Principal Investigator, Joshua Burda, PhD, is looking for a Postdoctoral Scientist to join the team!

The Burda Lab explores how glia respond to injuries and disorders of the CNS and how these responses impact on neural repair, regeneration and neurological recovery. As a Postdoc, you will participate in research studies and perform lab techniques under the guidance of the Principal Investigator. To learn more, please visit | BURDALAB.IO |.

The ideal candidate will investigate astrocyte-mediated molecular mechanisms underlying neural tissue remodeling, inflammation and regenerative plasticity of neural circuits after central nervous system (CNS) injury and in disease. This NIH-funded study has direct and important relevance to patients with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke or neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis, in which therapeutically harnessing functions of injury-reactive astrocytes may be a key to improving outcome and promoting recovery.

Our research aims to make use of multiple mouse models of nervous system injury and employ cell type-specific in vivo molecular manipulations, single cell RNA and ATAC sequencing, mouse transgenics, primary neuron, astrocyte and microglia culture, molecular biology, protein biochemistry, neuroanatomical tract tracing, histology, microscopy, and biobehavioral assessments in mouse models of CNS injury and degeneration.

Are you ready to be a part of breakthrough research?

Working independently but in close cooperation and in consultation with Dr. Burda and other Research Scientists, the Postdoctoral Scientist will perform routine and complex laboratory procedures throughout training period. Analyzes and interprets data. This is an outstanding opportunity to work with a multidisciplinary group of neuroscientists, neurologists, geneticists and bioinformaticians interested in identifying new therapeutic strategies for stimulating endogenous pathways of CNS repair and recovery. Postdoctoral Scientists in the Burda Lab also benefit from the groups’ well-established and ongoing collaborations with neighboring UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and Brain Research Institute Investigators.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

• May assist in the preparation of grant proposals, but is not responsible for generating grant funds.
• May participate in publications and presentations as author or co-author.
• Designs and performs experiments. Will keep appropriate experimental records and documentation and analyze the results with the Principal Investigator.
• May develop, adapt, and implement new research techniques and protocols.
• Analyzes interpret, summarizes, and compiles data.
• Performs routine and complex laboratory procedures throughout the training period.
• Operates and maintains equipment and instruments.
• May observe MD-patient or MD-human research subject interactions as it pertains directly to research being performed.

Education:

• Doctorate (MD, PhD, VMD or DDS) in an area related to the field of research specialization is required.

Experience and Skills:

• Acquires thorough technical and theoretical knowledge of research project and objectives during one to five (1-5) year post-doctoral appointment.
• Works independently on research projects designed by a mentor (typically the PI) within area of specialization.
• Demonstrated aptitude to perform experimental protocols and procedures, including detailed data collection, and analysis and operation and maintenance of specialized equipment.
• Knowledge of safety standards and maintenance of specialized equipment.
• Disease modeling in rodents. Experience with rodent surgery is preferred, but not required.
• R and/or Python programming language basics (preferred, but not required).
• Light microscopy (e.g. laser-scanning confocal and epifluorescence)
• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of cells and/or tissues.
• A range of wet lab techniques including nucleic acid and/or protein biochemistry
• A range of tissue processing and histological preparations for cellular and molecular analysis.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills are essential.
• Collaborate with PI in preparation of Postdoctoral Fellowship applications.