Research associate - genomics-based medicine Opportunity: A position for a research associate is available in the group of Iwijn De Vlaminck at Cornell University. This will be a two-year appointment, with possible extension based on performance.
Research description: The research in the De Vlaminck lab is concerned with the development of genomics-based medicine technologies to study and diagnose immune and infection related disease in humans. Of immediate interest to the available position, the lab is interested in exploiting the phenomenon of circulating cell-free DNA, small fragments of DNA that can be isolated from blood and urine, for the diagnosis of infection and immune injury. The candidate will play a central role in multiple, multi-PI, collaborative projects with the goal to 1) Test the utility of cell-free DNA in urine as an analyte of urinary tract infection. 2) Test the utility of a measurement of the tissues-of-origin of cell-free DNA in the blood circulation to monitor post-transplant immune complications. 3) Test the utility of cell-free DNA in blood or urine to monitor or screen tuberculosis. These research directions are supported by multiple grants from the National Institutes of Health, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Representative research articles: 1. A cell-free DNA metagenomic sequencing assay that integrates the damage response to infection. Alexandre Pellan Cheng, Philip Burnham, John Richard Lee, Matthew Pellan Cheng, Manikkam Suthanthiran, Darshana Dadhania, Iwijn De Vlaminck Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2019). 2. Urinary cell-free DNA is a versatile analyte for monitoring infections of the urinary tract Philip Burnham, Darshana Dadhania, Michael Heyang, Fanny Chen, Manikkam Suthanthiran, John Richard Lee*, Iwijn De Vlaminck* Nature Communications (2018). 3. Circulating Cell-Free DNA Enables Noninvasive Diagnosis of Heart Transplant Rejection Iwijn De Vlaminck, Hannah A. Valantine, Thomas M. Snyder, Calvin Strehl, Garrett Cohen, Helen Luikart, Norma F. Neff, Jennifer Okamoto, Daniel Bernstein, Dana Weisshaar, Stephen R. Quake, and Kiran K. Khush Science Translational Medicine, 6, 241ra77 (2014)
Responsibilities: The candidate will conduct innovative research with both a strong wetlab (molecular biology) and dry lab (computational biology) component. The successful candidate will be expected to carry out impactful research, and to disseminate this research to the research community via conference contributions and journal presentations. The candidate will take on project management duties, including dissemination of results via grant progress reports and publications. The candidate will carry out research with at the highest technical and ethical standards and candidate will be responsible for communicating key results to collaborators, including clinician scientists at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Dana Farber. The candidate will maintain excellent working relations with the graduate students and postdoctoral associates in the lab.
What we offer: The candidate will be supported with a competitive research associate salary. We offer excellent working conditions in state-of-the art facilities.
Candidates are required to hold Ph.D or M.D./Ph.D. degrees (or expected to soon obtain Ph.D or M.D./Ph.D. degrees) and to have at least two years of equivalent postdoc associate experience. The candidate will have a track record of publications in leading journals. The candidate will have excellent writing and communication skills. The ability and desire to acquire new technical skills in the wet lab and computational space is required. The ability to develop positive working relationships with colleagues is critical. Experience with, or an interest in learning wetlab experimentation skills. Experience with, or an interest in learning advanced computer and analytical skills. Must be willing to work in a team atmosphere. Ability to set goals and achieve them in a timely fashion, and a commitment to excellence are required. A strong desire to contribute to a project with direct application for human health is a must.
We are looking for technically skilled and creative researchers that can effectively communicate with our clinical collaborators. The ideal candidate will have exceptional communication and organizational skills, timely data generation, and excellent multitasking abilities are required. Prior experience with bioinformatics and/or molecular biology is desirable but not required. Candidates with a research background in unrelated fields (e.g. biophysics, physics, chemistry), but that possess exceptionally strong quantitative skills are encouraged to apply.
To Apply: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/15460 Employment Assistance: If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell University's Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at voice (607) 255-3976, fax (607) 255-7481, or email at [email protected].
For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting.
Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application. Notice to Applicants: Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant. EEO Statement: Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University's 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. Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose, and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement. | 
