POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Job Description

The Berger lab at Duke University Medical Center (https://anesthesiology.duke.edu/research/berger-lab) is looking for a talented Postdoctoral Associate with experience in proteomic anal ysis (or similar ‘omics analysis and/or statistical background), to work on our NIH R01-funded project “APOE4-dependent regulation of CSF Comple ment Pathway Activation in the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease”. This project seeks to understand how and why APOE4 increases the risk for Al zheimer’s Disease. In particular, we are interested in the effect of APO E4 allele copy number on CSF complement protein levels and pathway activ ation throughout adult human life, based on our preliminary data that de monstrated lower CSF complement levels as a function of increasing APOE4 allele number in the ADNI consortium proteomics dataset (PMID 33337362) . 

The rationale behind this work is thatexcessive comple ment-mediated synaptic pruning in APOE4 carriers could increase Alzheime r’s disease risk, a hypothesis supported by our preliminary human data a nd by data from multiple mouse models from several different labs. This work will involve the analysis of unbiased mass spec-based proteomic dat a and confirmatory ELISA assay data from ~500 CSF samples fromAPOE4 hete rozygotes, homozygotes and non-carriers from across the adult human life span. This unique repository of hundreds of human CSF samples comes from several of our studies that have obtained CSF, as well as from collabor ators across the USA and Europe. Additional aims of this project will st udy the relationship between CSF complement pathway activation and long- term cognitive decline (independent of Ab and tau pathologies) and deter mine the effect of modulating APOE signaling in vivo on postoperative CN S complement activation in older adults (using unique perioperative CSF samples from our MARBLE trial-see PMID 32417770). 

This is an excellent opportunity for anyone whose PhD work (or master's degree or other recent work) included proteomics analysis (especially ne uro proteomics) or similar statistical approaches. The actual mass spect roscopy assays for this project will be performed by the Duke proteomics facility; opportunities exist to learn more about the core facility mas s spec rig and to learn about how to run these samples are run on it. Th is position will receive full benefits (including health insurance) from Duke University Medical Center and will benefit from rich collaboration with the Duke/UNC Alzheimer’s Disease Center and the larger neuroscienc e community at Duke. The position will be hired at either the II or seni orlevel depending on relevant qualifications, education, and/or experie nce.

Min Degree Requirements:   Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate (e.g. Sc.D., M.D., D.V.M.).

Other Credential/Experiential Requ irements:  The incumbent must be a true post-doctoral fello w registered with the Post Doc Office and per the following requirements :

• The term of this appointment is limited (5 years with a possible extension for an additional year)
• The appointment invol ves substantially full-time research or scholarship, which may include t eaching responsibilities.
• The appointment is viewed as preparato ry for a full time academic or research career.
• The appointment is not part of a clinical research training program, unless research tra ining under the supervision of a senior mentor is a primary purpose of t he appointment.
• The appointee works under the supervision of a s cholar or a department at Duke University.
• The appointee has the freedom, and is expected to publish the results of his or her research or scholarship during the period of the appointment.


 

Minimum Qualifications

Education

See job description for education requirements.

Experience

See job description for requirements.

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