Postdoc Research Fellow Synaptic and Network Dev Team

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The Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Inc.

Mass General Brigham relies on a wide range of professionals, including doctors, nurses, business people, tech experts, researchers, and systems analysts to advance our mission. As a not-for-profit, we support patient care, research, teaching, and community service, striving to provide exceptional care. We believe that high-performing teams drive groundbreaking medical discoveries and invite all applicants to join us and experience what it means to be part of Mass General Brigham.

The Synaptic and Network Development Group, led by Dr. Susanna Mierau, is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate with expertise in deriving neuronal organoid cultures from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and/or in CRISPR gene editing technologies in human iPSCs. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will join an interdisciplinary collaboration at the intersection of neurophysiology, human stem cell biology, and network science.

The project aims to understand how genetic changes in Rett syndrome affect neural networks and seizures during early development, using human cerebral organoids and a brain network perspective. The organoid platform will also be used to test novel therapeutic strategies.

• Work closely with experts in human stem cell biology to create autism and related neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) models in human cerebral organoids from patient-derived iPSC lines
• Lead generation and maintenance of human cerebral organoids in the laboratory
• Perform multi-electrode array (MEA) recordings and analyze network activity in NDD and control organoids
• Collaborate with team members on the development and application of methods for human organoids, network recordings, and network analysis
• Ensure validity and reliability of all data collected and analyzed
• Maintain thorough experimental records, conduct data analysis, and contribute to the laboratory research environment
• Write internal reports and contribute to reports for submission to research sponsors
• Prepare and present findings at internal group meetings
• Draft publications and/or presentations for scientific journals and conferences
• Contribute to research grant applications
• Provide guidance to staff and students, including training to students and/or other trainees
• Be an active team member and set positive examples for others
• Contribute to and lead administrative tasks related to research and teaching goals
• Maintain a safe workplace and follow all lab and hospital practices and procedures
• Any other duties commensurate with the post as directed by the Principal Investigators

Education &

Qualifications:

• PhD degree (or near to completion) in neuroscience, physiology, stem cell biology, molecular or cellular biology, or bioengineering
• Available to start as soon as possible

Specialist knowledge & skills:

Essential (required):

• PhD in a relevant field
• Research expertise to work independently, including generation and maintenance of human iPSC-derived brain organoids
• Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with other group members

Desirable (not required at time of hiring):

• Experience with CRISPR or other gene editing technologies in human iPSCs or embryonic stem cells
• Experience in neurophysiology (MEA recordings and/or whole-cell patch clamp)
• Experience in computational analysis of network activity

• Superior written and verbal communication for collaborative work, including reporting progress to PIs
• Rigorous scientific skills for acquiring, analyzing, and presenting data
• Excellent time and project management skills
• Ability to make independent decisions and solve routine problems in research projects
• Meticulous record keeping for procedures and analysis
• Willingness to adjust working hours to meet experimental demands
• Generosity of spirit and willingness to share and develop skills in others

• One year in the first instance, with potential to extend up to four years if progress is satisfactory

• 6 months

If interested, please forward resume and cover letter to Dr. Susanna Mierau.

smierauvard.edu

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