Postdoc in Computational Genomics at Harvard School of Public Health

Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health
Environmental Health & Biostatistics
United States MA Cambridge
www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/2701061982/

Description

The Haber Lab (www.haberlab.org) in the Department of Environmental Health at Harvard University has an opening for highly motivated Postdocs to develop novel computational approaches for analysis of the determinants of asthma.


We are a new research group that uses genomics to study mucosal immunity in the lungs and particularly mechanisms of asthma. Past work has focused on discovering new cell types in the lungs (Nature, 2018), single-cell genomics of the small intestine (Nature, 2017), and using single-cell methods to describe how the mucosal immune system regulates epithelial stem cells (Cell, 2018). The successful candidate(s) will join an interdisciplinary team spanning several institutions, including the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Brigham & Women's Hospital, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.



Project details:

Investigating asthma pathophysiology at the molecular level using computational and systems biology approaches to analysis of single-cell RNA-sequencing data. These datasets from from clinical samples and mouse models of airway injury, inflammation and regeneration examine the impact of environmental exposures on the airways. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with clinical pulmonologists and immunologists to study molecular mechanisms underlying both airway tissue homeostasis and asthma pathogenesis.
Work in the lab also focuses on the social and geographic determinants of asthma at the epidemiological level, using geospatial analysis of city-wide datasets. These projects examine the increased risk that neighborhoods and air quality inside individual housing units contribute to asthma burden in Boston and elsewhere. This line of research seeks to isolate factors, such as indoor and outdoor air pollution, and poor housing conditions, in the social, physical, and built environment that contribute to racial and class-based disparities in rates of asthma.


Qualifications

Essential Qualifications:

PhD or equivalent in computational biology, computer science, epidemiology, statistics, mathematics, or other quantitative field.
Candidates holding a degree in biological/medical science are also welcome to apply if they have extensive background in computational or statistical work.


Additional Qualifications:

Applicants must have substantial experience with statistical or epidemiologic data analysis. Preference will be given to candidates with demonstrated research interests in areas currently under investigation (e.g. asthma, COPD, lung biology, mucosal immunology) in the research group.
Experience and/or training in geospatial analysis, Bayesian disease mapping and other methods, spatial epidemiology
Strong quantitative analysis skills and experience developing algorithms and/or conducting statistical analyses with large datasets, particularly genome-wide assays such as RNA-seq
Knowledge of lung biology, mucosal immunology, biology of allergy, impact of environmental conditions, particularly poor-quality housing on respiratory health
Track record of, or strong potential for, independent funding


Start date

As soon as possible

How to Apply

If you are interested, please send your CV and a cover letter describing your current and future research interests, and contact info for 3 references to Adam: ahaber@hsph.harvard.edu


Contact

ahaber@hsph.harvard.edu