Postdoc

The Yakoub and Sulzer labs at the University of North Dakota and Columbia University are developing collaborative projects to explore transformative ideas focused on brain disease mechanisms and therapies and developing cutting-edge technologies for neuroscience.   

This position is a fully funded multi-year postdoc position, to be jointly advised by Drs. Yakoub and Sulzer. The postdoc will receive the benefits of mentorship, and visions of both advisors, including training in both labs and career development support from both PIs (e.g. in grant writing and faculty job search/applications).   

This position would perfectly fit a highly driven, independent junior scientist who wants to work on an impactful project with the potential to make a fundamental discovery, in order to successfully compete for academic faculty positions and become an independent PI. The research requires broad skills in life sciences and neuroscience, including vector design and viral engineering, mouse skills and injections, behavioral analyses, calcium imaging, optogenetics, electrophysiology, cell culture, histology, imaging, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, gene editing, and/or other relevant skills.    

Available projects include, but are not limited to:   

1. Investigating the novel “virus/immune hypotheses” of neurodegenerative or neurodevelopmental diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and autism. Testing alternative hypotheses of pathogenesis, rather than established theories associated with therapeutic trials failures, is imperative nowadays. The potential for viruses to induce long-term neurological damage and precipitate neurological/neurodegenerative disorders over aging is now a particular focus due to the COVID-19 pandemic that exposed millions of people to virus.

2. Developing novel gene therapies to target neuronal cell biology processes such as autophagy or neural circuits that go awry in brain disease.   

3. Developing powerful technologies for gene editing in the brain or for neural circuit tracing or modulation that can be a strong complement/alternative to existing neuroscience technologies such as CRISPR, optogenetics, or deep brain stimulation.   

Dr. Sulzer is a renowned neuroscientist and Dr. Yakoub boasts a visionary research program encompassing highly innovative and impactful, or paradigm-shifting, projects, recognized by the NIH Director’s Transformative Research Award that “catalyzes scientific discovery by supporting highly innovative research… to think outside the box and pursue trailblazing ideas.” As indicated by the NIH Director, “The science put forward is exceptionally novel and creative and is sure to push at the boundaries of what is known.” Further information about the labs can be found at

und.edu/directory/abraam.yakoub and pharmacology.cuimc.columbia.edu/research/sulzer-lab

To inquire about this position, please send an email, with your CV attached, to Sulzer.Yakoub@gmail.com (this email will collect inquiries for this specific position) and you can also CC our emails: ds43@cumc.columbia.edu and abraam.yakoub@und.edu