Postdoctoral Fellow in Neuroscience - The University of Texas at Austin

Job Description:

The Harris Lab in the Center for Learning and Memory in the Department of Neuroscience at The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow with a background in behavior and genetics and an interest in learning about structure-function relationships at the nanoscale – serial electron microscopy level. The purpose of the project is to test the importance of the spine apparatus in synapse growth and clustering. Formation of a spine apparatus requires the actin binding protein synaptopodin. LTP and learning are impaired in the mouse synaptopodin knockout. Our published results show, however, that the developmental onset and profile of enduring LTP in mice is more variable than in rats, making mice a less dependable model for the project. Hence, we have generated a constitutive synaptopodin knockout rat. We would like to recruit a postdoctoral fellow who would work to develop the conditional rat knockout to allow controlled elimination of the spine apparatus early during development or at adult ages to test whether the spine apparatus is necessary for LTP-related synapse growth and clustering. We have access through an ongoing collaboration with the UT-Austin core to generate the conditional knockout rat.

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Job Details:

Funding for this project is guaranteed for three years. Applying for postdoctoral fellowships and transitional grants such as the NIH K99-R00 will be facilitated.

 

Responsibilities:

• Perform behavioral and electrophysiology tests on the conditional knockout rat.

• Acquire extramural funding sources and maintain publishing record in high quality journals.

• Assist in training of undergraduate and graduate students in basic laboratory maintenance.

 

Required Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in Neuroscience received within the last three years. Two years research experience. Proven ability to work as a member or leader of an integrated research team and to present research to professional peers.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

Excellent computer skills with particular emphasis on data acquisition and analysis software development. Professional demeanor and good interpersonal skills.

 

Salary Range:

$53,760 + depending on qualifications

 

Required Materials:

• Resume/CV

• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor

• Letter of interest

• Degree Confirmation, such as diploma