Postdoctoral positions to study mitochondrial dysfunction and neurometabolic axon/glia interactions in ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders.

We invite highly motivated candidates to apply for positions as postdoctoral fellows in the laboratory of Dr. Jeff Milbrandt in the Department of Genetics at Washington University in St. Louis. Our primary goal is to unravel the mechanism of axon degeneration and its role in neurodegenerative disease.  Many of our projects are pursued collaboratively with the Aaron DiAntonio lab and focus on how defects in NAD homeostasis alter disease progression in peripheral neuropathy, ALS and retinal degenerative disorders. One set of studies is aimed at determining how the NADase activity of the TIR domain protein SARM1 is regulated and how its activity influences downstream signaling pathways that control axon maintenance. Another area of interest focuses on motor neuron abnormalities that occur in ALS and in peripheral neuropathy. In particular, we are interested in the unique metabolic vulnerability of motor axons and how metabolic deficits and mitochondrial dysfunction in Schwann cells contribute to motor neuron diseases. We are also pursuing studies to define the cellular composition of peripheral nerves, particularly the microglial-like cells that contribute to nerve homeostasis as well as disease progression. These projects utilize a wide breadth of technologies from single cell sequencing to mass spectrometry to high throughput, quantitative imaging.  In addition, we use human genetics, AAV viral therapies, and disease models including mutant mice and iPSC-derived neurons to further understand neurodegenerative processes.  These projects are funded by multiple grants from the NIH.

Full-time positions are available immediately and are funded for up to three years, with the possibility of extension.

Information on being a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis can be found at postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs.

The ideal applicants will have:
1. PhD or MD/PhD in biological sciences or related fields
2. Experience in molecular biology, neuroscience or genomics.
3. Good communication skills
4. In addition, applicant must be able to visit St. Louis for potential interviews
About Washington University: Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) has a rich history of success in research, education and patient care, earning it a reputation as one of the premier medical schools in the world. The University is internationally known for studies in genetics and neuroscience.

How to Apply:
Applicants should email a single PDF file consisting of a letter of interest and CV, and should arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Dr. Jeff Milbrandt at axonal@genetics.wustl.edu.

EOE:

Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.


Postdoctoral positions in Precision Neurology focused on analyzing disease-associated genetic variants using quantitative imaging, metabolomics and single cell genomics

The laboratories of Drs. Jeff Milbrandt and Rob Mitra invite highly motivated candidates to apply for positions as joint postdoctoral fellows in the Department of Genetics and McDonnell Genome Institute at Washington University in St. Louis. These fellows will develop research programs in Personalized Medicine aimed at revealing the pathogenic mechanisms of disease-associated variants via monitoring phenotypic changes of genetically perturbed iPSC-derived neurons and glia. Our collaborative, multidisciplinary group studies the mechanistic basis of genetic abnormalities that result in neurodevelopmental, neuropsychiatric, or neurodegenerative disorders, with particular emphasis on the role of mitochondrial dysfunction and metabolic deficits in disease progression. To address these questions, we use a novel multi-omics approach that integrates high-throughput imaging and machine learning methods with CRISPR/Cas9 screens and saturation mutagenesis to answer central questions about the pathophysiology that results from genetic mutations in mitochondrial proteins, chromatin regulators, and metabolic enzymes. We interpret our experiments in the context of curated clinical phenotypes and validate key findings using banked patient samples.  Multiple full-time positions are available immediately and are funded for up to three years, with the possibility of extension.

Information on being a postdoc at Washington University in St. Louis can be found at postdoc.wustl.edu/prospective-postdocs.

The ideal applicants will have:
1. PhD or MD/PhD in biological sciences or related fields
2. Experience in molecular biology or genomics.
3. Programming skills (Python and R) are preferred
4. Good communication skills
5. In addition, applicant must be able to visit St Louis for potential interviews

About Washington University: Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) has a rich history of success in research, education and patient care, earning it a reputation as one of the premier medical schools in the world. The University is internationally known for studies in genetics, neuroscience, and addiction.

How to Apply:
Applicants should email a single PDF file consisting of a letter of interest and CV, and should arrange for three letters of reference to be sent to Drs. Jeff Milbrandt and Rob Mitra at MorphNSort@genetics.wustl.edu.

EOE:

Washington University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.