Research Fellow- McLean Hospital

RESEARCH FELLOW POSITION
AT MCLEAN HOSPITAL 
 
McLean Hospital, America’s top ranked freestanding psychiatric hospital, is inviting applications for a Research Fellow, in Belmont, MA.

The Translational Neuroscience Lab (TNL) at McLean Hospital seeks a Research Fellow with a background a strong background in computational and molecular neuroscience, glial biology, post-mortem brain research or related areas as well as excellent organization skills and attention to detail. We expect that a successful candidate will strongly interact with a multidisciplinary team of scientists investigating the molecular mechanisms of psychiatric disorders in the mammalian brain to gain further understanding of debilitating human psychiatric disorders such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Depression and PTSD. This role will include both molecular/wet lab and data driven approaches. Applicants should have a strong interest in preclinical as well as translational neuroscience. Prior experience with high-throughput data analysis (Genetics, Transcriptomics, Proteomics, Imaging; knowledge to work independently in R, Python, C++) is a strong advantage. This is a two-year position with a potential for non-competitive renewal for later years, contingent upon performance and funding.
 
The TNL Lab focuses on the neurobiological underpinning of psychiatric symptoms. Two of the main areas of research are the interactions of extracellular matrix, neurons and glia in the pathophysiology of psychiatric symptoms and the role neural circuits involved in stress/anxiety and reward/pleasure. Dr. Berretta is also the Director of the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center. Her lab utilizes human postmortem tissue, animal models and cell culture in combination with a diverse set of methods for detection of protein and gene expression. 
 
McLean Hospital is a comprehensive psychiatric hospital committed to providing easy access to superior quality, cost-effective mental health services in the Boston area, Massachusetts and beyond. Since 1811, McLean Hospital has been a world leader in the treatment of mental illness and chemical dependency, research into the cause of mental illness and the training of generations of mental health care providers. McLean's multidisciplinary programs treat a broad range of psychiatric illnesses across the full continuum of care.

All McLean team members are expected to consistently demonstrate our values of integrity, compassion, respect, diversity, teamwork, excellence and innovation in their work activities and interactions.

There are many opportunities for education and growth in our multidisciplinary, collaborative research environment at McLean Hospital that brings together a diverse group of neurobiologists, clinicians, psychologists and statisticians. Please see https://www.mcleanhospital.org/research

The Research Fellow will be mentored by Dr. Berretta and have access to the McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School academic environment and resources. The successful candidate will be proposed for an academic appointment as Research Fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. 

Job description:  
The future fellow will cover a wide range of responsibilities in line with the translational approach of the lab. Major job duties may include:

• Process and analyze post-mortem tissue samples (including sectioning with a microtome/cryostat, and immunohistochemistry, RNAscope, quantitative light and confocal microscopy)
• Process and analyze clinical data 
• Perform and analyze DNA, RNA and protein experiments (including western blots, PCR and qPCR)
• Perform and analyze RNAseq experiments
• Prepare scientific manuscripts and present data during professional meetings
• Assist PI in preparing grant applications
• Train research assistants and junior investigators

Qualifications:
• Ph.D. in Neuroscience or a related field (or equivalent) or MD with experience and interest in the field of pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders
• Prior experiences in any field described above are an advantage

How to apply
To apply for this position, applicants should submit a letter of interest and curriculum vitae along with the names and addresses of three references by email to: 
Dr. Sabina Berretta            s.berretta@mclean.harvard.edu
Dr. Jonathan Vogelgsang        jvogelgsang@mclean.harvard.edu
Mr. Matthew Esposito            jesposito@partners.org
RPSO Office                rpsomclean@partners.org

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

A member of Mass General Brigham.