Positions

Postdocs

See below for open positions

 

PhD Students

We are currently recruiting PhD students in:

 

Undergraduate Students

We are currently looking for computationally minded undergraduate research assistants:

  • https://curf.upenn.edu/rd/genomics-brain-development
  • https://curf.upenn.edu/node/11043

 

An NIH funded postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Gandal, MD PhD, which has recently relocated to the Departments of Psychiatry and Genetics at the University of Pennsylvania and the Lifespan Brain Institute at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The position is focused on the development and implementation of integrative genomic approaches to identify the target genes and biological effects of noncoding genetic variants conferring risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. This work will leverage and extend several in-house large-scale brain genomics reference panels with integrated genotype and RNA-sequencing data from developing (n=700) and adult human brain samples (n>2000), generated as part of the PsychENCODE Consortium (http://resource.psychencode.org/).

The successful candidate will collaborate closely within a multidisciplinary team environment within the lab and will serve as a a mentor for undergraduate and graduate students . The fellow will have opportunities for leading projects as part of our international collaborations. Most significantly, the candidate should be a good fit for the Gandal Lab culture, which values collaboration, inclusivity, curiosity, and scientific rigor.

Qualifications: Applicants should hold a PhD in a computational or biological discipline, with a record of productivity. The applicant should possess strong computational skills with demonstrated proficiency in one programming language ( R , python, C++/Java). The application should have English language proficiency and strong organizational and communication skills.

To apply, please contact Dr. Gandal and provide a statement of interest, CV, and three professional references. 

Multiple NSF and NIH funded postdoctoral positions are open in the Gandal Lab to investigate psychiatric genetic risk mechanisms with single cell genomic techniques. The Gandal Lab leverages human brain functional genomics to uncover the biological mechanisms underlying genetic risk for neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders, including autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Specifically, we are looking for a post-doctoral scholar to conduct single-cell and bulk tissue genomics experiments (e.g., short and long read RNA-sequencing, ATAC-sequencing) in human brain tissue and stem-cell based models of the developing human brain. Applicants with a PhD in a biological discipline with wet lab experience running sequencing based genomics assays are encouraged to apply. Strong computational experience is perferrable but not required. The candidate will be embedded within a multidisciplinary team and will have opportunities to lead international collaborations, such as with the PsychENCODE Consortium (resource.psychencode.org).

Responsibilities and Duties

  • Design, implementation, and analysis of single cell RNA and multi-omic sequencing data using human brain tissues and neuronal cell culture models
  • Design, implementation, and analysis of third-generation long read RNA-sequencing experiments using human brain tissues and neuronal cell culture models
  • Presentation of results at local, national, and international conferences and workshops
  • Writing of manuscripts
  • Contributing to grant applications

Qualifications and Skills

Qualified candidates should have a recent Ph.D. or equivalent in a biological or computational discipline. The successful candidate should have a demonstrated ability for independent and critical thinking, strong oral and written communication skills in English, and at least one first author publication.

 

To apply, please contact Dr. Gandal and provide a statement of interest, CV, and three professional references.