Inner ear and retina cell biology Post-Doctoral Positions
Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Translational Research
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Three postdoctoral positions are available immediately in the laboratory of Dr. Zubair Ahmed in the departments of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Ophthalmology.
Our mission: Usher syndrome (USH) is the leading cause of inherited deaf-blindness. Type 1 is the most severe, with affected children born profoundly deaf with an impaired vestibular system, resulting in late gross motor milestones and poor balance. These children also have retinitis pigmentosa with symptoms that develop as early as their toddler years, with night blindness followed by increasingly narrow tunnel vision progressing to total blindness during adulthood. To date, no therapy is available to preserve vision in USH subjects. We use a broad range of techniques from human genetics, viral-mediated gene delivery, neurophysiological and molecular studies in vivo and in vitro, using tissue culture, mouse models, and zebrafish. Our ultimate goal is to develop new treatments for genetic and acquired hearing and vision loss.
Job description: Full-time postdoctoral position leading projects related to the translational approaches to reduce/ improve hearing and vision loss in novel USH transgenic mouse models; characterization of inner ear and retina function, morphology and Usher syndrome proteins in mouse and zebrafish models. These projects will require knowledge/additional training in the inner ear and/or retina cell biology, animal models, high resolution imaging, physiological techniques (e.g. ABR, DPOAE, ERG), and gene delivery amongst other techniques.
Ideal candidates are highly motivated graduates of a PhD program in cellular or molecular biology, with some experience in working with animal models, ideally characterizing hearing or vision disorders. Experience in inner ear or retina biology, functional analysis, and a strong publication record are helpful.
Environment: The laboratory is part of the departments of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Ophthalmology, and we are affiliated also with the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. The lab is housed in a newly build large open space at the University of Maryland – HSFIII, in a highly collaborative fashion. The University has state of the art confocal, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, proteomics, flow cytometry and immunology, animal and sequencing facilities. We have the skills and expertise to perform in-depth functional analyses of vision, auditory, and vestibular dysfunction in mouse and zebrafish. The team consists of undergraduates, graduate students, post docs, residents and surgeons working together on basic science and translational studies.
Benefits: Stipend follows the NIH recommended guidelines and full health benefits. Standardized leave – 10 days annual leave, 15 days sick leave, 3 days personal leave and ~15 days holiday leave (determined annually by the university). Postdocs will ideally participate and present in one annual meeting a year, as determined by the PI, contingent on productivity. The postdoctoral appointments are renewed on an annual basis contingent on performance and available funding.
Contact: For further details, please email ZMAhmed@som.umaryland.edu and include a brief (1 page) description of your background, current research and career goals, as well as your curriculum vitae and names of three references.
To apply for this job email your details to ZMAhmed@som.umaryland.edu
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