Postdoctoral Fellow - Cancer Biology

MD Anderson • Houston, TX

63d • $64,000 - $76,000

About The Position

A full-time postdoctoral fellow position is available in Dr. Kathleen McAndrews laboratory in the Department of Cancer Biology.

The McAndrews lab is focused on determining how genetic and therapeutic stresses impact tissue repair as well as cancer progression and therapy resistance. Our lab aims to understand how cells in the TME are co-opted to promote repair, tumor growth, and therapy resistance to identify potential protective functions of the TME and unveil therapeutic vulnerabilities.

The ideal postdoctoral fellow candidate will have hands-on experience with cell culture, molecular biology techniques, and mouse experiments, including proficient mouse handling. While we consider various backgrounds, a strong interest in understanding tissue microenvironment biology, and the desire to tackle a major problem of great significance are essential. Bioinformatics experience is a plus.

Tissue damage leads to activation of intracellular and intercellular signaling cascades to contain and repair the injury. A coordinated response to facilitate interactions between epithelial cells and surrounding cells, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells, and extracellular matrix is critical for proper tissue repair and regeneration. Several disease states, including diabetes, aging, and ischemia, are associated with defects in the tissue repair process that result in chronic wounds. Moreover, persistent activation of the repair process leads to a pathological fibrosis response that can cause organ failure and is a risk factor for the development of many cancer types. Cancer can be thought of as abnormal repair processes or 'wounds that do not heal', driven by intrinsic drivers in epithelial cells (e.g. mutations, deletions and amplifications) as well as extrinsic factors derived from the microenvironment.

Requirements

• PhD or MD/PhD in biomedical sciences field
• The appointee recently (within three years) completed their education (doctorate) or completed previous postdoctoral experience or graduate medical education
• The appointment is temporary
• The appointment involves substantial full-time research or scholarship
• The appointment is viewed as preparatory for a full-time academic and/or research career
• The appointment is not part of a clinical training program
• The appointee works under the supervision of a senior scholar or a department in a university or similar research institution (e.g., national laboratory, National Institutes of Health (NIH), etc.)
• The appointee has the freedom to and is expected to publish the results of his or her research or scholarship during the period of the appointment
• Hands-on experience with cell culture, molecular biology techniques, and mouse experiments, including proficient mouse handling
• A strong interest in understanding tissue microenvironment biology, and the desire to tackle a major problem of great significance are essential

Nice To Haves

• Bioinformatics experience

Responsibilities

• The postdoctoral fellow will perform mouse genetics experiments coupled with in vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies
• Document and present findings
• Write manuscripts and fellowship applications.

Benefits

• MD Anderson offers full-time postdoc positions with a salary ranging from $64,000 to $76,000. depending on the number of years of postgraduate experience.
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, paid time off, retirement, tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Industry: Ambulatory Health Care Services
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees