Posting Expiry
Postdoctoral Position in Ovarian Cancer Autophagy Research, Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University
The laboratory of Dr. Trevor Shepherd at the Translational Ovarian Cancer Research Program (TOCRP) in London ON Canada is seeking an outstanding postdoctoral researcher to identify and functionally interrogate signalling components that regulate tumour dormancy and autophagy in ovarian cancer.
As a project of an Ovarian Translational Research Initiative (Ovarian TRI) Team Grant funded by the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), our lab will interrogate the functional role of AMPK and its downstream kinase target ULK1, which regulates autophagy, in several models of ovarian cancer metastasis. The postdoctoral candidate will achieve these ojectives through the application of inducible gene expression systems, CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockouts, and pharmacologic inhibition of these kinases using both our in vitro spheroid model system, and in orthotopic metastasis xenograft assays in mice. Our study objective is to identify whether AMPK or ULK1 are rational therapeutic targets for metastatic ovarian cancer and tumour dormancy, with an emphasis on eradicating minimal residual disease.
Another key aspect of this project of the Ovarian TRI will be to determine whether AMPK-ULK1 signalling components, or the process of autophagy, represent predictive biomarkers for ovarian cancer patients who will be on one of several clinical trials as part of this large multi-investigator, multi-institutional study. Overall, the postdoctoral researcher will have the unique opportunity to actively participate in this concerted team effort to make novel discoveries with direct translational implications in late-stage ovarian cancer.
Further information on Trevor Shepherd and his research can be found at - http://www.theshepherdlab.com
This is a full-time position with anticipated start date of Sept. 1, 2017 (one-year contract with annual renewal). Remuneration (salary plus benefits) will be negotiated based on the candidate’s experience and aligned with similar positions held in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University.
Position Requirements:
Successful candidates are expected to have evidence of high-impact original research in the areas of molecular and cellular biology with an emphasis in cancer biology. Only interested candidates who have received their PhD degree within the last 24 months need apply. Applicants with an MD degree are also encouraged to apply because both the Translational Ovarian Cancer Research Program and Ovarian TRI recognize the importance of multidisciplinary cancer research and the close collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians in making rapid and significant progress to translate research findings into clinical practice.
Interested candidates meeting these requirements must forward their CV with the names of two references (as a single pdf file) to tshephe6@uwo.ca.
Applications will be accepted until July 31, 2017, or until the position is filled.