Postdoc/PhD positions in Systems Biology and Mechanobiology

[fspill]

The group of Fabian Spill, a UKRI Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Birmingham, is looking to recruit several highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellows, PhD students and a Technician to join exciting collaborative and interdisciplinary projects in systems biology and mechanobiology. We are looking for candidates with backgrounds in mathematical biology, biophysics, bioengineering, cell biology or related fields.

The deadline for the PhD positions is in early January, but earlier application is encouraged (see below). The postdoctoral positions will open soon. Informal inquiries (ideally with a CV) can be made to f.spill@bham.ac.uk .

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage applications from members of underrepresented groups. Team members will benefit from interdisciplinary collaborations through funding to visit partner organisations (specifically, the theoreticians will get the opportunity to spend time in the experimental labs, and vice versa), opportunities to attend conferences and training courses, and further career development opportunities (e.g. supervision of master/PhD students, support with fellowship applications etc.).

The successful candidates will join a dynamic, collaborative environment at the University of Birmingham, located in a lively and affordable city. Our University is located on a single campus, with the School of Mathematics just minutes away from the Medical School, which is ideal for interdisciplinary collaborations.

Specific projects:
Systems-Mechanobiology of Health and Disease
Many diseases are characterised by alteration in mechanical and physical properties, such as stiffened tissue or force-generating cells in cancer. We are looking for postdocs and a PhD student who want to develop new mathematical or experimental models to uncover how mechanical forces, cell shape or spatio-temporal organisation of molecules affect cell behaviour in health and disease. This project is in collaboration with Profs. Chris Bakal (Institute for Cancer Research, London), Michael Mak (Yale), Alicia El Haj (Healthcare Technologies Institute), Emad Moeendarbary (UCL) and industry partners AstraZeneca and MICA Biosystems.

Applicants for PhD positions should apply for a PhD in Applied Mathematics, listing Fabian Spill as prospective supervisor. Applications are open until January, but early application is encouraged.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/maths/applied-mathematics-phd.aspx

Systems-Mechanobiology of Endothelial Gap Dynamics
We are looking for two highly motivated postdocs (one in Birmingham, one at UCL) and a PhD student to join an exciting new interdisciplinary collaboration aimed to uncover the mechano-chemical regulation of the dynamics of the endothelium – the cells that line the blood vessels. This interdisciplinary collaboration involves mathematical biology (Dr Fabian Spill, University of Birmingham), bioengineering (Prof. Emad Moeendarbary, UCL) and cell biology (Prof. Anne Ridley, University of Bristol), and we are therefore looking for postdocs and students with backgrounds in either theoretical (mathematics, theoretical physics or similar) or experimental disciplines (bioengineering, cell biology, biophysics or similar).

Applicants for PhD positions should apply for a PhD in Applied Mathematics, listing Fabian Spill as prospective supervisor. Applications are open until January, but early application is encouraged.

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/maths/applied-mathematics-phd.aspx

 

Spatio-temporal information in receptor signalling in health and diseases
This PhD project is in collaboration with Prof. Meritxell Canals (University of Nottingham). The central aim of this project is to transform our understanding of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCRs) action. Our interdisciplinary approach will combine the development of a new predictive mathematical model with cutting-edge spatio-temporal analysis of receptor activation and initiation of signalling cascades. The work will reveal how a tight regulation of the spatio-temporal organisation of receptor signalling pathways is crucial to maintain regular cell function, how it is perturbed in diseases, and how drug action depends on this spatio-temporal organisation.

Applicants will have to apply by early January. Further information will be posted on this webpage in due course:

IMPACT (Integrated Midlands Partnership for Biomedical Training)

Control of Cellular Life and Death by Mitochondrial Dynamics
In this PhD project, in collaboration with Dr Daniel Tennant from the Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research at the University of Birmingham, the successful candidate will develop mathematical and/or experimental approaches how biophysical and geometrical properties of mitochondrial organisation affect molecular networks controlling cell metabolism and cell death.

The successful candidate will join the MIBTP doctoral training centre funded by BBSRC. The deadline is the 10 January 2021 at

https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/mibtp/pgstudy/phd_opportunities/systems/dynamics

[ruian]

Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Alan S. Perelson, Ruy M. Ribeiro and Ruian Ke

Summary: We are offering a postdoctoral level position to pursue research in mathematical and theoretical biology, with an emphasis on problems in viral dynamics and immune system modeling. Our group’s interests span a wide range from basic immunology, cell and molecular biology, treatment of viral infections to transmission dynamics. We develop models in collaboration with experimental scientists that generate new insights into the dynamics of viral infections, the immune response and virus-immune system interactions. We have standing collaborations with many experimental immunologists and clinicians, and help them develop new experiments, interpret their data and generate new hypotheses about the biology.  Much of our current work and available data involves HIV/SIV infection, hepatitis B and C infection, influenza virus infection although we also have projects involving other viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus. We are very interested in helping to find a cure or vaccine for AIDS and new drug therapies for HBV and SARS-CoV-2.

 

Skills: We are looking for enthusiastic scientists with mathematical and statistical skills, and a strong interest in viral dynamics and/or immunology. Preference will be given to candidates with research experience in the core areas of the group’s research; a track record of publications; and commitment to work to the high LANL standards, including attending required training. The candidate should have good programming skills, good working knowledge of one or more mathematical or statistical packages (e.g., Mathematica, Matlab, R, …) and excellent English (both written and oral).

 

Education: A PhD degree within the last 5 years (at the date of appointment). The specific subject of one’s PhD degree is not restrictive, but usually a PhD in applied mathematics, statistics, computer or computational science, or mathematical biology is appropriate. A person who has held a PhD degree for more than 5 years is not eligible for a postdoctoral position at Los Alamos National Laboratory.

 

Benefits: Los Alamos National Laboratory offers a generous and comprehensive benefits package and current salary guidelines start at ~US$ 74,000, with adjustments for experience and time since PhD. This position is initially for two years, with the possibility to renew for a third year. We are always interested in hearing from more accomplished candidates, who may be considered for special Laboratory Fellowships named after Oppenheimer, Feynman, Curie, … and have starting salaries of ~ US$ 108,000.  For more general information about the postdoctoral program at Los Alamos, please visit the Laboratory’s web pages at http://www.lanl.gov, or the Postdoctoral Program web pages at http://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/postdoc-program/index.php.

 

Application Procedure: For initial consideration for this position and more details about the scientific areas of research, send an e-mail including your CV and brief statement of interest to asp@lanl.gov, ruy@lanl.gov and rke@lanl.gov. We will only reply to those candidates whose applications we are interested in pursuing further. After initial screening, transcripts and 3-4 letters of recommendation may be requested, followed by an interview (preferably at LANL).

 

This position will be open until filled; subject to funding availability and eligibility for employment. Only the Laboratory’s Human Resources Department can make an offer of employment. Start date is negotiable. Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunities employer, and all interested parties are encouraged to apply, especially women and minority.

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