Job Opportunities

Multiple Job Openings for Research Scientists, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Visiting Scholars (including visiting students) in Tulane Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics (CBG, https://sph.tulane.edu/gbds/center-bioinformatics-and-genomics ) at Tulane University.

Tulane is a private university and a member of the 63 prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). Tulane is ranked as the 39th best national university in 2016 by US News Report, providing a unique environment for learning and research.

The mission of Tulane CBG is to promote bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, functional genomics (including transcriptomics and proteomics), epigenomics, system biology, and translational research of human complex diseases/traits with the goal of accelerating the pace of scientific discovery, reducing mortality and improving the quality of life. 

Our CBG was recently awarded a large U19 grant (1U19AG055373) by National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the study “Trans-omics integration of multi-omics studies for male osteoporosis” with ~10 million US dollars. The overall goal of this project is to most comprehensively identify/characterize (epi- )genes/environmental factors and their functional mechanisms for male osteoporosis risk. The information on U19 grants and some of our other ongoing NIH grants can be found at https://projectreporter.nih.gov/reporter_searchresults.cfm by searching grants under Deng as the last name and Hong-Wen as the first name, or under Wang as thelast name and yu-ping as the first name. 

In this U19 program, we will pioneer a comprehensive and novel approach by investigating osteoporosis risk factors simultaneously at the genome- (DNA, Project 1), transcriptome- (mRNA and miRNA, Project 2), and epigenome- (DNA methylation, Project 3) levels in males, while considering environmental factors (Projects 1-3). We will assess sex/ethnicity/population specificity of the identified (epi-)genes (Projects 1-3). Furthermore, we will perform in-depth functional studies (as exemplified in Project 3) for detailed molecular mechanisms and functional confirmation of specific novel osteoporosis susceptibility genes/variants to be discovered. Particularly, in addition to the state-of-the-art analyses of individual omics data in Project 1-3 respectively, we will go beyond the horizon to develop/apply innovative analytical approaches to characterize interactions within and across different omics (such as interactions for miRNA-methylation, and regulation of mRNA by DNA variants and by miRNA/methylation). We will innovatively integrate such interactions across various -omics to identify/characterize (epi-)genetic variants for male osteoporosis (Projects 1-3). 

We are actively seeking highly-motivated, independent, and organized individuals to join our research team and participate in this exciting U19 program and other research projects (including several NIH R01 grants) in our center. 

Qualifications and Experience

For the candidates in human genomics, molecular biology, clinical medicine, and public health: 

•           BM/BS/MS/PhD/MD degrees in genomics/molecular biology/Biology/microbiology/clinical medicine/other biological sciences

•           Knowledge and research experience on osteoporosis and other musculoskeletal disorders is a plus

•           In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in NGS applications (e.g., whole genome sequencing, RNA-seq, DNA methylation sequencing, shotgun metagenomics sequencing) is highly preferred

For the candidates in bioinformatics, biostatistics, computer science, or mathematical discipline:

•           BS/MS/PhD degrees in biostatistics, statistics, bioinformatics, computational biology, computer science, or mathematics

•           Hands-on experience in NGS data analysis is highly preferred

•           Knowledge of machine learning and predictive modeling is a plus 

•           Proficiency in one or multiple programming or statistical analysis languages such as R, Matlab, python, perl, and SQL

In addition, all candidates are required to have excellent verbal and written communication skills, and be able to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced environment.  

How to Apply

The application must be written in English, and must include the following:

* Curriculum vitae with a list of publications, a report on previous research undertaken, and the names, addresses and contact details of 3 referees

* A research statement outlines your research experience and achievements, as well as your long-term and short-term goals. 

Applications should be sent electronically to: 

Dr. Lan-Juan Zhao (lzhao2@tulane.edu), if you’re interested in clinical positions 

Dr. Hui Shen (hshen3@tulane.edu), if you’re interested in genomics and molecular laboratory work

Questions

For further information about the positions, please contact Dr. Lan-Juan Zhao by email at lzhao2@tulane.edu.