Position title: Post-doctoral
Organization: Laboratory Dr. Bieberich, Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky
Location: Lexington, KY, USA
The initial focus of the postdoctoral scientist will be exciting NIH-funded projects examining function of lipids, particularly the sphingolipid ceramide, in neural development and neurodegeneration. We have long-term funding and immediate openings related to projects on the function of sphingolipids, specifically ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, in cell signaling for neural development and disease. Particularly, we are interested in the role of ceramide for extracellular vesicle-mediated neurodegeneration and sphingosine-1-phosphate-mediated activation of glia in Alzheimer’s disease. We use integrative omics approaches to identify candidate cell signaling factors regulated by sphingolipids as well as mechanism-driven targeted approaches applying cutting edge molecular biology, imaging, and spectrometric techniques in unique transgenic animal models and cell culture, including human iPS cells.
A successful candidate will bring specific skills and knowledge critical to the lab’s research focus. These skills include, but are not limited to, experience with rodent colony handling and experiments, molecular biology and cell culture techniques. Experience in neuroscience-related research areas is desired. Experience in lipid biochemistry is preferred, but not critical. It is expected that a successful candidate has a substantial level of independence to write manuscripts and help develop grant applications with minimal supervision.
The successful candidate will benefit from a highly-stimulating and collaborative research environment in addition to an organized training plan to propel their future career goals. There are ample opportunities for scientific growth, career enhancement, and development into an independent investigator in academia, industry, or other career paths. Although the projects are currently funded by NIH, an integral part of post-doctoral training is the process of preparing a research proposal and writing a fellowship application, so Post-Docs are encouraged to apply for external funding when possible. Qualified candidates will also be eligible to apply to other University of Kentucky awarded T32 training programs.
The Department of Physiology (https://medicine.uky.edu/departments/physiology/) is on the same campus as the medical center (https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/), which may allow for many potential networking and collaborative interactions and opportunities. The Sanders-Brown Center on Aging (https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/sbcoa), also local to the Department of Physiology, includes the NIH-funded Alzheimer’s Disease Center that provides access to world-class translational resources to support innovative research (e.g. longitudinally followed and well-characterized clinical cohorts, neuroimaging, biomarkers, and autopsy specimens). Post-Docs can also collaborate with a number of other centers at the University that facilitate neuroscience research, including the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center (https://medicine.uky.edu/centers/scobirc), the Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Center (https://www.research.uky.edu/magnetic-resonance-imaging-and-spectroscopy-center), the Center for Clinical and Translational Science (https://www.ccts.uky.edu/), and the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute (https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kentucky-neuroscience-institute), to name a few.
See for yourself what makes UK a great place to work. To view our exceptional benefits, please visit: https://www.uky.edu/hr/benefits.
We are committed to providing an inclusive, supportive, and collegial environment for lab members to develop the skills required to meet their individual career goals and propel them towards their next venture in life.
Items to include as part of your application:
CV, cover letter with a brief statement of research experience and career goals, and contact information for three references.
If you would like to apply, please contact Dr. Erhard Bieberich (Erhard.bieberich@uky.edu).
The University of Kentucky is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring all our students, faculty, and staff work in an environment of openness and acceptance. We strive to foster a community where people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can feel secure and welcome. We also value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place to work, learn, and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients, and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we strongly encourage veterans, individuals with disabilities, women, and all minorities to consider our employment opportunities.
Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.
