The Regeneration Next Discovery Initiative (RNDI) is a new venture with the goals of advancing discovery research and education in the broad field of tissue regeneration, and enabling translational applications for regenerative medicine.
The Executive Director will work closely with the RNDI Director, Co-Directors, and faculty members to promote and integrate discovery research, training, and applications in the broad field of tissue regeneration. The successful candidate will oversee the coordination of the research, recruiting, teaching, and funding missions – a critical role to help shape RNDI at Duke University. Candidates who have a Ph.D. and postdoctoral research experience in the relevant areas of developmental biology, stem cell biology, or tissue regeneration are of particular interest. The ideal candidate will have outstanding organizational and communication skills. The title of this position will be based on the qualifications of the applicant, which may include appointment at the academic title of Assistant Professor. The successful applicant is not expected to develop an independent research program, but there may be opportunities for teaching.
We will review applications from now until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, summary of past research accomplishments and any administrative leadership experience, and list of at least three references to AcademicJobsOnline.org
Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
The Regeneration Next Discovery Initiative (RNDI) is a new venture with the goals of advancing discovery research and education in the broad field of tissue regeneration, and enabling translational applications for regenerative medicine.
The Executive Director will work closely with the RNDI Director, Co-Directors, and faculty members to promote and integrate discovery research, training, and applications in the broad field of tissue regeneration. The successful candidate will oversee the coordination of the research, recruiting, teaching, and funding missions – a critical role to help shape RNDI at Duke University. Candidates who have a Ph.D. and postdoctoral research experience in the relevant areas of developmental biology, stem cell biology, or tissue regeneration are of particular interest. The ideal candidate will have outstanding organizational and communication skills. The title of this position will be based on the qualifications of the applicant, which may include appointment at the academic title of Assistant Professor. The successful applicant is not expected to develop an independent research program, but there may be opportunities for teaching.
We will review applications from now until the position is filled. Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, summary of past research accomplishments and any administrative leadership experience, and list of at least three references to AcademicJobsOnline.org
Duke University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status.
Philip Zegerman earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Cambridge, where he later also pursued a PhD in the lab of Tony Kouzarides at the Gurdon Institute. For his postdoctoral work, he switched fields from chromatin modifications to DNA replication, and joined John Diffley’s lab at Cancer Research UK, at Clare Hall in London. In 2009, Philip moved back to Cambridge to start his own group at the Gurdon Institute. He is an EMBO Young Investigator, and his lab is interested in how the initiation of DNA replication is regulated.
What first motivated you to become a scientist?
I have strong memories of doing experiments at school, which I think greatly influenced me. I remember one experiment very clearly, when I was probably about nine or ten. We went on a field trip and trapped and counted mice in a field. Doing experiments was really lots of fun and I was good at it. I originally thought I was going be an entomologist studying beetles because I loved insects, but when I went to university I started studying medical sciences and ended up in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Your current research focuses on the regulation of DNA replication initiation. What are the particular questions your group is pursuing at the moment?
It’s vitally important for all cells to make a perfect copy of the genome once and only once in every cell cycle. We’re studying initiation as the key regulatory event that must be strictly controlled within the cell cycle. This process has really interesting implications for how proliferation and differentiation are coordinated in large organisms. It also has important implications for diseases like cancer, where failures in replication lead to genome instability, which causes cancers, but also where DNA replication is targeted by most chemotherapies.
Which organisms do you use to answer these questions?
We use a wide range of organisms. That’s the beauty of working with replication; it’s essential for all organisms. We work on eukaryotic replication, and we study mostly budding yeast, but given our interest in whole organisms, and being at the Gurdon Institute as well, we have started to diversify and look into metazoans. We have somebody working in worms, and I’ve been doing some studies in frogs. It’s very exciting.
Is it hard to work with different model systems?
