Postdoctoral Research Associate, Lappalainen & Sanjana Labs

The Lappalainen & Sanjana Labs at the New York Genome Center (NYGC) are looking for a motivated individual to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate within a highly creative and dynamic research team of scientists, computational biologists, bioengineers, and human geneticists. The successful candidate will be jointly mentored by Drs. Tuuli Lappalainen and Neville Sanjana at the intersection of statistical genetics and functional genomics analyses and tech development and have the opportunity to also be affiliated with New York University.

Works at the intersection of genomics and bioengineering. We are curious about many things and are passionate about what we do. We primarily develop new technologies for hacking and understanding biological systems. We try to learn from nature and to re‑purpose what we learn to gain deeper insights into how genomes and neural systems function. In the lab, we modify genomes, perform high‑throughput screens, differentiate human neurons from stem cells, watch synapses rewire, find vulnerabilities in cancer cells and have a lot of fun in the process.

We aim to have a tangible impact on improving human health by creating new biological tools and fundamental biological discovery.

Studies functional genetic variation in human populations by analyzing how genetic variants affect molecular and cellular traits, and how these cellular changes contribute to genetic risk for both common and rare diseases and traits. We analyze these questions by computational analysis of large genomic, transcriptomic and multi‑omic data sets, and by experimental approaches. Our lab includes experts across the field of systems genetics, from statistical genetics and genomics to molecular genomics.

We are looking for a postdoctoral scientist eager to understand the impact of human genetic variation on gene expression and phenotypes at the cellular, tissue and physiological levels. This position will be at the intersection of computational and wet‑lab work, with co‑mentorship by both PIs and membership in both labs. The projects for the postdoctoral scientist combine cutting‑edge human genetics and genome technology development, with possible projects in CRISPR and single‑cell multi‑omics, and its integration with GWAS and eQTL data, including novel data from projects such as Developmental GTEx.

Recently, the Sanjana and Lappalainen labs developed STING‑seq (Systematic Targeted Inhibition of Noncoding GWAS loci with sequencing): https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). We seek to extend STING‑seq to new cell types (including primary cells) and develop next‑generation genome editing approaches to answer fundamental questions in human genetics, GWAS and disease biology. In addition, we envision that the postdoctoral scientist will play a major role in developing new projects in a supportive team science environment.

• CV with a list of publications
• A short summary of your present and future research interests
• A list of three references and their contact information with your application

The ideal candidate will hold a PhD or MD‑PhD, have prior research experience in any of the following: molecular biology, statistical genetics, biochemistry, computational biology and/or functional genomics and will have prior peer‑reviewed publications. The candidate will be expected to plan and carry out research tasks independently and write‑up/present findings on a regular basis. This position can be tailored to a candidate with strong molecular biology skills who are looking to improve their computational skills, or to a candidate with a stronger background in computational genetics or genomics looking to develop expertise in cutting‑edge experimental methods.

NYGC is an independent, nonprofit, academic research organization dedicated to advancing genomic research. NYGC scientists and staff are furthering new approaches to diagnosing and treating neurological diseases and cancer through their unique capabilities in whole genome sequencing, RNA sequencing, state‑of‑the‑art analytics,…