Post Doctoral Fellowship in Developmental Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology

Position Description

Area: Developmental Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology
Duration: 1 year in the first instance with funding available for up to three years
Start date: as soon as possible
Salary: $50,000 per year plus benefits   

Dr. Myriam Hemberger and Dr. Wendy Dean in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Cumming School of Medicine, and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, at the University of Calgary are accepting applications for a postdoctoral fellow in Developmental Epigenetics and Stem Cell Biology.

Job Description:

We are looking for a talented and highly motivated Postdoctoral Fellow in the area of reproductive biology with particular focus on developmental epigenetics and stem cell biology. The successful candidate will work with Drs. Myriam Hemberger and Wendy Dean to advance our understanding of fundamental processes during early development in health and disease. We are using cutting-edge stem cell tools, combined with state-of-the-art transcriptomics and epigenomics methods to gain insights into gene function in placentation and embryogenesis. The core priority of this project is to investigate the impact of specific mutations on cellular differentiation and developmental outcomes using stem cell models including embryonic (ESCs), induced pluripotent (iPSCs) and trophoblast (TSCs) stem cells in advanced 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional culture systems (e.g., gastruloids, organoids).

The candidate will join an interactive research environment set within a newly refurbished open-plan laboratory space. State-of-the-art computational, imaging and molecular biology facilities are available. The candidate will also benefit from a thriving research environment and engage with a broad range of investigators with expertise in stem cell and cancer epigenetics, bioengineering and regenerative medicine.

Qualifications:

We seek a talented, highly motivated postdoc to work on a funded project, available immediately.

The successful candidate will hold and/or be able to demonstrate:

• PhD degree obtained within the last 3-years in developmental biology, epigenetics, stem cell biology or a related subject area
• Proven track record in academic research
• An excellent understanding of stem cell biology in the context of early mammalian development, and a solid background in mouse and human genetics
• Hands-on expertise in handling and manipulating mouse and/or human ESCs, iPSCs and/or TSCs, ideally including the use of CRISPR technology
• High-level expertise in chromatin biology, including performing chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and in the generation of Next-Generation sequencing libraries (ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq etc)
• Significant bioinformatic knowledge for analysis of high-throughput datasets is highly desirable

Application details:  

For further information on this position, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]. Interested applicants should apply by email to the above investigators and include a Cover Letter describing their motivation for this position, a detailed CV, a description of their research expertise and the names and contact details of 3 referees.

Additional Information

To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary and all we have to offer, view our Postdoc Careers website. For more information about the Cumming School of Medicine visit Careers in the Cumming School of Medicine.

The University of Calgary is Canada’s leading next-generation university – a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. Located in the nation’s most enterprising city, the university is making tremendous progress on its Eyes High journey to be recognized as one of Canada’s top five research universities, grounded in innovative learning and teaching and fully integrated with the community it both serves and leads. The University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.

To succeed as one of Canada’s top universities, where new ideas are created, tested and applied through first-class teaching and research, the University of Calgary needs more of the best minds in our classrooms and labs. We’re increasing our scholarly capacity by investing in people who want to change the world, bringing the best and brightest to Calgary to form a global intellectual hub and achieve advances that matter to everyone.

About Calgary, Alberta

Calgary is one of the world's cleanest cities and has been named one of the world's most livable cities for years. Calgary is a city of leaders – in business, community, philanthropy and volunteerism. Calgarians benefit from the strongest economy in the nation and enjoy more days of sunshine per year than any other major Canadian city. Calgary is less than an hour’s drive from the Rocky Mountains and boasts the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America.

The University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their professional success while they are here. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.