It is challenging; there are some major advantages, for example funding. If you can show funders that your process is important across organisms, that’s very good; it particularly helps if it’s in an organism that they like to fund, with relevance to disease models. There are, of course, challenges. There’s always a certain amount of time it takes to get up and running in a different system. But we’re very lucky here at the Gurdon Institute – we have lots of organisms within the building, and we have a very collaborative environment, so there’s never been any ‘activation energy’ required for moving systems and everyone’s been very helpful. It’s really the perfect environment for us to test different ideas in different systems.
Are there any new techniques that you’re adapting for your research right now?
We’re setting up a live-cell assay for replication initiation in worms. By taking advantage of the beautiful microscopy you can do in worms, with our knowledge of the molecular biology of replication initiation that we take mostly from yeast, we’re trying to set up a system in which we can visualise individual initiation events on DNA, in individual cells. If it works, then we could have the first system in which we can really study replication initiation live in a whole organism.
How have your collaborations influenced your research and do you have any advice on collaborating?
I continue to see collaborators to be really important in our work, particularly as we’re moving into different systems. Of course, collaborations aren’t without difficulties, like any project. I think the important advice that I would give to somebody is: don’t collaborate for the sake of it. You have to have a goal at the end of it and that goal has to be mutually agreed. Collaborations often lead you in exciting new ways and it’s a great way of meeting new people and networking and learning new areas of science, which I think is very important.
Many early career scientists often find that the advice given by senior scientists on how to establish a successful academic career can be outdated in the current funding climate. As someone who has established their lab relatively recently, what advice would you give?
Funding has changed so significantly since the banking crash, so young scientists have to be really aware of the pitfalls. I think my major piece of advice is that most grants are time limited. You can apply for most starting grants only in a certain window after your PhD, and if that window is approaching and you’re still a postdoc, then apply for it anyway, because that window is going to close. Even if you don’t have a firm job in place, apply for the money first and then get the job. The funders are really clear that they want people who are fresh out of their PhDs. That creates extra pressure, of course. I think when I was a postdoc I was sufficiently naïve and if I were to do it again, I would probably have applied a year earlier for most funding.
You changed fields from DNA and chromatin modification after your PhD. How did that influence your career later on?
I think that changing fields is a really undervalued part of a person’s career trajectory. When I finished my PhD, I was certain that I wanted to discover a new field. That’s why I moved into DNA replication. I really think that was an important part of my career. I enjoy the field and the questions that we have, and, of course, because I have an understanding of the chromatin field, if our questions do (and they frequently do) have implications for nucleosome remodelling or chromatin assembly, I have that experience of my PhD that allows me to understand different fields, and gives me a new angle. But having said that, because most grants are time limited, there is an expectation that postdocs will get papers out really quickly and if you change fields you can be at a disadvantage. I think that’s a real shame, because it’s important for people to cross fields and even do more than one postdoc. I think that’s a positive thing.
What are your views on the feasibility of being both a good parent and a good scientist?
Being a parent is difficult full stop! I don’t think the challenges that scientists face are different to any professional or that there’s anything particularly special about science that makes it difficult to be a parent. That’s not to say that it isn’t challenging. Of course, it’s much harder for women, because being away from the bench or the lab can be difficult if it’s for long periods of time. But that shouldn’t discourage people from having children; I had both my kids when I was a postdoc, so if you’re organised then it shouldn’t be a problem – it can be managed. Lots of people do it, so it’s obviously possible.
Are universities providing enough support for scientists with families?
There’s always more support that could be given. I think that one of the major challenges in the southeast of England is the extreme pressure on nursery places that are very expensive. Universities are increasingly encouraged to provide their own childcare – the University of Cambridge has a very small number of such places. Childcare is very expensive, so any kind of incentive that can allow parents to pay their nursery fees out of their gross salary should be encouraged.
I asked you before why you became a scientist. What motivates you now?
Science is inspiring. I think that’s what motivates me – doing science that can transcend the normal desk jobs of this world, to really be inspired by something new, interesting and exciting. I also often get very inspired by going and hearing other people talk. Last week Professor Johannes Walter came from Harvard, and he gave such an excellent, exciting and interesting talk about replication regulation that not only was I impressed by his work, but it encouraged me to go back to the lab and find out something that could be as good as that, and I find that very motivating.
