Postdoctoral Fellow - 3D Organoid Biology (req1886)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc. With more than 2,000 employees, the FNLCR is responsible for pursuing translational and applied biomedical research that is unique from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, or other federal contractors.

The selected candidate will join the Molecular Pharmacology Branch's (MPB) laboratory program, located at the NCI-Frederick campus, which is composed of five laboratories seeking to deliver new treatments for recalcitrant, rare, and neglected cancers through the discovery of novel targets and the evaluation of investigational therapeutics and new drug combinations using state-of-the-art approaches.

KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES

* Pioneer a new and innovative technology to generate 3D organoids from patient-derived tumor samples
* Establish and preserve organoid models from a wide range of patient-derived tumor histologies
* Perform molecular characterization of organoid models generated from the new technology and a comparison with existing models generated by established methodologies that serve as reference standards
* Generate new organoid models from challenging tissue types
* Work with the in vitro screening labs for drug screening studies
* Prepare and publish scientific articles
* Present data at a national meeting/conference

THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING APPROVAL

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

To be considered for this position, you must minimally meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed below:

* Possession of a doctoral degree (PhD, DVM or MD)from an accredited college or university according to the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Foreign degrees must be evaluated for U.S. equivalency
* Postdoctoral training in the field of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, pharmacology, drug discovery or a similar discipline
* Practical laboratory experience with stem cell-derived or patient-derived organoids
* Excellent team player and forward-thinking with exceptional problem-solving skills
* Highest integrity and standards for research rigor and reproducibility
* Excellent written and verbal communication, troubleshooting, and organizational skills
* Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates with these desired skills will be given preferential consideration:

* Three (3) years of postdoctoral training in the field of cell biology, genetics, biochemistry, pharmacology, drug discovery or a similar discipline
* Practical experience with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)
* Advanced or high content imaging experience

JOB HAZARDS

* This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to animal(s) and/or animal material(s)
* This position is subject to working with or have potential for exposure to infectious material, requiring medical clearance and immunizations