Postdoctoral Fellow

Department: School of Systems Biology (SSB)

Web Announcement:

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Microbiology

The George Mason University, School of Systems Biology (SSB) in the College of Science (COS) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position in microbiology. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason's academic and culturally inclusive environment.

About the Position:

We invite talented and motivated individuals interested in studying the regulation of cell survival by bacterial gene expression via Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNAs) to join the research team of Dr. Monique van Hoek on our SciTech Campus in Manassas, Va. The team will be studying the regulation of bacterial gene expression via PNAs and methods of their delivery to gram-negative bacteria. We will be using MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii as our experimental models. This position would be a great fit for a recent PhD graduate looking for a 1 year post-doctoral position or an experienced researcher with a PhD degree seeking a 1 year position in the DC/NOVA area.

Responsibilities:

• Work with PNAs, especially in the bacterial context, as well as cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs);
• Perform experiments in bacteriology to include culturing, biofilm and MICs as well as measuring bacterial gene expression (q-RT-PCR);
• Develop and use PNAs and CPPs, in the molecular biology and physiology of gram-negative bacteria, particularly multi-drug resistant gram-negatives;
• Perform PNA work, CPPs in the bacterial context, qRT-PCR to measure gene expression, and bacteriology;
• Complete cloning and complementation of bacterial genes with the team;
• Work closely with the PI on the proposed techniques and tasks on the grant.
  

Required Qualifications:

• PhD or MD/PhD in Bacteriology or a related field;
• Ability to carry out independent research under the guidance of faculty member;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Organizational and data-handling skills;
• Demonstrate productivity through high quality publications;
• Collegiality in the laboratory, and practice responsible conduct of research;
• Experience working with peptide nucleic acids and cell-penetrating peptides in bacteria;
• Experience in working with MDR gram-negative bacteria.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Microbiology, Molecular Biology or related field of Biomedical Sciences and experience in the topic of this research;
• First author publications in a related field.
  
  

About the School of Systems Biology (SSB):

The School of Systems Biology has 22 faculty members with wide-ranging interests in microbiology, infectious diseases, molecular biology and bioinformatics. The department also houses several large research centers including the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Diseases (NCBID), a research center focused on biothreat organisms and emerging infectious diseases, and the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine (CAPMM), focused on Personalized Medicine with an emphasis on proteomics. The school also has a diverse research-funding portfolio provided by the Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation, other agencies, and private industry.

Currently, SSB houses several graduate programs, including Ph.D. in Biosciences, Ph.D. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, M.S. in Biology, M.S. in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, and several graduate certificate programs. The Ph.D. and M.S. programs have concentrations in MID, among others. SSB faculty have close collaborations with researchers from a number of local and regional institutions, including the USAMRIID, NIH, Food and Drug Administration, Naval Research Laboratory, and Inova Health System among others. SSB office and laboratories are located on the Science and Technology Campus of GMU, in Manassas, Prince William County, which primarily focuses on research and academic programs in the biomedical and life sciences.

For more information about the School of Systems Biology, visit us on the web at http://science.gmu.edu/ssb

Salary: Commensurate with education and experience.

Location: Prince William, VA

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