Open Positions at Columbia

Do you think that social science research is an important part of the solution to the HIV/AIDS epidemic?  Do you have a doctoral degree (Ph.D., M.D., etc.), or are you about to complete one? Do you want to receive further training to become an independent HIV/AIDS researcher?

If so (or if you know anyone to whom this might apply), you might be interested in our NIMH-funded postdoctoral training program, focusing on HIV, gender, and human sexuality at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies (Columbia University New York). You can learn more about the program by visiting  http://www.hivcenternyc.org/training/nrsa.html. Trainees receive up to three years of support for stipends, health insurance, travel for conferences, and research. An application form can be found at the website.

One position for our training program will become available per January 2012. If you want to be considered for this position you have to make sure that we received your application form not later than October 1, 2011. The deadline for applications for positions becoming available as of July 2012 is January 2, 2012.

Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Persons from underrepresented groups (including those with disabilities and disadvantaged background) are strongly encouraged to apply.

A full-time Post-Doctoral Research Scientist position is available at Columbia University in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences. The position is funded by a grant entitled ‘Influenza Outbreak Prediction: Applying Data Assimilation Methodologies to Develop Skillful Model Forecasts of an Inherently Chaotic, Nonlinear System’ from the joint NSF/NIH Initiative to Support Research at the Interface of the Biological and Mathematical Sciences. The project seeks to develop a number of model/data assimilation systems for generating skillful, short-term (5-day to 3 month) ensemble based predictions of epidemic influenza. For this project, data assimilation methods, such as ensemble adjustment Kalman filtering, will be used to incorporate proxy observations of influenza incidence into mathematical models of influenza transmission dynamics.

Candidates applying for this position must have or be near completion of a doctoral degree in Statistics, Epidemiology, Applied Mathematics, or a related discipline. Persons with a strong background and interest in Bayesian statistics, mathematical modeling and/or infectious disease dynamics are encouraged to apply. Experience programming in languages such as Matlab, R, or Fortran is preferable. The expected duration of the postdoctoral position is 2 years.

Please submit a statement of interest, not exceeding 2 pages, the names and contact information for 2 references, and a CV to Jeffrey Shaman (jls106@columbia.edu). Applications will be considered as they arrive but should be submitted by no later than December 1, 2011.

A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Bin Zheng at the
Institute of Cancer Genetics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York City. Our laboratory is interested in both basic and translational research on mechanisms of metabolic signaling in cancer, with a special focus on melanoma. For more information about our research, please visit: http://icg.cumc.columbia.edu/faculty_Zheng.htm.

Our laboratory is located at the newly established Irving Cancer Research Center building, which provides an intellectually stimulating scientific environment and state-of-the-art cancer research facilities.

Candidates must have a PhD or equivalent with strong research experience in biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology and/ or mouse cancer models. No citizenship or permanent residence is required. Interested applicants should submit a copy of CV and contact information of three references. For further information,
please do not hesitate to contact Dr. Bin Zheng at zheng@icg.cpmc.columbia.edu

Columbia University is seeking bioinformaticians for a dynamic research program in pathogen discovery. The successful applicant will work in global health projects focused in the developing world in association with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health. Applicants must be proficient in Perl/BioPerl, MySQL and Ruby on Rails for writing bioinformatics analytical applications; have experience with Linux environments for maintaining multi-node computer clusters; be able to work in multiple operating systems (Mac-OS X, Windows, Linux); have at least a master's level degree in bioinformatics and three years of experience in relevant research.

1. Degree(s) in bioinformatics, biotechnology and/or biological sciences and three years experience, particularly in microarray and next-generation sequencing.
   
2. Excellent organizational and communication skills and the ability to thrive in a collaborative environment.
   
3. Demonstrated experience in problem solving and programming for bioinformatics projects.

Please respond to:
W. Ian Lipkin
Center for Infection and Immunity
Email: wil2001@columbia.edu
Mailman School of Public Health of Columbia University

What is TIRI?

TIRI is an NIH-funded (T32NR013454) pre- and post-doctoral fellowship program aimed to prepare biomedical researchers and others for interdisciplinary research with a focus on preventing infections in community, institutional, and healthcare settings.  Fellowships are awarded in one-year increments, but most fellows complete two years.

What does a TIRI fellowship offer?

• Mentoring and research support:  Fellows are matched with two faculty mentors, one within their primary discipline and one from another field, to advise them as they pursue one or more original research projects related to infection prevention.  For pre-doctoral fellows, this research project is the student’s dissertation.
• Didactic courses in interdisciplinary research and infectious disease:  Building Interdisciplinary Research Models (2 credits); Supervised Field Experience in Interdisciplinary Research in Infection Prevention (2 credits); Topics in Emerging Infectious Diseases (3 credits); Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases (3 credits).
• Networking:  Monthly seminars provide opportunities to meet with infectious disease researchers and students from different disciplines, research and practice environments.
• Tuition, fees, and health insurance:  Pre-doctoral fellows receive $16,000 annually for tuition and fees; post-doctoral fellows receive $4,500.  All trainees receive individual or family health insurance.
• Funds for travel and research-related supplies:  Fellows receive funds to travel to one scientific meeting, annually, and additional funds are available to support research activities, as needed.
• Stipends:  Pre-doctoral trainees receive $22,032 annually and post-doctoral trainees receive $39,264-54,180, depending on experience (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-12-033.html)

Who should apply for TIRI?