Could you share with us an interesting fact about yourself that people wouldn’t know just by looking at your CV?
I do a lot of gardening, and I grow lots of fruit and vegetables. We had a very big garden when I was a child, and I was in charge of mowing the lawn and doing the gardening, and it stayed with me. I had an allotment even when I lived in London. I’m still fascinated by plants and insects, and growing things, and my kids are quite into it now. It’s becoming a family hobby. They like eating the food more than growing it though.
Fly room at the IRB Barcelona. Photo: Marta Pérez, IRB Barcelona
A study conducted by ICREA researcher Cayetano González, at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), and published in Nature Protocols describes a forgotten technique used in the fly Drosophila melanogaster dating back 80 years. This method allows the transplantation of tissue from larvae to adult flies, thus allowing research into tumour growth and other biological processes of biomedical interest, such as tissue regeneration.
In 2002, Cayetano González, head of the Cell Division lab at IRB Barcelona, faced a major technical problem with respect to research into tumour growth in Drosophila, namely the limitless growth of malignant tumours, which kill the fly. The solution seemed straightforward—tumour transplants, a common technique used in cancer research in mammals, including humans, which involves the transplantation of the tumour mass to mice. With over a century of research into the fly, it was hoped that the many tools available for this model would include one for tissue transplants. “And this was indeed the case, but the articles devoted to methodologies were few and incomplete and therefore reproducing the technique in the lab was very complicated,” explains Professor González.
Developed in 1935, the technique was used extensively in the following decades and then fell into disuse and practically disappeared towards the end of the last century. “In 2002, only a small number of researchers worldwide were aware of the existence of the technique,” he says. Professor János Szabad, from the University of Szeged, in Hungary, was one of the few who continued to use the method and he invited González to visit his lab to learn about it. Since then, González has used this approach in his research into cancer models in flies, and his lab has trained scientists from centres in Europe, the US, India and Australia about its implementation.
The technique consists of dissecting a tissue of interest and loading it into a fine, purpose-built glass needle for later injection into an adult fly. “It is in fact simple. But there are many small details, from the building of the needle to the care of the implanted flies, that seem easy when learnt from an expert but in practice are very difficult to reproduce without previous training,” state Professor González.
The article, written by Fabrizio Rossi, postdoctoral fellow at IRB Barcelona, and Cayetano González, describes the materials, equipment, and methods required to implement the procedure rapidly and efficiently and provides links to videos that show each step of the process. “Now any Drosophila lab anywhere in the world can use this powerful method,” says González.
Reference article:
Studying tumour growth in Drosophila using the tissue allograft method
The Stowers Institute for Medical Research invites innovative young scientists in the Life Sciences to submit applications for a faculty position. We anticipate making an appointment in 2016 at the rank of Assistant Investigator. Research programs of interest include, but are not limited to: computational biology, neuroscience, developmental and cell biology, genomics, stem cell biology, regenerative biology, and epigenetics. Our interests encompass a broad gamut of experimental organisms and approaches. The successful candidate will benefit from and complement the Institute’s existing strengths in genetics and epigenetics, cell and chromosome biology, stem cells and regenerative biology, developmental biology and evolution, biochemistry, and neuroscience.
The position is fully funded throughout the candidate’s appointment. This includes $600,000 per year for full salary support and research funding, in addition to start-up funds and ongoing needs for equipment. The initial appointment is for 6 years and is then subject to renewal every 6 to 7 years. In total, the package for a junior position is more than $3.5 million over the first term and increases significantly after promotion. In addition, investigators may take advantage of exceptional core facilities and technology centers staffed by over 100 scientists.
Stowers investigators have multiple opportunities to be involved with the Institute’s Graduate School program.
Candidates must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree and postdoctoral experience demonstrating innovation and excellence in their field. Candidates will be expected to possess a long-term vision of their scientific interests, to establish a vigorous and innovative research program, and to actively contribute to the Institute’s mission and collegiality.
