatin organization, gene expression, and other cellular functions. The research builds on previous discoveries in the Lammerding lab that found that nuclear envelope proteins play crucial roles in the ability of cells to respond to mechanical stimuli (Lammerding et al. J Clin Invest 2004; Ho et al. Nature 2013; Kalukula et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022) and that cell migration through confined spaces results in nuclear envelope rupture, DNA damage, and chromatin modification (Denais et al. Science 2016; Shah et al. Current Biol 2021; Hsia et al. iScience 2022).
Additional research opportunities are available to investigate the biophysical mechanism by which cells move their large nucleus through tight spaces (see for example, Keys et al. J Cell Science 2024). The available research project involves the use—and ideally further design and optimization—of microfluidic devices that mimic physiological environments, live cell fluorescence microscopy, and genomic and transcriptomic analyses of cells exposed to different mechanical environments. This work is supported through a multi-year NIH award.
The Lammerding laboratory is a highly multidisciplinary research environment and a leader in the rapidly growing field of nuclear mechanobiology. We seek people who bring new ideas and expertise to our team. The postdoctoral researcher will work in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment and enjoy access to a wide variety of advanced instrumentation and expertise. Candidates should be highly motivated. Additional details on the research in the Lammerding laboratory can be found at http://lammerding.wicmb.cornell.edu/.
The Lammerding laboratory is part of the Weill Institute of Cell and Molecular Biology and the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. As the home of thirteen highly interactive labs specialized on various aspects of cell biology research, the Weill Institute houses numerous state-of-art imaging, biochemical, molecular biology equipment on the central Cornell campus. Cornell provides abundant training opportunities and excellent support for postdoctoral fellows. Generous stipends and benefits will be provided, with the starting salary for recent graduates based on the NIH NRSA postdoctoral stipend levels.
Qualifications:
- Ph.D. in biomedical engineering or related engineering field, or in cell biology, molecular biology, or biochemistry with engineering applications
- Previous experience working with mammalian cells is required.
- Experience with the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices, or device design in general, is desired and considered a major plus.
- Experience with fluorescence microscopy and image analysis is desired and considered a major plus.
- Experience with bioinformatics, including python, R, and linux operating system (e.g., NGS raw data read processing and downstream analysis) is desired, but not required.
- Experience with cell and molecular biology techniques such as cloning, immunoblot analysis, immunofluorescence, NGS library preparation (especially RNA-seq and ATAC-seq) is desired.
- Proficiency in English and a successful record of publications is required.
Application:
Applications should be directed to Dr. Jan Lammerding at jan.lammerding@cornell.edu
Please include the following materials:
- Research statement, including a brief summary of previous research experiences, along with motivation and specific fit for the above project(s). Suggested length: ~1 page
- Curriculum vitae
- Names and contact information for a minimum of three references
EEO Statement:
Diversity and Inclusion are a part of our heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations.
Pay Range:
$61,008.00 – $87,000.00
Pay Ranges:
The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
- Prior relevant work or industry experience.
- Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
- Academic Discipline
- Unique applicable skills.
