The Selmecki lab is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher with substantial yeast genetics and molecular/cellular biology expertise to join this international team studying the effects of polyploidy on cell physiology and evolution. The experienced researcher will run an independent research project and lead a team of undergraduate/postgraduate researchers. Candidates should be able to manipulate and engineer yeast, using classical yeast genetics and modern CRISPR-cas9 techniques. Preference will be given to candidates with experience screening large yeast collections and computational biology expertise.

Research Overview
Polyploidy, or the presence of three or more sets of chromosomes within a cell, is a widespread feature of genomes, cells, and organisms. Polyploidy was discovered over 100 years ago, but our understanding remains limited, even though nearly all agricultural crops are polyploid, many human organs (for example, liver, heart, and placenta) are polyploid, and at least one-third of all cancers are polyploid.  A common theme is that polyploidy is often associated with stress, but few other generalities have emerged, in part because, researchers across diverse fieldsâ”from cell biology to genomics, agriculture, cancer, and ecologyâ”rarely interact. Through the efforts of Professor Anna Selmecki in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the School of Medicine, the University of Minnesota is now partnered with distinguished researchers from diverse areas of expertise across the United States and Europe to test the central hypothesis that there are underlying rules to polyploidy that act across levels of biological organization and organismal systems. Through support from the National Science Foundation, these researchers have established the Polyploidy Integration and Innovation Institute (https://www.pi3biology.org/), which is a first of its kind effort to integrate the work of researchers from across disciplines to understand the mechanisms and impact of polyploidy on agriculture, biodiversity, and human health.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Typical tasks (These examples do not include all possible tasks in this work and do not limit the assignment of related tasks.)

90% Research and data analysis: 
Individual will design and conduct complex, multi-step laboratory procedures to engineer, manipulate, and phenotype yeast cells. They will perform molecular, genetic, and microbiology techniques and will be expected to select and adapt methods to meet specific research needs and to assist in development of new techniques. Previous experience working in a microbiology laboratory and with yeast is expected. 

The candidate will employ a wide variety of experimental techniques including but not limited to CRISPR-Cas9 genome engineering, yeast mating and selection, yeast transformation, flow cytometry, DNA/RNA/protein extractions, high throughput phenotyping, and comparative genomics/transcriptomics/proteomics. 

10% Writing and Leadership 
The researcher will be expected to write manuscripts and annual reports, generate figures, tables, and results related to their research. They will also provide leadership by developing and implementing new protocols, performing data curation and analysis, and being involved in the writing and editing of manuscripts and grants proposals from the lab.

Finally, the candidate will be involved in the coordination, planning, and outreach activities of the Polyploidy Integration and Innovation Institute. This includes national and international travel opportunities to group meetings, conferences, and training courses.

Required Qualifications (must be documented on application materials):
⢠PhD in Biology, Chemistry, or related Biomedical Sciences 
⢠First author and co-authored publications
⢠Project leadership and mentorship experience
⢠Strong written and oral communication skills
⢠Significant research experience with yeast genetics and cell biology.

Preferred Qualifications:
⢠Experience with bioinformatics or R is strongly preferred.
⢠Previous experience with â˜omics bench research (transcriptomics, genomics, proteomics or lipidomics).
⢠Eagerness to learn
⢠Previous experience with manuscript and grant proposal preparation 
 

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