Deadline for application submission is November 1, 2015
Questions about your current application should be directed to the Search Committee Chair, Dr. Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado. Other members of the search committee are Ron Conaway, Jerry Workman, Matt Gibson, Kausik Si and Julia Zeitlinger.
The Stowers Institute for Medical Research is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be afforded equal opportunity regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, military status, or any other status protected by law.
When starting a PhD or a postdoc you are often given a list (or pile) of papers to read- the essentials to get an overview of the history and recent developments in a new field. However, there is a lot to learn from books as well. Some books can give you a broad overview of a field in a more accessible way (reading ‘The selfish gene’ as an undergraduate comes to mind), while others provide training in a specific technique or in thinking like scientist. It could even be a fiction novel that provides an important perspective.
I thought it could be fun to put together a list of books that every biologist should read. Which books do you think should be included? Leave a comment with your suggestions! It would be great to put together a crowd-sourced list of the top 10 books that every (developmental) biologist should read!
Advertised at the following link, please find the announcement for a Group Leader position in the Developmental Biology Unit at the EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany.
The Developmental Biology Unit studies the development of multicellular organisms. Research in the unit covers all levels, from the cellular to the whole organism, and is highly interdisciplinary, combining a wide range of approaches and innovative techniques, with special emphasis on quantitative and real-time imaging. Research in the unit is firmly embedded within the overall EMBL research environment, with extensive in-house collaborations and support from world-class services, including the gene core, transgenic, metabolomics and mass-spectrometry core facilities. For examples of current research topics please visit http://www.embl.de/research/units/dev_biology/index.html
We are seeking outstanding candidates addressing fundamental principles of multicellular development across the entire spectrum of developmental biology. A focus on mechanistic studies using model organisms is desired; complementary simplified systems, such as organoid and stem cell systems, are welcome. Candidates with strong background and research using theoretical approaches are also encouraged to apply. There is the possibility to hire two group leaders in the present call.
EMBL fosters interdisciplinarity by providing a highly collaborative environment that benefits the research of all its scientists, including at the graduate, post-doctoral and group leader levels. EMBL generally hires group leaders early in their career and provides them with an ideally supportive and collegial environment in which to launch their first independent position and develop their ambitious and original research.
The EMBL International PhD Programme (EIPP; http://www.embl.de/training/eipp/index.html.) is recognized as among the best in the life sciences in Europe and has the right to award its own PhD degree. EMBL also runs a vibrant Interdisciplinary Postdoctoral Programme (EIPOD; http://www.embl.de/training/postdocs/08-eipod/index.html) that promotes synergistic interactions and innovative research at the forefront of biology.
EMBL-Heidelberg has its own on-site day-care and kindergarten facilities. Heidelberg is an international university town and is the home of many highly-reputed research institutes and centers. Frankfurt International Airport is only 45 minutes away.
The Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany has an opening for a
Research Technician
(position-code 11-2015)
in the DFG Emmy Noether junior group of Dr. Ivan Bedzhov. We use mouse embryos and embryonic stem (ES) cells to study mammalian development at the stages of implantation. We are particularly interested in the organization and differentiation of the epiblast lineage that gives rise to all tissues of the foetus. Technical approaches involve recovery, culture and micromanipulations of early mouse embryos, stable and transient transfections and gene targeting in embryonic stem cells, surgery and cell transplantation experiments, embryo transfer into recipient foster mothers, molecular cloning techniques, CRISPR mediated genome editing, 3D ES cell culture, immunohistochemistry, biochemistry, cell sorting, time-lapse and conventional light microscopy.
We are looking for a highly skilled, motivated and organized research technician. The successful candidate will directly contribute to the ongoing research in the lab, assisting in cell culture, molecular biology and embryo studies. Also, the successful candidate will organize an inventory database, order and prepare reagents for experiments, genotype and keep track of mouse colonies, communicate ideas and technical experimental strategies. Previous experience in mouse as a model system, molecular and cell culture techniques and immunohistochemistry will be an advantage. The working language in the institute is English.
