St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St Jude Children's Research Hospital is a premier research center and the only NCI-Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated solely to the care of children with cancer. St Jude offers a rich intellectual environment in which basic scientists and clinical investigators collaborate in translational research. It has tremendous resources and expertise on various areas of basic and medical research. In particular, research on pediatric cancers including brain tumors has gained prominent recognition in the world.

St. Jude has been consistently ranked as one of the top pediatric cancer hospitals. St. Jude has been recognized by FORTUNE magazine as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” every year since 2010.

A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Young-Goo Han in the Department of Developmental Neurobiology/Neurobiology and Brain Tumor Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
. The Han laboratory studies the biology of primary cilia and how cilia-dependent signaling regulates cell behavior in normal development and disease, with particular emphasis on brain development, brain tumors, neurodevelopmental disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases
.

The Han laboratory has made important contributions to understanding the roles of primary cilia and Hedgehog signaling in neural stem cell formation, cerebellar development, medulloblastoma, neocortical growth and folding, and cilia-dependent regulation of translation and the cell cycle. Applicants who are interested in fundamental mechanisms by which primary cilia or mitochondria
control cellular homeostasis and signaling are encouraged to apply.

We use a broad range of approaches, including human pluripotent stem cells, brain organoids, genome editing, high-resolution imaging, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, epigenomics, and proteomics, as well as a unique mouse model in which neural progenitors acquire key features of human neural progenitors, driving expansion and folding of the normally small, smooth mouse cortex.

Research areas may include:

Primary cilia and compartmentalized signaling

• Cell and molecular mechanisms of cilia function
• Brain development and neural progenitor biology
• Neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders

Qualifications Applicants should have a Ph.D., M.D., or equivalent degree and a strong background in cell biology, molecular biology, developmental biology, neuroscience, cancer biology, neurodegeneration, or a related field. Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable: primary cilia biology, mitochondrial homeostasis, mouse genetics, imaging, biochemistry, genomics, stem/progenitor cell biology, or disease models. Highly motivated candidates with strong communication skills and a record of scientific productivity are encouraged to apply.

Environment St. Jude provides an outstanding and highly collaborative research environment with exceptional core facilities and strong support for postdoctoral training and career development. The Han laboratory offers opportunities to pursue mechanistic and conceptually innovative projects at the interface of cell biology, development, and disease.