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Postdoctoral Scholar

Employer
North Carolina State University
Location
Raleigh, North Carolina
Salary
$55,000 - $60,000
Closing date
Oct 16, 2021

View more

Discipline
Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences
Position Type
Full Time
Job Type
Postdoc
Organization Type
Academia

Postdoctoral Research Scholar Position (NC State University)

Job Description: The Translational Research in Pain (TRiP) Program is a translational and basic pain research lab at North Carolina State University that studies both: (1) mechanisms of musculoskeletal pain, and (2) therapeutics for musculoskeletal pain.

A postdoctoral research scholar position is immediately available.

Project 1: This 4/5-yr project involves work with 3 species (mouse, rat and dog). The work is centered on understanding the utility of targeting VEGF receptors for the management of osteoarthritis and osteoarthritis pain. Our central hypothesis is that targeting both VEGF-1 and VEGF-2 simultaneously elicits dual function: (i) immediate symptom alleviation and (ii) inhibition of cartilage tissue degeneration. Thus, both disease progression and pain are halted.  This hypothesis will be rigorously tested using: 1)  Different types of target inhibitors - mAbs and small molecules; 2) Two different mouse and rat OA models, and two different dog OA models (including client-owned pet dogs with osteoarthritis). The project involves behavioral assays of pain, function and movement in all species; benchtop molecular biology assays (e.g., qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, Ca2+ imaging, in-situ hybridization); histology. This will be a two-year minimum position, and this would be the successful candidate’s main focus of work.

Project 2: Ongoing work evaluating the role of artemin/GFRalpha3 signaling in osteoarthritis (OA) pain. Using two different mouse models of OA, and naturally occurring OA in owned pet dogs and cats, the functional role of artemin/GFRalpha3 signaling in OA pain will be investigated. Current work is philanthropically funded, with federal funding pending. The successful candidate would assist current graduate students with this work. 

Across both these projects, the successful candidate would be encouraged to formulate and test novel hypotheses.

Our group has strong connections and collaborations with pain researchers at UNC Chapel Hill and Duke University.

The selected candidate will work under the direct guidance of Dr. Duncan Lascelles, a translational pain researcher, veterinarian and Specialist in Small Animal Surgery.  The selected candidate will work with a technician dedicated to the project. Other team members include 2-3 graduate students; 2 Veterinarian Research Assistants; 2 Research Specialist Technicians; undergraduate students. Close on-site faculty collaborators include Drs. Santosh Mishra (neurobiologist and itch researcher with particular expertise in mouse modeling), Margaret Gruen (veterinarian, Specialist in Behavior, pain researcher) and Mike Nolan (Radiation Oncologist and cancer/pain researcher).  We hope you will consider joining us!

Duties & Responsibilities: The postdoctoral associate will be expected to carry out independent work, make presentations regarding his/her research, to publish their research results in peer-reviewed journals, to participate in grant proposal preparation, and to interact with other faculty, postdoctoral associates, and graduate students at the University level and across collaborating institutions of the project. All aspects of work will be closely mentored with the goal of transitioning the incumbent to be an independently funded researcher.

Requirements:

• Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (e.g., M.D., D.V.M., Sc.D.) with background in pain research (molecular and behavioral).
• Experience with basic benchtop molecular biology assays (e.g., qPCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry)  
• Experience with behavioral assays in mice and rats
• Experience working with dogs preferred
• Previous grant writing experience preferred
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English with outstanding organizational and analytical abilities

How to Apply: Interested candidates should submit their CV and contact information for 3 references. Apply at:  https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/145302

Or contact Duncan Lascelles.

Contact Name: Dr. B. Duncan X. Lascelles (dxlascel@ncsu.edu)

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