Stress Pathway Development in Zebrafish: Funded Ph.D. and Postdoc positions

Job Title: Stress Pathway Development in Zebrafish: Funded Ph.D. and Postdoc positions

Job Number: 61782

Location: Roanoke, US

Job Description

Funded Ph.D. and Postdoc positions are available in the lab of Dr. Albert Pan at Virginia Tech Fralin Biomedical Research Institute in Roanoke, Virginia, USA (https://fbri.vtc.vt.edu/research/labs/pan.html).

Research

The Pan lab aims to understand how the stress-response pathway (a.k.a. the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis) develops in early life. Developmental perturbations can cause stress pathway dysregulation and confer risks for disorders such as anxiety and depression. Using zebrafish as the model, we have found that cell-adhesion molecules and programmed cell death play critical roles in determining stress axis function during early development (Ma et al. Front. Cell Dev. Biol. 2023). Your role will be to help drive our effort to determine the causal relationships between neuronal perturbations and stress dysfunction using newly generated knock-in and transgenic zebrafish tools.

Your profile

We seek candidates interested in how brains develop and enthusiastic about learning cutting-edge technologies in imaging, genetics, and genomics. Candidates should have completed university degrees in biology, neuroscience, or related fields. Ph.D. candidates are expected to have rigorous (>1 year) prior research experiences, and postdoc candidates are expected to have a strong record of published research. Experience in confocal microscopy or developmental biology is a plus.

Environment

Virginia Tech is a world-class research university in the USA (Top 100, WSJ/THE World University Impact Rankings). The Pan lab interacts with an active and diverse biomedical research community in the Virginia Tech Roanoke campus and has access to state-of-the-art research facilities and support. The PI works directly with each lab member to provide guidance and career development. The university also provides resources for career development and wellness.

Compensation

Ph.D. students in good standing have guaranteed support for a stipend (USD 32,976), tuition, and fees. For postdoc, funding is available for 3 years initially with the possibility of extension. Postdoc salaries are commensurate with experience and align with the US federal (NIH) pay scale (starting at USD 56,484); health and retirement benefits are provided.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter (describing short and long-term research interests) and a current CV to Dr. Albert Pan ([Please click the Apply button for the link or email]). The expected start date is Fall 2023-Spring 2024. Screening of applications will continue until suitable candidates are recruited.

Application Deadline: 2024-02-03