Bioinformatics Research Scientist - Molecular Oncology

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Collaborative Research Program
United States TN Memphis
www.stjude.org/

Description

We are seeking a talented, highly motivated individual to join the laboratories of Dr. Charles Roberts, MD., PhD, Director, Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Director of the Division of Molecular Oncology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Dr. Esther Obeng, Assistant Member, Division of Molecular Oncology. Dr. Roberts’ lab studies the epigenetic regulation of gene expression. In particular we study chromatin-modifying proteins with a major focus on the SWI/SNF (BAF) chromatin remodeling/tumor suppressor complex and its relationship to cancers. Genes encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF complex are mutated in over 20% of all cancers, a rate approaching that of p53, making this the most frequently mutated chromatin regulator in human malignancies. Research in the Roberts laboratory is designed to discover the mechanism by which the SWI/SNF complex contributes to the regulation of gene expression and lineage specification, and the mechanisms by which mutation of the tumor suppressor subunits drives cancer formation. We also seek to identify vulnerabilities that are conferred by SWI/SNF mutation with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic opportunities.



Dr. Obeng’s laboratory studies myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), a pre-leukemic condition that is presently only cured by bone marrow transplantation. The most commonly mutated classes of genes in MDS are splicing factors followed by epigenetic regulators, and these genes are suspected to be initiating lesions in MDS. The focus of the Obeng laboratory is to understand the mechanisms by which altered RNA splicing and epigenetic dysregulation lead to MDS with the goal of identifying novel targets for treatment. The Bioinformatics Scientist would be embedded in this environment in the Division of Molecular Oncology and would lead the design and analysis of integrated genomic and experimental studies in normal cells, cancer cell lines and primary tumor samples. In this role, the Bioinformatics Scientist has the unique opportunity to apply innovative analytical and visualization approaches for studying and understanding the epigenetic modifications both genome-wide as well as at specific loci. Collectively we anticipate the Bioinformatics Scientist to be at the forefront of transforming the understanding of how mutations in epigenetic regulators and RNA splicing factors drive widespread cancer onset and in identifying potential vulnerabilities.



In addition to working closely with the Computational Biology Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Roberts and Obeng labs have long-standing collaborations with investigators at the Broad Institute, Harvard Medical School, and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. In this position, the Bioinformatics Scientist will gain extensive experience developing cutting edge computational approaches to answer challenging biological questions. The computational resources and infrastructure at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital are truly exceptional.


Qualifications

Candidates must be proficient in the analysis of next-generation sequencing data generated from whole genome/exome sequencing, and capable of proficiently analyzing RNA-Seq, CHIP-Seq, and ATAC-Seq, as well as the potential to develop skills in the analysis of Hi-C, single cell, and long read sequencing experiments. The ability to perform integrative analysis of multimodality data is essential and capability in the analysis of RNA splicing is a plus. Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate with experimental and computational biologists are essential.

Minimum Education
- Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology or related field required

Minimum Experience
- Ph.D which must include research related to bioinformatics (such as analysis of sequence data, microarrays, SNPs, image data, proteomics data, or biological pathways; development of algorithms, statistical methods, or scientific software); OR If Ph.D with no bioinformatics research, then two (2) years of pre-or postdoctoral experience in Computational Biology or Bioinformatics research is required
- Experience with programming languages such as Perl, C, or Java required


Start date

As soon as possible

How to Apply

Apply online at: bit.ly/36k01WT


Contact

Manjula Puthenedam
Manjula.Puthenedam@stjude.org