• Doctoral students and recent doctoral graduates with a strong interest in infection prevention research who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents should apply for this fellowship.
• Pre-doctoral applicants are eligible if they are enrolled in a Columbia University doctoral program and have completed at least one year of coursework towards their degree.  Post-doctoral applicants are eligible if they have earned a doctoral diploma (e.g. PhD, MD, ScD, etc.)

How can you learn more about TIRI and begin the application process?

• Contact the TIRI Director, Elaine Larson (ell23@columbia.edu) or the TIRI Coordinator, Bevin Cohen (bac2116@columbia.edu) as soon as possible!

Application Deadline is May 1, 2012

A post-doctoral research position is available at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York.  The research is focused on understanding of genetic and epigenetic changes during B-lymphocyte mediated immune response. 

For details please visit our website at http://www.microbiology.columbia.edu/faculty/basu.html.

The qualified candidate should have a M.D. and/or Ph.D in biomedical sciences with expertise in immunology and molecular biology. Candidates with experience in working with mouse lymphocytes and/or stem cells will be preferred.

Interested candidates should contact Uttiya Basu (ub2121@columbia.edu) with curriculum vitae, list of publications and names and addresses of three references.

A funded position is available for a postdoctoral research scientist in the Laboratory of Dr. Benjamin Tycko to study the role of altered DNA methylation in cancer and other human diseases.  A number of different methods are being focused on this topic, including a combinationof tissue-based studies, microarray-based profiling with relevant bioinformatics, high throughput bisulfite sequencing, and creation of mouse models.

The Institute for Cancer Genetics is located in the Irving Cancer Research Center (ICRC) of the Columbia University Medical Center campus.

Interested candidates should send a copy of their CV, and the names of two faculty members or PIs who can provide letters of reference, to:

Benjamin Tycko, M.D., Ph.D.

Institute for Cancer Genetics and Department of Pathology

Irving Cancer Research Center (ICRC)

1130 St. Nicholas Avenue

New York, NY  10032

Tel. 212-851-5280

bt12@columbia.edu

Funds are available for a postdoctoral fellow in the Laboratory of Dr. Tulle Hazelrigg to study the role of histone methylation in the regulation of gene expression in Drosophila. This research will address the roles played by Egg/dSETDB1, an essential histone methyltransferase, in development, gametogenesis, and germ stem cell maintenance.  In particular, experiments will identify the genomic targets of Egg/dSETDB1, and will determine the mechanisms responsible for selection of these gene targets. The successful candidate will join a lively academic research department at Columbia University, with excellent facilities and resources.

The Department of Biological Sciences is located on the Columbia Morningside Heights campus, located in the culturally diverse Upper West Side of New York City.

Interested candidates should send a copy of their CV, and the names of two faculty members or PIs who can provide letters of reference, to:

Dr. Tulle Hazelrigg, Department of Biological Sciences

753 Fairchild Extension

Columbia University

New York, NY 10027

Tel. 212-854-3026 (lab) or 917-915-1428 (cell)

tih1@columbia.edu

We are seeking applications for postdoctoral fellows to cultivate research that will explore the basic biology and therapeutic potential of human pluripotent stem cells. The project will focus on the generation of human pluripotent cells from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients for applications in disease modeling and drug discovery in the context of MS and other autoimmune diseases. The
successful applicant will work in the NYSCF laboratory under the direction of Valentina Fossati, Ph.D., and have access to facilities for studying the derivation, characterization and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells and iPS cells. The position provides multiple opportunities to interact with other groups in the Northeast interested in stem cell biology, including groups at Columbia University and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

Interested applicants should be highly motivated, with good communication skills, be organized, meticulous, maintain good records, and have the ability to work independently. Applicants should also have a strong background in molecular biology and cell biology, experience with mammalian cell culture and publications in internationally recognized journals. Experience with embryonic stem cell culture and a background in neurology and/or immunology are a plus. Interested applicants should have completed one or more of the following degrees or its equivalent: M.D., Ph.D. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. legal resident or a foreign applicant with appropriate visa documentation, as required by U.S. Immigration. Applicants should be fluent in English and be available for an interview. Please send a cover letter, brief description of research experience and interests, curriculum vitae and contact information for three references to Valentina Fossati, Ph.D., NYSCF-Helmsley Investigator at the NYSCF laboratory, at vfossati@nyscf.org.