Post-Doc Research Associate - Sharma Lab

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care: We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education: We prepare tomorrow`s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research: We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

This is a position for a postdoctoral research associate to assess function of neuroimmune interactions in mucosal immunity. The candidate would conduct experiments using murine models of colitis and colorectal cancer and analyze immune functions using muti-parametric flow cytometry and transcriptional analysis. The candidate would conceptualize and execute experiments, analyze data and write manuscripts towards assessing the function of sympathetic neurons in mucosal immunity.

PhD in Immunology or related fields.

Experience with mouse genetics and generating/maintaining conditional knockout models
Competency in in vivo experimental models, particularly colitis and colorectal cancer.
Expertise in isolating and purifying specific immune cell populations (IECs, IE-T cells, macrophages) from tissues- including intestinal, spleen and MLN.
T cell functional assays including stimulation protocols, cytokine production analysis
ELISA and multiplex cytokine quantification
Tissue explant culture and ex vivo functional assessments
Advanced flow cytometry skills including multi-parameter analysis (up to 15+ color panels), tetramer staining, and intracellular cytokine detection
Western blotting for phospho-proteins and signaling pathway analysis
Proficiency in molecular biology techniques (qRT- PCR, Western blotting, ELISA, multiplex assays)

Advanced imaging skills including immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, whole-mount tissue imaging, confocal microscopy, and 3D image reconstruction
Ability to design complex multi-factorial experiments integrating genetic, pharmacological, and physiological manipulations
Project management skills to coordinate parallel experimental streams
Experience with host-pathogen interactions, immune regulation, innate and adaptive immune responses

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If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.