Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center • Seattle, WA

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is seeking a highly motivated Post Doctoral Research Fellow, trained as a neuroscientist or a physiologist, to join the Talbot Lab within the Basic Sciences Division. This role will lead cutting-edge studies to understand the neural basis of intestinal regulation of secretion, immunity, and metabolism. The Talbot lab focuses on the gut-brain axis, investigating how gut neurons sense diet and microbes to regulate immunity, metabolism, and nutrition. The lab utilizes a variety of advanced techniques including mouse models, intravital and explant calcium imaging, genetically encoded calcium reporters, quantitative measurements of intestinal physiology, molecular immunology, viral-assisted neural circuit tracing, optogenetics and chemogenetics, CRISPR-Cas9 genetic alterations, single-cell genomics, and diet engineering. A key objective is to develop dietary strategies that modulate gut neurons to combat gastrointestinal-associated diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gut infections, malabsorption conditions, and metabolic disturbances. This research offers a unique opportunity to explore the intersection of neurobiology, physiology, immunology, host-microbiota interactions, nutrition, and gastroenterology. The successful candidate must be able to work both independently and collaboratively.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in neuroscience, physiology, or related areas.
• Extensive (demonstrated) experience in mouse modeling and work in neuroscience or physiology.
• Knowledge of mouse neuroanatomy, surgical and dissection procedures, and animal genetics.
• Experience with mouse survival surgery and stereotaxic or viral injections, including viral-assisted circuit tracing.
• Experience measuring neuronal activity, preferably by imaging with genetically encoded calcium indicators in tissue explants or in vivo.
• Experience with quantitative analysis of imaging data, including motion correction, ROI segmentation, and extraction and interpretation of activity traces.
• Experience in systems and circuit neuroscience, or organ-level physiology.
• Ability to use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics, or high-technology applications to perform work duties.
• Ability to use equipment that requires setup, calibration, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Creativity and strong analytical and interpersonal skills.
• A track record of first-author publications is required.
• Outstanding technical and communication skills.
• Capacity to analyze and interpret experimental data and summarize findings for presentations, grants, pre-prints, and publications.
• Dynamic and driven, engaging and encouraging in team environments.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with optogenetics, chemogenetics, or in vivo recording.
• Experience in whole-mount tissue anatomy, immunostaining, and confocal microscopy.
• Familiarity with Cell and Molecular Biology techniques (including western blotting, immunoprecipitation, cloning, PCR, qPCR, sterile tissue culture, virus preparation, DNA/RNA isolation, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing, flow cytometry, and cell sorting).
• Biostatistics and basic programming skills, in Python or MATLAB.
• Published evidence of productivity.
• Interest in developing research in the field of sensory neurobiology of the gut and its intersection with immunity and metabolism, by utilizing an array of innovative mouse models and sophisticated approaches.

Responsibilities

• Developing and executing a project related to the interests of the lab.
• Investigating the role of neural circuits in intestinal homeostasis using a mouse model system.
• Investigating the mechanisms by which dietary components are sensed by gut neurons that regulate intestinal immunity and nutrient absorption.
• Investigating the neural control of intestinal secretion and fluid and electrolyte transport.
• Investigating the molecular mechanisms of plasticity in the enteric nervous system, and its functional consequences.
• Investigating the discrimination of commensals and pathogens by gut neuronal circuits.
• Investigating immune modulation by gut neurons.
• Keeping up with appropriate literature and research publications.
• Contributing to a creative, collaborative and bustling laboratory environment.
• Writing and applying for fellowship funding and co-authoring manuscripts.

Benefits

• Medical/vision
• Dental
• Flexible spending accounts
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Retirement plan
• Family life support
• Employee assistance program
• Onsite health clinic
• Income-based child care subsidy
• Tuition reimbursement
• Paid vacation (22 days per year)
• Paid sick leave (up to 30 calendar days per occurrence of a qualifying reason)
• Paid holidays (13 days per year)
• Paid parental leave (up to 4 weeks)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree