Position title: Post-Doctoral Associate
Organization: Laboratory of Dr Douglas Feinstein, University of Illinois
Location: Chicago, Illinois
This Post-Doctoral Associate will conduct research on studies to induce remyelination in a mouse model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the laboratory of Dr Douglas Feinstein at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Illinois. The postdoctoral researcher will collaborate with Dr. Feinstein and other laboratory members to design, perform, and analyze experiments using in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches. This project involves causing loss of myelin in the CNS by treating mice with the demyelinating agent Cuprizone (CPZ). Following treatment, mice will be administered Lanthionine Ketimine Ester (LKE) which we showed induces remyelination (see Dupree et al. (2022) ASN NEURO). The postdoctoral researcher will perform studies to optimize the timing and dosage of LKE, and will test if remyelination is maintained after LKE is halted. Assays will include immunocytochemistry (ICC), qPCR, and electron microscopy. In vitro studies will be done using primary cultures of oligodendrocytes (OLGs), to screen newer LKE derivatives for higher potency, and will include assays for markers of survival and maturation using qPCR and IHC. The post doctoral associate will examine the role of the protein CRMP2, a target of LKE, using the Cre-Lox approach to generate mice with conditional knockout of CRMP2 from OLGs; and pharmacokinetic analyses to measure LKE accumulation in tissue. The post doctoral associate will carry out behavior studies to determine if LKE reduces deficits due to the loss of myelin.
The candidate should have previous experience working with mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases. The candidate should also have experience with some or all of the above methods including transcardial perfusion of mice, IHC, RNA isolation and qPCR, mouse genotyping, primary cell culture, and behavior analyses including open field testing, novel object recognition, and rotarod.
The studies are supported by a VA Merit grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and funds are available for up to 3 years. The salary level will follow current NIH recommendations based on number of years of previous post-doctoral experience.
If interested, please send a recent c.v. with at least 2 references listed. For more information or with any questions please contact Dr Feinstein at dlfeins@uic.edu.
