Postdoctoral Scholar, Portland, Oregon

Oregon Health & Science University

Oregon Health & Science University values a diverse and culturally competent workforce. We are proud of our commitment to being an equal opportunity, affirmative action organization that does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of any protected class status, including disability status and protected veteran status. Individuals with diverse backgrounds and those who promote diversity and a culture of inclusion are encouraged to apply. To request reasonable accommodation contact the Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Department at 503-494-5148 or aaeo@ohsu.edu.


Postdoctoral Scholar

US-OR-Portland

Job ID: 2024-29708
Type: Regular Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Postdoctoral
Portland, OR (Waterfront)

Overview

Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Research position in the laboratory of Dr. Anupriya Agarwal at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Agarwal laboratory focuses on identifying novel intrinsic- and extrinsic signaling pathways that are requisite for leukemia progression, clonal evolution, and drug resistance. The work will concentrate on the discovery of the mechanisms of leukemia initiation and drug resistance using multi-omics approaches for NIH funded projects.

Dr. Agarwal and her team for over past 15 years focusing on identifying novel signaling pathways that are requisite for leukemia initiation, clonal evolution, and drug resistance. The new team member will help lead the project focused on understanding the mechanisms of leukemia initiation and drug resistance in a context dependent manner. The project will use variety of advanced molecular biology techniques, CRISPR methods along with single cell transcriptomic, epigenetic, and genomic profiling in premalignant and malignant models using murine and human cells in vitro and in vivo. The candidate should also be able to perform complex data analysis, along with downstream analyses using computational approaches. Applicants will need to possess strong technical and organizational skills as well as the ability to manage an independent project.

A PhD with research experience in the relevant field. They are likely to have deep expertise in a singular area of focus but may also have worked as boundary spanners across multiple fields. Laboratory experience in the field of molecular/cellular biology, cancer biology or a related field is preferred. Experience with sequencing library preparation, epigenetics, flow cytometry, or murine models of disease would be especially beneficial. Achieving this position requires that the researcher have demonstrated a satisfactory track record of scholarly activity including high-quality peer-reviewed publications. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is capable and willing to make maximum use of excellent facilities and a productive environment.

The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is a pioneer in personalized cancer treatment and research, led by Dr. Brian Druker, whose development of Gleevec transformed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia from a fatal disease to a manageable one and proved that targeted therapies can work. The institute focuses on precision oncology, the early detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, and creating a welcoming and supportive environment for its caregivers, researchers, and support personnel. Knight affiliates subscribe to three guiding principles: we are bold, we are supportive, and we work as a connected team in our fight to end cancer as we know it. We’d love for you to join us!

Relevant publications for the position are below:

1. Lin HY, M Hosseini M, McClatchy J, Villamor-Payà M, Jeng S, Bottomly D, Tsai CF, Posso C, Jacobson J, Adey AC, Gosline SJC, Liu T, McWeeney SK, Stracker TH, Agarwal A*. The TLK-ASF1 histone chaperone pathway plays a critical role in IL-1b-mediated AML progression. Blood. 2024 Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38498025. * Corresponding author
2. Modak RV, de Oliveira Rebola KG, McClatchy J, Mohammadhosseini M, Damnernsawad A, Kurtz SE, Eide CA, Wu G, Laderas T, Nechiporuk T, Gritsenko MA, Hansen JR, Hutchinson C, Gosline SJC, Piehowski P, Bottomly D, Short N, Rodland K, McWeeney SK, Tyner JW, Agarwal A*. Targeting CCL2/CCR2 signaling overcomes MEK inhibitor resistance in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res. 2024. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38451486. * Corresponding author
3. McClatchy J, Strogantsev R, Wolfe E, Estabrook J, Lin, HY, Mohammadhosseini M, Davis BA, Eden C, Goldman D, Fleming WH, Cimmino L, Mohammed H, Agarwal A*. Clonal hematopoiesis-related TET2 loss-of-function impedes IL1β-mediated epigenetic reprogramming in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Nature Communications 2023, 8102 PMC10703894* Corresponding author
4. Kurtz S, Eide CA, Kaempf A, Long N, Bottomly D, Nikolova O, Druker BJ, McWeeney SK, Tyner JW^, Agarwal A. Associating Ex Vivo Drug Sensitivity with Differentiation Status Identifies Effective Drug Combinations for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Blood Advances 2022, 6(10): 3062-3067.
5. Hosseini MH, Kurtz SE, Abdelhamed S, Mahmood S, Davare, MA, Kaempf A, Elferich J, McDermott JE, Liu T, Payne SH, Shinde U, Rodland KD, Mori M, Druker BJ, Singer JK, Agarwal Inhibition of interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-1 is a therapeutic strategy for acute myeloid leukemia subtypes. Leukemia. 2018, 32(11):2374-87. PMC6558520
6. Carey A, Edwards D, Eide C A, Newell L, Traer E, Medeiros B, Pollyea DA, Deininger MW, Collins R, Tyner J W, Druker B J, Bagby G C, McWeeney S, Agarwal A*. Identification of interleukin-1 by functional screening as a key mediator of cellular expansion and disease progression in acute myeloid leukemia. Cell 2017, 18(13):3204-18. PMC5437102

Responsibilities

• PhD with a Minimum of 4 years as a graduate student and a Specialty in Molecular Biology
• In depth knowledge of specific areas of responsibility
• Ability to operate complex scientific equipment
• Passion for science and inquiry
• Ability to synthesize one’s own results and others to formulate hypotheses
• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks at one time
• Must have excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills: both written and verbal
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
• Ability to work with and supervise junior staff
• Must be proficient with computers running Windows and PC applications e.g. MS Excel, Oracle, Access, Word and PowerPoint)
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships
• Must have demonstrated excellent customer service skills both on the phone and in person
• Molecular biology techniques required: RNAi , PCR, primer design, cell culture, transfections, transductions, Western blots, cloning, sequencing

Qualifications

• PhD degree in science or technology
• Prior experience with the analysis of single cell gene expression and ATACseq experiments
• Experience with murine models, including xenograft implantation and drug treatments, is preferred
• Experience in performing transcriptomic and epigenetic studies is preferred
• Experience with basic bioinformatics skills is preferred

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