The position is initially available for two years with the possibility of extension, starting from November 2015 or later. All conditions for the employment will be according to the regulations of the contracts for the civil service (TVöD, Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) level E9b TVöD.
The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply.
Please send a letter of application (with the position-code 11-2015), CV, the contact information of 2 referees until 30.09.2015 to:
The Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany has an opening for a
PhD student
(position-code 10-2015)
The position is available in the DFG Emmy Noether junior group of Dr. Ivan Bedzhov that is focused on understanding the self-organization of the pluripotent lineage in mammalian embryos at the time of implantation. This period of embryonic development is largely unexplored and it is probably the most enigmatic phase of the mammalian embryogenesis, as at that time the implanting embryo invades the maternal tissues and become hidden from view. The successful candidate will investigate the mechanisms of self-organization of the pluripotent epiblast in the context of the developing embryo and in vitro using embryonic stem cells as a model system. An integrated research strategy will be applied using novel 3D embryonic stem cell and embryo culture methods in combination with confocal microscopy, cell transplantation, molecular and cell biology techniques. Supervision by senior scientists and technical assistance from a laboratory technician will be provided.
We are looking for a talented and highly motivated PhD student with strong interest in stem cell biology and mouse embryonic development. Previous research background in epithelial polarity or tubulogenesis and experience in in vitro systems of epithelial morphogenesis such as the 3D MDCK culture is an advantage, but not a requirement. Excellent organizational skills, ability to work effectively as part of a team and to plan and execute experimental research independently are required.
The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine offers dynamic, multidisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art transgenic, imaging, genomics and proteomics equipment and core facilities. The working language in the institute is English, knowledge of the German language is not essential. The institute is located in Muenster, a vibrant city with a highly international academic environment.
The position is available from November 2015 or later. The income will be according to 50% of level E13 TVöD (the regulations of the contracts for the civil service – Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst).
The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer committed to increasing the participation of women wherever they are underrepresented. The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply.
Please send your application (with the position-code 10-2015), letter of motivation, CV, the contact information of 2 referees and (optional) the Degree’s thesis until 30.09.2015 to:
The Max-Planck-Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany has an opening for a
Postdoctoral Scientist
(position-code 09-2015)
The position is available in the DFG Emmy Noether junior group of Dr. Ivan Bedzhov that is focused on understanding the self-organization of early mammalian embryos and pluripotent stem cells. The successful candidate will investigate signalling pathways regulating the spatiotemporal organization and cell fate transitions in the early embryonic lineages. Technical approaches cover 3D cell and embryo culture techniques, genetic and genomic engineering in embryonic stem cells and embryos, cell transplantation studies, live-imaging and conventional confocal microscopy, immunohistochemistry, molecular biology and bioinformatics. We are seeking a self-motivated, organized and creative post-doctoral scientist. In addition to a PhD degree, the successful candidate will be expected to have experience in cell culture, molecular and cell biology methods. Previous experience in mouse embryonic stem cells culture, genome engineering, gene targeting techniques and genome-wide data analysis will be an advantage. The position is initially available for two years with the possibility of extension, starting from November 2015 or later. All conditions for the employment will be according to the regulations of the contracts for the civil service (TVöD, Tarifvertrag für den öffentlichen Dienst) level 13 TVöD. The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine offers a dynamic, international and multidisciplinary environment with state-of-the-art transgenic, imaging, genomics and proteomics equipment and core facilities. The working language in the institute is English. A childcare facility is situated in the guesthouse of the institute next to the main building. The institute is located in Muenster that has been awarded LivCom-Award for ‘The World’s Most Liveable City’ by the UN. The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer committed to increasing the participation of women wherever they are underrepresented. The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and especially encourages them to apply. Please send your application (with the position-code 09-2015), letter of motivation, CV including a complete list of publications and the contact information of 2 referees until 30.09.2015 to: career@mpi-muenster.mpg.de or Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine Roentgenstrasse 20 48149 Muenster Germany
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