A postdoctoral researcher position in Computational Biology is available at the Center for Translational and Computational Neuroimmunology (CTCN) in the Department of Neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in New York, NY.
We are looking for an enthusiastic and energetic individual to join our computational team. Our overarching research goal at the CTCN is to identify and model molecular mechanisms that drive neurodegeneration with a focus on Alzheimer’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementias (AD/ADRD). The computational team develops and applies systems biology approaches to genome-wide high-dimensional human data obtained from large well-characterized cohorts. These data are often multi-modal (genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, proteomic), include different brain regions or peripheral tissue, and were obtained at different resolutions (tissue-level data, single-cell/nucleus data, or spatial transcriptomics) requiring complex analyses. The successful candidate will be leading an integrative analysis of data generated from key motor tissues (motor cortex, spinal cord, muscle) to identify molecular pathways underlying motor decline, which is an early non-cognitive symptom of AD/ADRD. Tissue donors had regular gait testing, annual cognitive testing and used wearable sensors before death, making this dataset of several hundred tissue profiles a unique resource for studying motor impairment.
The ideal candidate should have a quantitative background (Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biostatistics, Statistics, Computer Science, or Applied Mathematics), be highly motivated to solve biological problems, and have experience analyzing large-scale genomic data. The candidate should have good knowledge of one programming language for implementing computational models and algorithms (R is preferred, Python, Matlab, C/C++). Experience with graph modeling, Bayesian statistics, or causal inference is a plus.
The successful candidate will be part of an integrated team of data scientists, cellular biologists, human immunologists, and clinician scientists who come together to perform team-based projects, with each postdoctoral researcher leading her or his own project. Therefore, a good balance between independence and team spirit is essential. The position offers a stimulating and multi-disciplinary environment with numerous opportunities to collaborate with researchers within and outside of the CTCN, including established collaborations with the New York Genome Center and the Rush University in Chicago. The candidate will be jointly mentored by Drs. Hans-Ulrich Klein and Philip De Jager.
If you are interested, please submit your application or inquiries by e-mail to Hans-Ulrich Klein (hk2948@cumc.columbia.edu). Along with your CV, please include a cover letter describing previous research, research interests, and future goals.
Ph.D. in computational biology, bioinformatics, statistics, biostatistics, computer science, or related area. Ph.D. in biology or neuroscience is also acceptable if the candidate has extensive experience with quantitative methods.
Application and inquiries should be submitted by e-mail to Hans-Ulrich Klein (hk2948@cumc.columbia.edu). Along with your CV, please include a cover letter describing previous research, research interests, and future goals.