POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

This Position is grant funded

School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE

Acharya Lab – Division of Structural Biology

The Acharya Lab in the Division of Structural Biology at the Duke Human Vaccine Institute (DHVI), is recruiting for a Postdoctoral Associate. We study structures of viral glycoproteins, their interactions with host molecules and role in viral entry. Working at the interface of basic and translational research, we collaborate with multiple labs in DHVI and beyond to apply insights from structural biology to vaccine design. We have state-of-the-art facilities that include tissue culture labs, FPLCs, X-ray crystallography robots, a biophysics suite that includes a Biacore T200, Octet Red 384, ITC, DSC and a plate reader for absorbance and fluorescence assays, Leica EM GP2 and other equipment for cryo-EM grid preparation. We have regular access to the 22-ID beamline at the Argonne Photon Source for X-ray data collection. For cryo-EM, we have a Titan Krios microscope equipped with a Gatan K3 camera and a Tundra cryo-TEMs at the Shared Materials and Instrumentation Facility (SMIF) at Duke University, and a Tundra cryo-TEM in the Acharya Lab for cryo-EM.

This position will involve structural determination using high-resolution cryo-EM and X-ray crystallography of viral envelope and fusion proteins, and their complexes with host receptors and antibodies, biophysical and biochemical analyses to complement structural results, and collaborations with virology and immunology labs to understand the functional implications of the structural findings.

At DHVI our postdoctoral associates work in concert with Duke faculty and staff in an invigorating research training environment. One of our primary scientific missions is to support and train early stage investigators to be the next generation of scientific leaders equipped to identify and implement solutions for improving human health worldwide. We are committed to providing an outstanding training environment and research experiences that will enhance your career and provide an avenue to incorporate your education, expertise, initiative and dedication to the success of the studies.

The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. degree, with a strong background in biochemistry and structural biology. Experience with basic molecular biology, protein expression, purification, and either X-ray crystallography or cryo-EM is required. The ideal candidate will be creative, motivated, and have the ability to work independently, as well as part of a team.

The application materials should include a CV and cover letter with a 1-page summary explaining your past research, your interests and how joining the Acharya Lab fits within your overall career objectives, and the contact information for 3 references.  You will be contacted if we are interested in exploring your credentials in more detail.

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